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Dispatch Mississippi: Blues and BBQ at the Juke Joint Festival

Plus: Mystery in the Bahamas | Luxe rates soaring | Virgin spaces out

Happy hump(back) day!

We’re coming to you this week live from Alaska, where Jeri has been whale watching and doing all sorts of fun things aboard American Queen Voyages’ new expedition ship, Ocean Victory.

It’s a completely new product for the popular Alaska cruise market, and one that is perfect for both cruise lovers and big-ship haters who are looking for intimate alternatives for exploring this magical destination.

And we’re not the only ones who love this ship. Read Jeri’s early report for Travel Weekly. We’ll give you the full run down after she gets home next week.

This week, we catch up on the most essential travel news and trends, and share a terrific dispatch from Seattle-based traveler Stephanie Mehl, who immersed herself in the birthplace of the blues, Clarksdale, Mississippi, exclusively for Travel Essential.

A new expedition ship, Ocean Victory, launches in Alaska -- Peter Szyszka

But first, here’s the news we’re following:

Three Americans found dead at Sandals. Authorities are investigating the mysterious deaths of three Americans at the all-inclusive luxury Sandals Emerald Bay resort in Exuma, Bahamas. A fourth American (a woman) was airlifted to a hospital in Nassau. All four went to a doctor the night before their bodies were found, complaining of feeling ill, according to The Associated Press. The two couples were staying in separate villas. CNN reports the State Department is monitoring.

Luxury resort rates soar. Looking to get pampered this summer? Don't expect any deals. Richard Stockton, the CEO of Braemar Hotels & Resorts, which owns fabulous properties like the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Park Hyatt Beaver Creek and Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach, says average daily rates at some of his properties are up 100% over pre-Covid levels. "It’s a good time to be in the hotel business,” he told a Milken Institute panel last week. What's driving the rate hikes? He cited three key reasons:

  1. People can work from anywhere.

  2. They're getting bigger rooms.

  3. They're willing to pay.

Airbnb's fastest-growing segment? Very long stays. Remote and hybrid work options are also driving huge gains for Airbnb. The 14-year-old company last week reported a record 1 million bookings and revenue in the first three months of 2022. It's a stunning reversal from two years prior, when Airbnb lost 80% of its business, Airbnb executive Catherine Powell told the Milken panel. What surprised us, though, is how long people are staying. Nearly 50% of Airbnb guests stay for seven days or more, and 20% of nights booked are for at least a month, she said. “It’s a trend that's here to stay,” Powell said.

With demand for rentals soaring, more traditional companies are expanding their moves into the alternative lodging space. The world's largest online travel agency, Booking Holdings (parent of Booking.com, Priceline.com and others) vowed to beef up its home-rental offerings. But CEO Glenn Fogal admitted on the company's earnings call that it "will take some time." Marriott International, meanwhile, said it now has 60,000 homes available through its rental platform.

Spacing out? Deja vu all over again: Space tourism company Virgin Galactic has pushed back its launch of space tourism flights yet again, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The company, which has been saying “next year” every year for more than a decade, last week said it now won’t begin taking paying passengers until the end of 2023, rather than later this year. It also announced a $93 million loss for the first quarter. The good news: You have plenty more time to save up for the $450,000 tickets.

Dispatch Mississippi

More Than Just The Music: BBQ and Blues at Juke Joint Festival

By Stephanie Mehl

“Where are you going on your vacation…?”

“Clarksdale, Mississippi”

Silence … “Why?”

I’ll tell you why: the annual Clarksdale Juke Joint Festival held every April.

My husband, a Blues lover, knew the town was the epicenter and birthplace of many of the great legends, Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke, John Lee Hooker, Ike Turner and the recent Grammy winner Christine “Kingfish” Ingram. As for me, I just wanted to hear live music and dance after two, long, pent-up Covid years! Little did I know what I was in for.

About 90 minutes south of Memphis in the Mississippi Delta, Clarksdale sits along the Sunflower River at the fabled Crossroads, where Route 61 — the “Blues Highway" — intersects Route 49. The area’s rich in soil, culture, history and most notably the Blues. The Delta is famously flat and hot. It had been cleared for cotton back in the days of plantations. Bayous and farms dot the landscape and pleasantly there is an overall lack of the familiarities most of us are accustomed to when we travel. Not a Starbucks in sight! It feels like another country, another time.

The festival, which will turn 20 years old next year, takes place Thursday through Sunday. But I’ll let you in on a secret – Saturday is the designated day that a $35 ticket will get you into more than 130 live shows. That’s a lot of incredible music for the price. Individual indoor venues might charge a nominal cover on Thursday and Sunday, but there are plenty of free street performances everyday. R&B, Delta Blues, Chicago Blues, Jazzy Blues and Rock Blues -- it’s all for the taking.

And then there is Reds, one of the few remaining authentic “juke joints” left in the state. The real juke joint, like Blues music, comes from African-American culture. These joints are usually located on the outskirts of town, best described as half club, half messy low-lit living room where first class blues can be found and anything goes. They offer an intimate musical and cultural experience that will be imprinted into my memory forever.

Southern BBQ, catfish, Delta tamales and fried green tomatoes were plentiful (I did not try the barbecue bologna sandwich), as well as local handicrafts and activities for kids. But the most outstanding experience was the true friendliness and pure joy that permeated through the musical riffs.

Downtown Clarksdale’s old brick buildings are slowly being renovated and decorated with vibrant murals that celebrate the Blues and its great artists. Blues musicians play 365 days a year in one of the many clubs. Having never been to the Deep South before, I was struck by the slow, relaxed, small town feel, despite the palpable excitement bubbling.

Yes, things have improved in terms of race relations in Mississippi, but there is still a long way to go. Poverty persists, the Dollar Stores rule and children are generally segregated in the schools. Driving into town, one clearly sees the historic separation between black and white, literally divided by a train track. Music is part of the DNA for all. And it is mind-blowing and connecting.

The Juke Joint Festival not only exposed this Northerner to Southern hospitality and an historic part of our country that’s so rich in culture and tradition. It also exposed me to the power that the Blues has to bring people together to acknowledge and confront a difficult past. It was real, it was joyful and it was hopeful.

With a newfound interest in exploring our country and growing desire to understand each other, this festival can only thrive and keep the Blues alive – and hopefully, help generate economic benefit to the entire community. One thing for sure, no matter your age, your race, what you do or where you are from, we all bobbed our heads in unison to the beat.

Must-see museum:

Delta Blues Museum - Established in 1979, the museum's mission is to protect and preserve the true form of Blues music, and educate local children to play. It’s located at 1 Blues Alley Lane, in a railroad station right off Ike Turner Blvd. Learn about the museum’s history – and its phenomenal young musicians – on its YouTube channel.

Where to stay in Clarksdale:

Lodging is limited in town, but there are some very good and interesting options:

  • Travelers Hotel -- Boutique hotel in the heart of town steps away from the Delta Blues Museum.

  • The Lofts at the Five and Dime -- Located in the historic Woolworth Building offering apartment style accommodations.

  • Riverside Hotel -- Historic hotel (provided lodging for traveling Black musicians) once found in the Green Book. Even if you don't stay, it is worth a visit.

Outside of Clarksdale:

  • The Alluvial -- Luxury hotel and spa one hour away in Greenwood, home of the B.B. King Museum and the Viking Cooking School.

  • Arrive Memphis -- Bustling and friendly boutique hotel in the heart of the Memphis arts district.

Missed our recent editions? Links to a few favorites: