Mississippi Attractions Guide

Natchez

Perched on bluffs above the Mississippi River, Natchez is the state's oldest permanent settlement and its crown jewel for antebellum architecture.

• Natchez Trace Parkway — a 444-mile scenic drive following the historic Natchez Trace trail, with nature trails, overlooks, and prehistoric mounds.
• Longwood — the largest octagonal house in America, an unfinished antebellum mansion abandoned mid-construction when the Civil War began.
• Rosalie Mansion — an 1823 Federal-style home on the river bluffs, furnished with period antiques and open for guided tours.
• Natchez National Historical Park — protects Fort Rosalie, the William Johnson House, and Melrose estate, telling the layered stories of enslaved people, free people of color, and plantation owners.
• Mississippi River Overlook — the bluff-side walkway and gardens for sweeping river views at sunset.

Vicksburg

Vicksburg is one of the most important Civil War destinations in America — the 47-day siege decided control of the Mississippi River.

• Vicksburg National Military Park — a 16-mile tour road with over 1,300 monuments, the Illinois Memorial, and the restored USS Cairo gunboat site.
• USS Cairo Museum — the ironclad gunboat sunk in the Yazoo River in 1862, recovered in 1964 and preserved with its cannons and artifacts.
• Lower Mississippi River Museum — free museum covering the river's history from Native American mounds to modern navigation.
• Vicksburg National Cemetery — the final resting place of over 17,000 Union soldiers, within the military park.
• Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum — the building where Coca-Cola was first bottled in 1894, with memorabilia and an old-fashioned soda fountain.

Oxford

Oxford is a college town with a literary soul — William Faulkner's adopted home and the inspiration for his fictional Yoknapatawpha County.

• Rowan Oak — Faulkner's 1840s Greek Revival home, with his books, typewriter, and the plot outline of "A Fable" written on his study wall.
• The Square — Oxford's historic town square, anchored by the Lafayette County Courthouse and ringed with bookstores, boutiques, and restaurants.
• University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) — a beautiful campus to stroll, including the Grove and the University Museum.
• Square Books — the legendary independent bookstore on The Square, a pilgrimage site for Southern literature lovers since 1979.
• Southside Gallery — a contemporary art gallery on The Square showcasing Southern artists.

Gulf Coast (Biloxi & the Coast)

The Mississippi Gulf Coast mixes beach resorts, casinos, and a growing arts scene along 26 miles of sugar-white sand.

• Gulf Islands National Seashore — barrier islands off the coast, including Ship Island with Civil War-era Fort Massachusetts and pristine beaches reachable by ferry.
• Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art — celebrating "the Mad Potter of Biloxi" George Ohr, in a striking Frank Gehry-designed campus.
• Beauvoir — the last home of Confederate president Jefferson Davis, a 52-acre estate with mansion, library, and gardens on the Biloxi beachfront.
• Biloxi Lighthouse — the 1848 cast-iron lighthouse on Highway 90, open for guided climbs with panoramic views.
• Casino resorts — Biloxi's beachfront casinos like Beau Rivage and Hard Rock offer gaming, entertainment, and spa resorts.

Mississippi Blues Trail

Mississippi is the birthplace of the blues, and the Delta is its heart — this self-guided trail of markers connects the towns where the music was born.

• Delta Blues Museum (Clarksdale) — in the historic railroad freight depot, with exhibits on Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and the Delta blues tradition.
• Ground Zero Blues Club (Clarksdale) — the Morgan Freeman co-owned juke joint on Delta Avenue, still hosting live blues most nights.
• B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center (Indianola) — celebrating the blues legend's life and the broader story of Delta culture.
• Dockery Farms (near Cleveland) — the legendary cotton plantation where Charley Patton played, considered the birthplace of the Delta blues.
• Mississippi Blues Trail markers — over 200 historic markers statewide; in Clarksdale alone you can find the Riverside Hotel and New Roxy markers.

Practical Tips

The best time to visit Mississippi is spring (March–May) or fall (September–November) — mild temperatures, festival season (Double Decker Festival in Oxford, Spring Pilgrimage in Natchez), and comfortable touring weather. Summers are hot and humid, especially on the Gulf Coast. A car is essential: attractions are spread out — Natchez, Vicksburg, Clarksdale, and the Gulf Coast are each hours apart. The Natchez Trace Parkway itself is a beautiful driving route connecting Natchez to Tupelo and beyond. Hotels are plentiful and affordable; Gulf Coast casinos and Natchez historic inns are popular bases.

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