Why Oxford, Mississippi Is A Great College Town For Parents

I long imagined I’d end up living in a college town. I just assumed it would be Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a half-hour drive from my hometown of Raleigh. When I took a job at the University of Mississippi in 2012 after earning my master’s degree at UNC, I figured Oxford would be a pit stop for a couple of years before I returned to Chapel Hill. Life, it turns out, had other plans. Here I am eleven years later, married and raising two children in a town best known for its literary associations and its over-the-top tailgates. 

In the last decade, Oxford has grown. Full-time residents now outnumber the college student population. Undergraduate enrollment continues to grow, but so does k–12 enrollment in the city’s public schools. It’s proof that more young(ish) families are clued in to this not-so-secret: this SEC town, which likes to boast that it has “never lost a party,” is just as friendly to the juice-box-and-Goldfish set (and their parents). 

Campus Life

My children are six and three. When I’m not pushing a swing or chasing a scooter, I work full-time on campus at the University of Mississippi. I’m in good company—the University is by far Oxford’s largest employer. My office in Barnard Observatory, one of the oldest buildings on campus, still contains the mechanical framework for a state-of-the-art telescope that was ordered but never delivered due to the Civil War.

From the building’s front steps, it’s about twenty paces to the Grove, perhaps the most storied tailgate venue in all of college football. On a weekday afternoon, or a non-football weekend, it’s just a beautiful, shady green space. From my children’s perspective, the Grove is perfect for scooter rides, hide-and-seek, or impromptu concerts and dance parties on the outdoor stage. It’s also a great spot for a picnic. You don’t even have to bring your own basket—download the Starship app, and during the academic year, you can have campus food-court options delivered to your precise location on campus by robots that look like picnic coolers on wheels. My kids would tell you that chicken fingers and French fries have never been so exciting. 

Dining In And Out

Of course, Oxford also has a reputation for more elevated dining. These days, my husband and I find lunch dates much easier to swing than dinner. If we’re feeling festive, we’ll treat ourselves to City Grocery, where lunch chef Eric Tait works sandwich magic and a mid-day glass of wine seems like a good idea. Dinners out are rare, and we’re creatures of habit: it’s almost always Snackbar. The menu changes frequently, often showcasing seasonal produce and Gulf seafood. If it’s your first visit, be sure to try at least one dish that nods to chef Vish Bhatt’s Indian upbringing, such as fried okra chaat or Punjabi fried catfish. Our children aren’t quite ready for these options, but on the east side of the Square, Saint Leo hits our sweet spot of fancy-adjacent yet family-friendly. With crayons and coloring sheets for the kids and negronis for the grownups, all four of us can happily pass the time it takes for our pizzas to arrive from the wood-fired oven. (My daughter is convinced that a Margherita is light-years more sophisticated than plain cheese.) 

More often than not, though, my husband and I cook dinner at home. Our not-so-secret is that, while I edit stories about foodways for a living, he’s the far better and more enthusiastic cook. I’ll happily do the grocery shopping, though, as long as it’s at Chicory Market. This family-owned grocery store focuses on products from local farmers and artisans and turns out prepared foods from its own kitchen.

College students need caffeine. So do sleep-deprived parents. I like to get my fix at Caffecitos, a cheery yellow trailer by the Oxford Armory Pavilion. Owners Chad Collier and Pablo Corona don’t just serve good coffee—they have a knack for making each customer feel like a favorite regular. (It might have something to do with Pablo’s former career as the VIP concierge at New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel.) 

Outdoor Adventures

On non-school days, parents of energetic young children have two objectives: Get them out [of the house] and get them tired. Oxford has plenty of places to check those boxes; my favorites are Lamar Park and the Bailey Woods Trail, which connects William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak to the University of Mississippi Museum. Situated on a former golf course in a residential neighborhood, Lamar Park has ample paths for riding scooters and bikes, a pond with a dock, and a sculpture trail. When the weather is nice—which is often!—Lamar Park is a cross-section of Oxford, with joggers, dog walkers, picnic-ers, and portable hammock loungers of all ages. If you like your nature with a side of culture, park at the University Museum and take the Bailey Woods Trail to Rowan Oak. At about 2/3 of a mile, it would be a stretch to call this a hike. But it’s shady, peaceful, and completely doable for steady walkers over the age of two or three. The University Museum even created a bingo-style scavenger hunt for children to play along the way—they can pick up a card at the trail entrance.

You’ll come out of the woods at Rowan Oak, William Faulkner’s longtime home. Whether you choose to tour the house, which the University operates as a museum; or simply explore the grounds, it’s hard not to be charmed by this place—even if you struggled to make sense of The Sound and the Fury in high school. Back at the start of the trail, leave time for a spin through the University Museum, which houses a small but impressive art collection and welcomes children, especially at family events throughout the year. 

Even as it grows, Oxford manages to hang on to some of the best aspects of a small town. Sports fans cheer nearly as hard for the city and county high school teams as they do for the Rebels. Shoppers and diners support small, locally owned businesses, even as more chains come to town. (We’re still waiting for you, Target.) The community turns out in droves for parades, art festivals, concerts, and book signings. Like so many college towns, Oxford depends on the University of Mississippi, and vice versa. There’s a joke that going to college here might be the best four…or five…or six years of a person’s life. Maybe it’s not limited to those years. Maybe the same can be said for the first eighteen…or the second twenty-five…or whenever you make it to town. You’ll be welcome here.