Top Attractions

a museum all about music!

grammymuseumms.org | 800 W. Sunflower Rd. | (662) 441-0100

Did you know that Mississippi has more GRAMMY® winners and GRAMMY nominees than any other state in the country? GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi, a state-of-the-art interactive museum, celebrates both the state's musical heritage and American music industry as a whole.

The 26,000+ square foot facility is the first GRAMMY Museum located outside of the original museum in Los Angeles. Along with immersive permanent exhibits, the museum offers an array of rotating exhibits and frequent quality live events throughout the year.

(See the events page or GRAMMY Museum website for more information).

The “Unofficial” Pottery Capital of Mississippi

Peter’s Pottery
peters-pottery.net | 301 Fortune Avenue • Mound Bayou, MS | (662) 741-2283

McCarty’s Pottery
mccartyspottery.com | 101 Saint Marys Street • Merigold, MS | (662) 748-2293

Both McCarty’s Pottery in Merigold and Peter’s Pottery in Mound Bayou are known worldwide for their elegant, functional and artistic pieces, both utilizing unique glazes that have made their work some of the most sought after pottery pieces in the country. Both studios are just a few minutes outside of Cleveland proper. And McCarty’s is also known for their al fresco lunches in an Asian-inspired garden on site (visit website for details). In addition, pottery connoisseurs will often stop by the Post Gallery in nearby Rosedale, Mississippi to treasure hunt for pieces by other local up and coming potters. In fact, there are plenty of places throughout the Delta and near to Cleveland to treasure hunt! Be sure and check out our “Delta Décor” Itinerary in the Itineraries section.

Antiquing and Shopping in the Delta

clevelandmainstreet.com | Various Locations | (662) 843–2712

Whether pottery, antiques, fashion, décor, or unique gifts are on your shopping list, Cleveland is your home base for shopping in the Delta. The historic, walkable and attractive Crosstie District in downtown Cleveland is home to dozens of higher end shops, restaurants and galleries stocked with items and eats to delight shoppers. There’s even an ice cream shop and a couple of nice coffee shops tucked away to provide that mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up. The shopping can continue a short distance outside of Cleveland with more eclectic shops in a number of villages and towns within a short, pretty drive from the city. For a curated list of Delta antique stores located near Cleveland, be sure and check out our itineraries section.

Black History and Civil Rights Trail

Various Locations | (662) 843–2712

From the Civil Rights movement to the sites of African American cultural, entrepreneurial and civic milestones, there’s plenty to explore in Cleveland and the Mississippi Delta. From the Amzie Moore House and Interpretive Center where key Civil Rights leaders such as Bob Moses, Stokely Carmichael, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. met with Moore to plan activities, to the City of Mound Bayou, one of the first American communities founded by freed African slaves, to cultural sites like Rosedale (where Robert Johnson took music to the next level) and a museum dedicated to the King of the Blues, B.B. King, in nearby Indianola, Cleveland is the base for learning about these profound events and exploring the area where they happened. For a listing of important civil rights locations near Cleveland and to plan your civil rights road trip, visit our itinerary page.

Hwy 61 and the Mississippi Blues Trail

Various Locations | (662) 843–2712

Rock and Roll evolved from the blues, and the blues were born in the Mississippi Delta. Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, B.B. King, Son House, Muddy Waters were all born and bred within 35 miles of Cleveland. World famous Dockery Farms is just a couple of minutes outside of town. Legend has it that the real intersection where Robert Johnson sold his soul was in nearby Rosedale on the Mississippi River. The location of the world-famous Po’ Monkey’s Juke Joint is just a few miles out of Cleveland in Merigold. Or check out the Blues Life Masks Exhibit, including the life masks of more than fifty blues musicians at Delta State University. Traveling north, south, east or west from Cleveland, and you’re headed to a number of Mississippi blues sites. For Instagrammers and photographers, Cleveland is the place that puts you in the center of the scenery. To build your perfect Mississippi Delta and blues road trip, check out the itinerary page here.

Arts, History and Music!

Various Locations | (662) 843–2712

For great Mississippi Delta events, Cleveland is the place to be. The Bologna Performing Arts Center (BPAC) hosts national touring acts, concerts, film, comedy and other programming on a regular basis and offers overnight packages for concert-goers. See schedule here. Deep Roots and the Delta Arts Alliance also offer concerts on a frequent basis at the historic Ellis Theater in downtown Cleveland, featuring up-and-coming musicians and songwriters. The Martin and Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum in downtown Cleveland is absolutely fascinating, with one of the largest train dioramas in the southeast. The Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum, Blues Life Masks Exhibit, Mathews-Sanders Sculpture Garden and Wiley Planetarium at Delta State University are great for a full day of enjoyable learning, and the Crosstie District downtown includes several galleries to explore. The Crosstie Arts Festival each Spring and Octoberfest in the fall bring in artisans from the region and are not-to-miss events. For more casual concerts, check out the popular Hey Joe’s and Pickled Okra gathering places downtown. To learn about dates for special events and concerts in Cleveland, check out our Events page.

Dining and After-Hours Fun

Various Locations | (662) 843–2712

Cleveland satisfies famished guests with a variety of dining atmosphere and plenty of Mississippi Delta cuisine. Whether you are looking for fine dining, soul food, crawfish and hot tamales, barbeque or burgers, authentic Mexican, or just a quick, quality bite, there’s something for everyone. From award-winning lunch and dinner options, rooftop eateries, and fresh breakfasts in unique and historic restaurants, you really can’t go wrong in your dining choices in Cleveland. And we’ve also got a couple of places famous for pre-dinner drinks and apps and after-hours music and drinks. For a full list and descriptions of area restaurants, check out our dining page.

The Mighty Mississippi River

Terrene Landing | near Rosedale

While Cleveland is not on the river, it is close enough to the river that it is a stop for many of the paddle-wheel steamboat cruises that come down the Mississippi River. The river is accessed from nearby Terrene Landing at Rosedale off of Highway 1, the Great River Road. Soak up the views of the rich and flat Delta land while making the drive and then feast your eyes on a natural view of the river from the bluff at Terrene Landing. If you’re lucky, you may even see a steamboat docked or paddling by, and you’re sure to see wildlife and multiple boats traveling the river. You’ll also get an unobstructed view of the tree-lined banks of Arkansas. It’s a great place for a picnic and to watch the expansive Delta sunsets. For the adventurous and intrepid, drive on into Great River Road State Park, where you’ll discover trails leading to the banks of the Mississippi River itself.

50 Nights of Lights and other Events

50nightsoflights.com | Various Locations | (662) 843–2712

As far as Delta Festivals and Events are concerned, Cleveland does it right! The city’s signature holiday event, 50 Nights of Lights, lights the town with hundreds of thousands of lights and light displays that attract admirers from across the southeast (Hotel packages are available for this event). Coupled with holiday open houses, an oversized Christmas Parade, and other holiday events, Christmastime is when Cleveland literally shines. The spring brings the acclaimed Crosstie Arts and Jazz Festival which attracts artists and musicians from around the mid-south. The city’s fall festival, Octoberfest, is situated along the greenway downtown and features scores of vendors, Octoberfest beers, and nightly concerts. And Cleveland’s guerilla arts organization, “Keep Cleveland Boring” hosts a number of eclectic events throughout the year, including Otherfest, Anotherfest, and Pour Mississippi. For a Cleveland calendar of events big and small check out our events page.

Delta State University

deltastate.edu | 1003 W. Sunflower Road

Cleveland is home to historic Delta State University, which is home to so many unique Delta attractions and the “Fighting Okra” football team (you can’t leave Cleveland without a “Fighting Okra” sweatshirt!). From the “Living Masks” of Mississippi bluesmen, to the Delta Chinese Heritage and “Boo” Ferris Museums, to one of the state’s only sculpture gardens, to the state’s only university-sponsored planetarium there’s plenty to explore on the Delta State campus. The Delta State campus is also home to GRAMMY Museum Mississippi and the Bologna Performing Arts Center, which hosts dozens of events throughout the year.

Martin and Sue King Railroad Museum

115 South Bayou Road | 662-843-3377

www.clevelandtrainmuseum.com

With one of the largest O gauge model railroads in the country, (set in a beautiful and meticulous diorama), and thousands of artifacts, photographs and documents related to the history and impact of railroads in the Mississippi Delta, and even a real caboose, the Cleveland Railroad Museum is one of the best railroad museums in the south. In addition to the exhibits, the museum has loads of interesting activities for kids! Whether a “railhead” or not, everyone loves this museum! It’s located downtown, just steps away from the visitor’s center and is a great place to begin your Delta family getaway. 

Mathews - sanders Sculpture Garden

Located in front of the Bologna Performing Arts Center, Highway 8 West

One of the largest sculpture gardens in the south, the Mathews - Sanders Sculpture Garden, located on the Delta State campus just across from the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, as well with pieces at different locations throughout the city, boasts over 50 sculptures from around the world. To preview the works and learn more about their meanings and the artists who created them, be sure and check out their very well-done website at www.thesculpturegardenms.com This is a great way to expose kids to art and grown-ups will enjoy it, too.