Free things to do in Tupelo: the Elvis Presley Birthplace grounds, Oren Dunn City Museum, the Natchez Trace, Tupelo National Battlefield, splash pads and free festivals.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Facts come from each site’s own website, Tupelo Parks and Recreation’s 2026 Leisure Service Guide (PDF) and the National Park Service.

You can see a lot of Tupelo without paying. The grounds where Elvis Presley was born are open around the clock, the city museum and the national park sites cost nothing, and most city festivals are free.

Top free picks

  • Elvis Presley Birthplace grounds, 306 Elvis Presley Drive: open 24 hours
  • Oren Dunn City Museum, Ballard Park: weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center, milepost 266: daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Tupelo National Battlefield, 2083 Main St.: sunrise to sunset

Elvis sites

  • Elvis Presley Birthplace, 306 Elvis Presley Drive, 662-841-1245. “The grounds are open 24 hours,” the birthplace says. Walk the 15 acres past the outside of the two-room house built by Elvis’ father, grandfather and uncle, the Assembly of God church where he first sang in public, the Elvis at 13 statue and the Becoming statues on the overlook. Tickets are needed only to go inside the house, museum and church.
  • Elvis murals and sidewalk guitars downtown, including the 1950s Elvis mural on Reed’s at West Main and Front streets. Visit Tupelo’s free Elvis self-guided bicycle tour starts at Johnnie’s Drive-In, 908 E. Main St.

Museums and history

  • Oren Dunn City Museum, Ballard Park, 662-841-6438: free, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. The Tupelo story from the Mesozoic sea to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, in a barn once used for prize Jersey cattle, plus monthly speakers and exhibits. A free Singer/Songwriter Jam Session runs there one Monday evening a month.
  • Tupelo National Battlefield, 2083 Main St.: a monument and cannons marking the July 1864 Battle of Tupelo, open sunrise to sunset daily, the National Park Service says.
  • Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center, milepost 266, 662-680-4027: exhibits and rangers, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
  • Chickasaw Village Site, milepost 261.8 on the Parkway: a half-mile interpretive trail.

Parks, trails and splash pads

  • Ballard Park, 655 Rutherford Road: all-inclusive playground, skate park, 18-hole disc golf and a 2.75-mile trail around the lake.
  • Veterans Memorial Park, 800 N. Veterans Memorial Blvd.: a Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica, an F-105 and an M60 tank on display, a free 18-hole disc golf course and a splash pad.
  • Tupelo Bark Park and Music Bend Trail, 99 N. Veterans Blvd.
  • Splash pads at Fairpark, Veterans Memorial Park, Rob Leake City Park and Theron Nichols Park.
  • Dot Cooper Kelly Park, 906 Fillmore Drive: 12 outdoor pickleball courts.
  • Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail: six miles of hiking around Tupelo.

See parks and trails and walking and biking trails.

Library

The Lee County Library, 219 N. Madison St., 662-841-9027, runs free weekly story times, Lego Club and Teen Tuesday; see our kids’ activities guide.

Free events through the year

Many of Tupelo’s best events cost nothing to attend. From the 2026 calendars of Tupelo Parks and Recreation and the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association:

  • Downtown Holiday Open House, with Santa, in November
  • Ballard Park Christmas lighting and Festival of Christmas Trees, Nov. 19, 2026
  • Reed’s Tupelo Christmas Parade, 6 p.m. Dec. 11, 2026
  • New Year’s Eve Party at Fairpark, Dec. 31
  • Cherry Blossom Festival at The Depot in March
  • Children’s Fishing Rodeo at Veterans Memorial Park in April
  • Family Fun Day at The Depot in October
  • Touch-a-Truck at Veterans Memorial Park in September
  • All-America City Family Picnic in the Park, July 4, with fireworks; see our Fourth of July page

Entry is free; food vendors at the bigger events charge, so bring some cash.

Related: kids’ activities, downtown Tupelo and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Elvis Presley Birthplace free?

The grounds are free and open 24 hours, including the outside of the house, the church, the Becoming and Elvis at 13 statues and the walking paths. Going inside the house, museum and church takes a ticket, sold until 3 p.m.

Is there a free museum in Tupelo?

Yes. The Oren Dunn City Museum in Ballard Park is free, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. The Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center is also free.

What free things can kids do in Tupelo?

City splash pads, Ballard Park’s all-inclusive playground, Lee County Library story times and Lego Club, and free city events such as the Children’s Fishing Rodeo, Touch-a-Truck and the Ballard Park Christmas lighting.

Is the Tupelo National Battlefield free?

Yes. The site at 2083 Main St. is open sunrise to sunset every day, according to the National Park Service, with no entrance fee posted.