If You Like Memphis, You’ll Love Tunica

By Travel Tunica on Thursday March 31, 2011

memphis, tourism, travel-tunica

While Memphis is home to amazing attractions, restaurants and things to do, we don’t always have it all. You can fill in a few of the gaps with a short drive to Tunica, Miss. Here are five reasons why Memphians should take Highway 61 south across the state line:

1. Casinos may be verboten in Tennessee, but they’re legal in Mississippi. No matter what sort of bets you like to place, there are plenty of options (and good odds) at Tunica’s nine casinos.

2. The Paula Deen Buffet is in Tunica. While there are a ton of great buffets to choose from in Tunica, none has quite the hype of the Paula Deen Buffet at Harrah’s. The dining room seats more than 500 people and the buffet is loaded with the buttery, homey Southern recipes that made Paula Deen famous.

3. You’ve got a special occasion worthy of a mini-vacation. The 30-minute drive from Memphis to Tunica may not count as a full-on road trip, but it’s the perfect get away for a special date night, bachelor party, ladies weekend or birthday buffet. Have a special meal at Fairbanks Steakhouse (at Hollywood) or Twain’s Steakhouse (at Sam’s Town), dance at Push (at Horseshoe), hit the tables and then stay the night in one of the city’s 6,000 hotel rooms.

4. There’s plenty to see in Tunica outside of the casinos. Get close to the Mississippi river and visit the Tunica RiverPark. Shop at the outlet malls, get pampered at one of the city’s spas, improve your shot at Willows Sporting Clays and Hunting Center, or check out a local festival (especially if said festival involves food).

5. Tunica is open 24 hours (and you can probably find a way to fill all of them). A few suggestions: ride the mechanical bull at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, eat at an all-night buffet (there’s a huge one at the Gold Strike), and see a legendary band or comedian on tour.