Mississippi Valley State University in 2 Days: An Itta Bena, Mississippi College Visit Fly-In Trip
A parent-first plan for visiting Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi: how to book a 45-to-60-minute student-led campus tour (Mondays through Wednesdays), Greenwood hotels from Budget to Mid-range, drive times from Jackson and Memphis airports, the Museum of the Mississippi Delta and the B.B. King Museum for siblings, and Delta weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 31, 2026.
The Mississippi Valley State University sign on U.S. Highway 82 West in Itta Bena (Oct 2022). Photo: Chillin662 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
School
Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS; Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Days
2 days: fly in and drive to Greenwood on day 1, campus tour on day 2.
Fly into
Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International (JAN), about 2 hours 35 minutes from campus by car, or Memphis International (MEM), about 2 hours 55 minutes away.
Best base
Hampton Inn Greenwood on U.S. 82, about 14 minutes by car from campus.
Car or transit
Rent a car; campus sits on U.S. Highway 82 west of Greenwood, and every leg of this plan is a drive.
Registration
Book a campus tour (offered Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays) on MVSU's tour sign-up page; each tour takes up to five guests.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see the Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) campus in Itta Bena, in the Mississippi Delta west of Greenwood.
MVSU's street address is 14000 Highway 82 W., Itta Bena, MS 38941, and the main campus number is 662.254.9041.
Why this order
MVSU's Office of Admissions & Recruitment offers campus tours for prospective students and their families, led by student ambassadors.
The 45-to-60-minute walking tour is a guided look at campus, including limited access to select buildings.
MVSU's main website is being restored after a cyber incident at its hosting provider, so many university pages are offline for now; the official tour sign-up portal is working.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
Tours run on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. To register, pick an available date and time on MVSU's tour sign-up page, then complete the registration form.
Each tour accommodates up to five guests. For another day and time or a larger group, contact Chaya S. Jones at admsn@mvsu.edu or 662-254-3347.
Tour availability varies by season.
Because tours run only Monday through Wednesday, plan to fly in on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday and tour the next day.
MVSU recommends comfortable clothing and walking shoes for the tour.
2. The suggested 2-day plan
Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Campus times are to the MVSU campus on U.S. Highway 82 in Itta Bena.
Day 1: Fly into Jackson or Memphis and drive to Greenwood
Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) → Hampton Inn Greenwood (1815 Highway 82 W.)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 24 min, 106 mi
Driving
Rental car
Memphis International Airport (MEM) → Hampton Inn Greenwood
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 41 min, 124.9 mi
Driving
Rental car
Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) → The Alluvian (318 Howard St., downtown Greenwood)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 21 min, 104.3 mi
Driving
Rental car
Both airports are a long drive from the Delta, so leave the afternoon of day 1 for the road and tour on day 2.
The Museum of the Mississippi Delta is about 2 minutes from the Hampton Inn on Highway 82 if you arrive before its 4:00 PM closing (Tuesday through Saturday).
Day 2: Mississippi Valley State University campus tour
Hampton Inn Greenwood → MVSU campus (14000 Highway 82 W., Itta Bena)
Driving (no traffic)
~14 min, 8.4 mi
Driving
Drive
The Alluvian → MVSU campus (14000 Highway 82 W., Itta Bena)
Driving (no traffic)
~19 min, 10.9 mi
Driving
Drive
MVSU campus (14000 Highway 82 W., Itta Bena) → Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 35 min, 118 mi
Driving
Drive
MVSU campus (14000 Highway 82 W., Itta Bena) → Memphis International Airport (MEM)
Driving (no traffic)
~2 hr 55 min, 133.1 mi
Driving
Drive
Your tour registration confirms the date and time; for questions about where to meet, contact Chaya S. Jones in admissions at admsn@mvsu.edu or 662-254-3347.
With a drive of roughly two and a half to three hours back to JAN or MEM, book a late-afternoon or evening flight, or stay a second night.
3. Campus by campus
The Mississippi Valley State University sign on U.S. Highway 82 West in Itta Bena (Oct 2022). Photo: Chillin662 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Campus
Mississippi Valley State University (Itta Bena, MS)
Tours are run by the Office of Admissions & Recruitment and led by student ambassadors; MVSU's sign-up page doesn't say where tours begin, so check your registration or ask admissions at 662-254-3347.
Visitor parking
No live official MVSU page names a visitor lot while the university website is being restored, so ask admissions (admsn@mvsu.edu or 662-254-3347) where to park when you register.
Getting there
Campus is about 14 to 15 minutes by car from the Highway 82 hotels in Greenwood and about 19 minutes from The Alluvian downtown, with no traffic.
What to know
The 45-to-60-minute walking tour covers the campus with limited access to select buildings.
Campus dining is run by LuxeLife Dining, whose MVSU page lists dining locations, hours and daily menus.
Contact
MVSU Office of Admissions & Recruitment (tours): Chaya S. Jones, admsn@mvsu.edu or 662-254-3347; main campus 662.254.9041.
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
4. Where to stay: Greenwood hotels near Mississippi Valley State
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickBudget
Hampton Inn Greenwood
1815 Highway 82 West, Greenwood, MS 38930
Why here
On U.S. 82 on Greenwood's west side, about 14 minutes by car from campus with no traffic, and about 2 minutes from the Museum of the Mississippi Delta.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a free continental breakfast, an outdoor pool, free self parking and a minimum check-in age of 18. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Just off Highway 82 near the Hampton Inn, about 15 minutes by car from campus with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a free continental breakfast, a seasonal outdoor pool, free self parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
A boutique hotel in downtown Greenwood, about 19 minutes by car from campus with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
The listing shows a free buffet breakfast, an on-site restaurant (Giardins), a free area shuttle, free self and valet parking and a minimum check-in age of 18. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
We found no Expedia-listed hotel in Itta Bena itself, so stay in Greenwood: the Highway 82 chain hotels are the quickest drive to campus, and The Alluvian puts you downtown. We found no 4-star Expedia listing nearby, so there is no Upscale tier on this trip.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
On campus
MVSU's campus dining is run by LuxeLife Dining; check its MVSU page for current locations, hours and menus.
Near your hotel
The Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Alluvian listings show breakfast included, and The Alluvian has an on-site restaurant (Giardins).
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
Museum of the Mississippi Delta
1608 Highway 82 West, Greenwood, MS 38930
About 15 minutes by car from campus with no traffic. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM; admission is $10 for adults and $4 for children 18 and under, with a walk-through Mississippi swamp diorama and a Children's Discovery Room.
About 29 minutes by car from campus with no traffic. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM; admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students with ID and children 5 to 17, and free for children under 5 (children under 14 must be with an adult).
Campus is on U.S. Highway 82 West in Itta Bena; the Greenwood hotels on the same highway are about 8 miles east.
Flying in and out
Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International (JAN) is about 2 hours 35 minutes from campus by car with no traffic.
Memphis International (MEM) is about 2 hours 55 minutes from campus by car with no traffic.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Greenwood Leflore Airport, about 13 miles from campus)
Spring: April averages about 75°F highs and 53°F lows, with about 5.8 inches of rain.
Summer: July averages about 92°F/72°F, with about 3.8 inches of rain, so plan for heat on the walking tour.
Fall: October averages about 77°F/52°F, with about 3.4 inches of rain.
Winter: January averages about 54°F/35°F, with about 4.5 inches of precipitation.
Parent checklist
Book a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday campus tour on MVSU's tour sign-up page (up to five guests per tour).
Ask admissions where to meet and park when you register (admsn@mvsu.edu or 662-254-3347).
Book flights into Jackson (JAN) or Memphis (MEM) plus a rental car.
Book a Greenwood hotel for the night before the tour.
After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
1 Division I
Athletics
Mississippi Valley State University
NCAA Division I Southwestern Athletic Conf.
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Mississippi Valley State University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Greenwood (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Grenada-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Greenwood.h1184076.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Greenwood by IHG (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Grenada-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Express-Suites-Greenwood.h1683612.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Comfort Suites Greenwood (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Grenada-Hotels-Comfort-Suites-Greenwood.h3406754.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: The Alluvian (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Grenada-Hotels-The-Alluvian.h9714740.Hotel-Information)
