Oxford is home to Ole Miss AKA the University of Mississippi, and so much more. Hometown heroes include Pulitzer Prize winner William Faulkner, author John Grisham, James Beard Award winners and legendary football quarterbacks. Plus, the landscape is gorgeous. The sprawling campus has been named the most beautiful in the country.

I spent a week in Oxford on a media tour while on assignment for (sadly defunct) “Where To Retire” magazine. Then I wrote about the small Southern city and its allure for Loop North Chicago. Check out my most recent story, “Ole Miss is a hit for southern flavors, flair and football.”