College Visit Guides

Fly-in guide · 2 days, 2 campuses

Ole Miss and the University of Memphis in 2 Days: An Oxford and Memphis Fly-In College Trip

A parent-first plan for flying into Memphis to see the University of Mississippi in Oxford and the University of Memphis: Ole Miss's information session, walking tour and housing tour on day 1, then the University of Memphis tour on the way back to the airport on day 2. Official visit sign-ups, visitor parking, three Oxford hotels from budget to upscale, drive times and seasonal weather, every fact sourced.

The Lyceum at Ole Miss, a red-brick building with six tall white columns and a clock in its pediment, at the end of a brick walk shaded by a large oak under a clear blue sky
The Lyceum, University of Mississippi (Nov 2018). Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 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

Schools
University of Mississippi, Ole Miss (Oxford, MS) · University of Memphis (Memphis, TN)
Days
2 weekdays: Ole Miss on day 1, the University of Memphis on day 2 before your flight home. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Memphis (MEM), now named Frederick W. Smith International Airport, about 1.5 hours by car from Oxford and about 17 minutes from the University of Memphis.
Best base
The Inn at Ole Miss, on campus, about a 9-minute walk to the Lyceum.
Car or no car
Rent a car at MEM: you drive about 70 miles each way between Memphis and Oxford.
Registration
Ole Miss registration opens 8 weeks ahead; the University of Memphis asks you to register at least 72 hours ahead.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents flying in with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see two very different public universities about 70 miles apart: the University of Mississippi in Oxford and the University of Memphis.

You fly round-trip through Memphis, sleep in Oxford, and see the University of Memphis on the way back to the airport, since its campus is about 17 minutes from MEM.

Why this order

  • Arrival evening: drive about 1.5 hours from MEM to Oxford and check in, so day 1 starts with a short walk to the Ole Miss visit.
  • Day 1: an Ole Miss visit includes an information session with a staff member, a campus walking tour with an Ole Miss Ambassador and a residence hall tour, with time afterward for Oxford's town square.
  • Day 2: drive about 1.5 hours to the University of Memphis for its information session and student-led walking tour, then it's about 17 minutes to MEM. Pick a tour that leaves room before your flight.
Plan parking before each visit
  • At Ole Miss, a permit is required on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can buy a $5 daily permit online, at the Welcome Center on University Avenue or at the Parking office; meters need no permit.
  • At the University of Memphis, tour guests park free in the Southern Avenue Parking Garage (PG3) with the guest pass in the confirmation email: print it and put it on your dashboard.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Ole Miss doesn't hold campus visits on Saturdays, major holidays or home football game days, and visitor permits aren't valid during large events such as home football, basketball and baseball games.
  • Ole Miss visit registration opens 8 weeks before the visit date and closes within 48 business hours of the visit. Ole Miss asks that the student register.
  • University of Memphis tours require a reservation at least 72 hours ahead, and each booking is limited to one student and two guests.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Ole Miss walking times are to the Lyceum; your confirmation email has your exact meeting spot.

Arrival evening: fly into MEM and drive to Oxford

  1. MEM → The Inn at Ole Miss

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 32 min, 68 mi
    Driving
    Rent a car at MEM

  2. MEM → Graduate by Hilton Oxford (alternate)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 30 min, 67 mi
    Driving
    Rent a car at MEM

  3. MEM → Hampton Inn Oxford-West (alternate)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 32 min, 76 mi
    Driving
    Rent a car at MEM
  • Rent a car at the airport; this plan drives between Memphis and Oxford twice.

Day 1: Ole Miss visit and Oxford

  1. The Inn at Ole Miss → the Lyceum

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~2 min
    Driving
    ~9 min, 0.4 mi

  2. Graduate by Hilton Oxford → the Lyceum

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min
    Driving
    ~28 min, 1.3 mi

  3. Hampton Inn Oxford-West → the Lyceum

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~9 min, 2.9 mi
    Driving
    Car required

  4. The Inn at Ole Miss → Courthouse Square (afternoon)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~4 min, 1.1 mi
    Driving
    ~17 min, 0.8 mi
  • The campus walking tour lasts about an hour, is mainly outdoors and runs rain or shine. Lunch isn't provided; the Rebel Market dining hall and the Student Union food court are on campus.
  • Your confirmation email includes the meeting location and parking details.

Day 2: University of Memphis tour, then fly home

  1. The Inn at Ole Miss → Wilder Tower, University of Memphis

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 35 min, 71 mi
    Driving
    Car required

  2. Graduate by Hilton Oxford → Wilder Tower

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 32 min, 70 mi
    Driving
    Car required

  3. Hampton Inn Oxford-West → Wilder Tower

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 39 min, 72 mi
    Driving
    Car required

  4. University of Memphis → MEM

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~17 min, 7.8 mi
    Driving
    Car required
  • The visit is a 30-minute information session and a one-hour student-led walking tour, rain or shine. Check in at the Wilder Tower welcome desk, 3675 Alumni Ave, no more than 10 minutes early.

3. Campus by campus

The Lyceum at Ole Miss, a red-brick building with six tall white columns and a clock in its pediment, at the end of a brick walk shaded by a large oak under a clear blue sky
The Lyceum, University of Mississippi (Nov 2018). Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of Mississippi, Ole Miss (Oxford, MS)

Where visits start
  • A visit includes an information session with a staff member, a campus walking tour with an Ole Miss Ambassador, and a residence hall or student housing tour. Visits are free, and parents are welcome.
  • Registration opens 8 weeks ahead and closes within 48 business hours of the visit. Want to see Residential College South or Luckyday, or meet with the Honors College, Croft or Engineering? Reply to your confirmation email to ask.
Visitor parking
  • A permit is required Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The $5 daily visitor permit is sold online (printable, for up to 7 consecutive days), at the Welcome Center on University Avenue as you enter Lyceum Circle, or at the Parking office.
  • With a visitor permit you can park around Lyceum Circle and along University Avenue, or in non-reserved faculty/staff and commuter spaces. Meters cost $1.75 an hour and need no permit. The Pavilion Garage isn't for visitors.
Getting there
  • Staying at the Inn at Ole Miss? It's on campus, about a 9-minute walk to the Lyceum, so you can skip campus parking on visit day.
What to know
  • The University of Mississippi Museum, on University Avenue at 5th Street, is about a 12-minute walk from the Inn. Admission to the museum is free.
Contact
Ole Miss campus visits: 662-915-2131, groupvisits@olemiss.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Ole Miss Admissions: Visit Campus · Ole Miss Parking: Visitors · Ole Miss: Virtual tour

The University of Memphis Administration Building, a red-brick building with a white-columned portico and a tiger-eye banner, framed by red and yellow fall trees beside a wide paved walk
Administration Building, University of Memphis (Nov 2020). Photo: Bubbahotepblues · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of Memphis (Memphis, TN)

Where visits start
  • Campus tours are a 30-minute information session followed by a one-hour student-led walking tour, rain or shine. Reservations are required at least 72 hours ahead, for up to one student and two guests per booking.
  • Check in at the welcome desk in Wilder Tower, 3675 Alumni Ave, no more than 10 minutes before your visit.
Visitor parking
  • Tour guests park free in the Southern Avenue Parking Garage (PG3) with the guest parking pass in the confirmation email. Print it and display it on your dashboard.
  • Visiting outside a tour? The Innovation and Zach Curlin garages charge $3 an hour, up to $15 a day, and meters are $2 an hour.
Getting there
  • From campus, MEM is about 17 minutes and 8 miles by car with no traffic.
What to know
  • Have extra time before your flight? The admissions office's self-guided tour map lets you see more of campus on your own.
Contact
University of Memphis Admissions, 101 Wilder Tower: 901-678-2111, admissions@memphis.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: University of Memphis Admissions: Visit · University of Memphis: Campus Visit Guidelines · University of Memphis: Visitor parking

4. Where to stay: Oxford, on or near the Ole Miss campus

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 pickMid-range

The Inn at Ole Miss

120 Alumni Dr, University, MS

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • On campus, about a 9-minute walk (0.4 miles) to the Lyceum and about 17 minutes on foot to Oxford's Courthouse Square.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free self parking, a seasonal outdoor pool and a restaurant. Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Graduate by Hilton Oxford

400 N Lamar Blvd, Oxford, MS

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • Just off Courthouse Square, about a 4-minute walk to the square and about 5 minutes by car to the Lyceum.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists self parking for a fee and a free area shuttle. Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn Oxford-West

110 Heritage Dr, Oxford, MS

Why here

  • 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.
  • West of campus, about 9 minutes (2.9 miles) by car from the Lyceum with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists a free buffet breakfast, free self parking and an indoor pool. Confirm the details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Stay in Oxford for both nights: you can walk or drive a few minutes to the Ole Miss visit, and on day 2 you check out and drive to Memphis, where the University of Memphis is about 17 minutes from the airport.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

On the Ole Miss campus

Lunch isn't part of the visit. Ole Miss suggests the Rebel Market dining hall and the Student Union food court.

At the hotels

Eat

Hampton Inn Oxford-West

110 Heritage Dr

Expedia lists a free buffet breakfast, handy before the drive to campus.

Oxford's Courthouse Square

Oxford's food and arts scene centers on its town square, about a 17-minute walk or 4-minute drive from the Inn at Ole Miss.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

University of Mississippi Museum

University Ave and 5th St, Oxford, MS

Free admission, with Southern folk art, Greek and Roman antiquities and 19th-century scientific instruments. Closed Sundays, Mondays and most university holidays; check the site for hours.

Official page →

With siblings

Rowan Oak and Bailey Woods Trail

916 Old Taylor Rd, Oxford, MS

William Faulkner's home, run by the university museum. The grounds and the Bailey Woods Trail are free and open dawn to dusk; going inside the house costs $5 per person, and it's closed Mondays. About a 15-minute walk from the museum.

Official page →

With siblings

A Rebels or Tigers game

Oxford, MS · Memphis, TN

Check the Ole Miss and Memphis athletics calendars for a home game on your dates. Remember that Ole Miss holds no visits on home football game days.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • MEM to Oxford is about 1.5 hours and 68 miles by car with no traffic; Oxford to the University of Memphis is about the same.
  • At Ole Miss, buy the $5 visitor permit online before you arrive if you'll park on campus on a weekday. At Memphis, print the free PG3 guest pass from your confirmation email.

Without a car

  • Not practical for this trip: the two campuses are about 70 miles apart. Once you're in Oxford, the Inn at Ole Miss is a walk from the Lyceum and the square.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: University, MS)

  • Spring: April averages a high of 74°F and a low of 49°F, and about 6.3 inches of rain, the wettest month after December. The Ole Miss tour runs rain or shine, so pack umbrellas.
  • Summer: July averages 91°F/70°F and August 91°F/69°F. The tour is mainly outdoors, so bring water.
  • Fall: October averages 76°F/49°F; November is 64°F/40°F.
  • Winter: January averages 52°F/31°F, with under an inch of snow on average.

Parent checklist

  • Register for Ole Miss (registration opens 8 weeks ahead) and the University of Memphis (at least 72 hours ahead) on their official sign-up pages.
  • Avoid Saturdays, holidays and Ole Miss home football weekends, when Ole Miss doesn't hold visits.
  • Buy the Ole Miss visitor permit online, and print the University of Memphis PG3 parking pass from your confirmation email.
  • Book a flight home that leaves time after the University of Memphis tour; the airport is about 17 minutes from campus.
  • After each 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.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • 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 (University of Mississippi, Ole Miss and University of Memphis): 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.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: University of Mississippi
  5. University of Mississippi, Ole Miss Athletics (official site)
  6. University of Mississippi, Ole Miss Athletics: Compliance
  7. University of Mississippi, Ole Miss Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. University of Mississippi, Ole Miss Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: University of Memphis
  10. University of Memphis Athletics (official site)
  11. University of Memphis Athletics: Compliance
  12. University of Memphis Athletics: Staff Directory
  13. University of Memphis Athletics: schedule of events

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Sources

All checked Oct 28, 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.

  1. University of Mississippi Admissions: Visit Campus
  2. University of Mississippi Parking and Transportation: Visitors
  3. University of Mississippi: Oxford, MS
  4. University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses: Visit the Museum
  5. University of Memphis Admissions: Visit
  6. University of Memphis Admissions: Campus Visit Guidelines
  7. University of Memphis Parking and Transportation Services: Visitor Parking
  8. University of Memphis Admissions: Self-Guided Tour (PDF)
  9. Memphis airport: Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)
  10. Expedia listing: The Inn at Ole Miss (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Oxford-Hotels-The-Inn-At-Ole-Miss.h15192884.Hotel-Information)
  11. Expedia listing: Graduate by Hilton Oxford (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Oxford-Hotels-Graduate-Oxford.h16565.Hotel-Information)
  12. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Oxford-West (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Oxford-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Oxford-West.h967340.Hotel-Information)
  13. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  14. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  15. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  16. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, University, MS (USC00229079)
  17. Ole Miss Athletics: Calendar
  18. Memphis Tigers Athletics: Calendar