Oxford

Mississippi

Travel Guide

Hello friends and welcome BAcK! to my channel. If you’re nEW hERe, make SURE to SUBSCRIBE and ScHMASH THAT LIKE BUTTON, LiKE anD COMMeNT becAUSE I sold my soul to the Youtube Gods and have to live off likes, comments and subscribers!! ANYWAYS.

I graduated from The University of Mississippi almost two years ago and felt that it was only right for me to finally create a travel guide for Oxford. You only hear about Oxford when a bunch of asshats decide to do things like destroy Emmett Till’s memorial sign but contrary to what you may hear, Oxford is a lovely town.

If you’re looking for a party guide, this is not it. Although I’ve been to the numerous bars and ~*frat parties*~ as a undergrad, I quickly outgrew that phase of my life. RIP to the best bar in Oxford: Rowdy Rebs. I’ve been to parties but I’m not a ~partier~, ya know? I don’t think my party guide would be any good. I am however a museum and farmer’s market connoisseur so if you’re into that hippie-dippie-Whole-Foods-and-eating-good shit, then this is your guide. The guide below includes things that aren’t in the video because I didn’t have the time or budget to go to all the places just for b-roll, okay? 😔 but I’m going to stop rambling now and get into it.

Things to Do

+Lamar Park & Advent Park

A quiet morning at Lamar Park is unbeatable. Go early in the morning, walk around the *huge* park that’s filled with art installations and enjoy the sunrise. You can also bring your dog here! Advent Park is also nice but that one has more kids since they have a playground.

+The Square

The Square is a nice, historic city center that you can shop and eat at. *Personally* I don’t shop at the Square because it’s expensive and the style is very southern-belle, sorority girl which umm… I can’t relate. The restaurants are really good but can be expensive if you don’t get the lunch specials. My favorite places are Southside Gallery, Square Books and Off Square Books. Southside Gallery is a small art gallery that you can quickly browse through before or after lunch. Square Books has “regular” books as well as an ice cream and coffee shop upstairs. Off Square Books has fun, miscellaneous items (art pencils, umbrellas, etc.) as well as hobby books (cookbooks, magazines, etc.) Walk around The Square and window shop if you’ve never been.

+Rowan Oak (Faulkner’s House)

Faulkner’s House is so serene. The trees that line the entrance to his house are amazing. You can go around his backyard as well. There’s also a trail there that you should definitely hike if you have the time. It leads to The University of Mississippi Museum and is a ~35 minute ONE WAY trip and that’s because you’ll probably stop and take pictures. It’s not a bad hike at all, I SWEAR. Hike during the University Museum’s opening hours so you can tour the museum once you get to the end of the hike! You can also visit his grave. It’s not at his house but it’s also in Oxford. I’ve never been to his grave because I don’t like graves but just wanted to give you guys options.

+Oxford Farmer’s Markets

The one mentioned in the video is called Oxford Community Market and is only opened on Tuesdays from 3pm to 6pm. I know the video said ” WEEKEND guide” but… I really just meant chill travel guide. Another farmer’s market I really like is called the Chicory Market. It’s open everyday and is more like a small, local grocery store than a farmer’s market. They have the BEST local olives there. Oxford Community Market sells it as well but sometimes the vendors aren’t there. The last farmer’s market is called the Midtown Farmer’s Market. I have not yet visited this one because I always oversleep or get too lazy when the moment comes but I heard good things about it.

+Cryotherapy

Okay so you can do this in other places but if you want something quick and unusual to do, then try cryotherapy. You’re only in the cryotherapy tank for ~5 minutes but temperatures are around -230 degrees Fahrenheit. Oxford Cryotherapy had an offer for first timers to do it for $25 so I tried it out. It’s $50 per visit after the first time or you can get a membership. I don’t have “spend $50 for 5 minutes” money yet so it’s something I’m glad I got to do once but I don’t think I’ll do it again. YES, IT WAS COLD AS HELL AND I hAtED EVERY SECOND OF BEING IN THERE but also it was thrilling, ya know? And the lady made me rotate around like a rotisserie chicken while I was in the tank so that it could distribute the coldness evenly.

+Whirlpool Trails

This is one of the many trails you could walk in Oxford. There are always people walking their dogs, hiking and biking there. My favorite part is the tree tunnel and also when you’re about ~1.5 miles in, the tree tunnel stops and you’re surrounded by vine… bushes? (sorry to botanists reading this) but anyways, it’s looks like a scene from a sci-fi space exploration movie.

+Art Crawl

Okay, once again I know the video said WEEKEND guide but Oxford Art Crawls are on Tuesdays 🙁 forgive me for I have sinned twice. But I LOVE Oxford Art Crawl. You can start at any of the museums on the stops (University of Mississippi Museum, The Powerhouse, etc.) and a double decker bus will come around every 20+ minutes to drive you to the next museum. There’s always charcuterie boards, drinks and snacks at the museums because you know how we bougie art folks are 🙂 You can also purchase wine. Be warned though: sometimes the double decker buses take forever to arrive.

+The Grove

The Grove is my favorite spot to chill, read a book, sketch or do a little work (watch Youtube). It’s the best in the fall and spring. Not to be confused with going Groving aka tailgating at The Grove during football season. I don’t like Groving that much because you need to have a tent or know someone with a tent to get the full experience. Otherwise, you’re just wandering around a bunch of drunk people. I like to go to The Grove on a regular day because it’s more chill. You can park anywhere on the Ole Miss campus (where the Grove is) anytime after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends (unless there’s a football game.)

Food to Eat

+Tarasque Cucina

I have a love-hate relationship with this restaurant but it’s still one of my favorites. LET ME EXPLAIN. This restaurant uses local, in-season ingredients and they have plate specials that change bi-weekly or whenever they’ve sold out of the ingredients. It’s always something weird and different. That’s why I love it. It’s not your typical chicken fingers and pizza restaurant. Some of the weekly plates I’ve had are chicken pate, fig salads, roasted quail, etc. Sometimes I don’t like the flavors in the weekly plate but it’s not to say it tastes bad, just not my taste. I still get excited to try their new plates though! I never know what to expect. They also have pasta that’s permanently on the menu. The pasta I tried was okay but other people’s pastas looked really good because they added a huge meatball/chicken parmesan on top (which costs extra.)

+Ajax

It’s a good and reliable southern-comfort-food restaurant on The Square with reasonable prices! It hasn’t disappointed me yet. It’s good ole reliable 🙂

+Jensei

Bougie-ish Japanese restaurant but the sushi is mediocre to me. I know what you’re thinking, “Why the hell is she recommending a Japanese restaurant if their SUSHI, a MAIN Japanese entree is mediocre?” Their sushi is mediocre to ME, but my parents loved it. My mom is a tough food critic and she liked their sushi so to each their own. I love their appetizers and starter entrees! I got the Jenseiviche the first time. I was mad the portions were small but it was good! It was a light dish so don’t get it if you’re super hungry. I think that was also another reason I was really mad lmaooo. ALSO, get the Kobe River Rock Beef. You basically cook your own beef on a smoking hot rock. It only takes 7-10 seconds to cook. The green bean fries are so good! I think their cold/hot dishes are the best part of the menu.

+Canteen

THE BEST BREAKFAST I’VE HAD IN OXFORD. SoOOo good. It’s like a premium Egg McMuffin. Also, they had Vietnamese iced coffee and… boy. That was too much caffeine for my little Vietnamese body.

+First Watch

Also a really good breakfast place. They have traditional breakfast but also “healthy” breakfasts. The iced coffee and juices are good too.

+Ravine

This is the restaurant I showed in the video and I just want to preface this one by saying: it’s expensive. Don’t go here if you don’t want to spend $30 an entree. Don’t go here and get mad at me because I warned you. If you do go there, it’s right on the edge of Oxford and can be hard and sketchy to find. You go down this country road and you’re like… “Umm am I going the right way? Am I going to get robbed? Is this someone’s house?” But trust me, it’s worth it. This is another restaurant that uses local ingredients and they know what they’re doing. I was wowed by every dish. Money well spent. I didn’t regret getting appetizers, an entree and dessert at all lmaodfjdsfdjslk.

+Soulshine Pizza

Normally I like 3423840 toppings on my pizza but their cheese pizza is AMAZING. The cheese does that cheesy-string-pull-apart thing you always see in cartoons. You have to try their plain cheese pizza.

+Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

I love their chicken, it has a slight spice to them (not spicy spicy) but still really good. Ranch? Amazing. Mac and cheese? Amazing. Fries? Amazing. Update: Their Oxford location has closed 🙁 but they still have locations in other cities so check out their website if you’re still interested.

Update: they closed their Oxford location 🙁 but there’s still locations in other states.

+Living Foods

This one is a healthy and vegan friendly restaurant/smoothie place. I tried a vegan burger here once and it was SO DaMN GOOD!! I tried The Beyond Meat patty and maybe I didn’t prepare it correctly because I didn’t like it but the vegan burger they made here was really good! It wasn’t made from the Beyond Meat patty but I just wanted you guys to know that I’m not vegan but I really enjoyed that burger. Try the sweet potato salad side too!!

+Lost Pizza

Another amazing pizza place, it’s not exclusive to Oxford but if your city doesn’t have Lost Pizza, then you should try it! They also have pasta and wings.

+Uptown Coffee

Cute local coffee place on The Square. Their coffee and sweets are good. Sorry I’m running out of adjectives to describe food but I swear this coffee place is worth it if you’re looking for good coffee and don’t want Starbucks.

+Pick Thai

I used to get pick-up here all the time when I was still in college!! My parents and I dined in and… it wasn’t as good as my takeout??? Lmaooodfjksdd my parents didn’t like it but every time I get the Pad See Ew or Pad Thai takeout, it’s always good to me.

+Mundo Latino – The Taco Shop

ONE OF THE BEST TACO SHOPS EVER and it’s cheap! They also have a mini market inside the restaurant as well.

+Toyo Japanese

This is another place I would always get takeout at when I was an undergrad. I think their sushi is better than their entrees. Also, they have a great bento box specials for lunch.