Make Your Way to Mississippi
By Kellie Walton Benz
If you haven’t paid a visit to Mississippi, prepare to be amazed at the offerings that stand out across the state from top to bottom. Filled with wide open spaces, tons of historical monuments, some of the south’s best college towns, and food that will knock your socks off, the entire state embodies the definition of a hidden gem. Did we mention it also has a gorgeous coastline?
From Tupelo to Jackson, Oxford to Starkville, see the homes of literary and musical icons, charter a boat to sail along the coast, explore the state’s powerful Civil Rights history, and uncover so much more. For a getaway immersed in music, history, heritage, and, of course, food, make your way to Mississippi for a memorable trip this year. Here are the highlights to help you choose your own adventure.
The Birthplace of the Blues
Crank the stereo as you cruise through the ‘Sip: it’s the birthplace of the blues! Hop on the Mississippi Blues Trail, which covers several fascinating landmarks. Follow along the series of more than 200 markers and signs that guide visitors through the journey, highlighting the best of blues history – from birthplaces and gravesites to historic clubs.
Notably, stop in Clarksdale to visit the Delta Blues Museum, which provides an overarching view of blues music in the Mississippi Delta. Before continuing on, be sure to visit the Crossroads Blues Marker indicating the intersection of Highways 61 and 49, where it’s said that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his talent. Learn more about the legendary musician’s life and career at the Robert Johnson Blues Trail Marker near Greenwood. Blues Trail travelers should also pay homage to legendary musician B.B. King at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola.
Catch festivals all year long that celebrate the blues, including the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival or the Mighty Mississippi Music Festivals in Greenville, and the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale.
msbluestrail.org
Civil Rights History
Mississippi has a profound and complicated Civil Rights history, serving as a significant point during the Civil Rights Movement spanning the 1950s and 1960s. To learn more about the harrowing history, visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, which houses exhibits and interactive displays that beautifully portray the state’s struggle for civil rights. Also in Jackson, the Medgar Evers Home Museum showcases Evers’ life and work, a civil rights leader who was assassinated in his driveway in 1963. Other notable museums include the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner and the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden in Ruleville.
Visitors can also explore historic landmarks including Jackson’s Greyhound Bus Station where Freedom Riders were attacked in 1961, the Mississippi State Capitol, and more.
civilrightstrail.com/state/mississippi
mcrm.mdah.ms.gov
Explore the Outdoors
Mississippi’s diverse landscapes lend themselves to plenty of outdoor adventure, from state and national parks to waterways and beaches. Across the state, visitors can enjoy hiking, fishing and boating, swimming, and more at its 25 state parks, including Tishomingo State Park, Natchez State Park, and Buccaneer State Park. Or, take to the water by launching a boat or kayak along the Mississippi River, Pascagoula River, or Tombigbee River.
Mississippi is also the hidden home to miles of beaches along its gulf coast, with standout cities including Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, and more. In Biloxi, enjoy the convergence of beaches and betting with a stay at one of the city’s grand casino hotels – including the Beau Rivage and the Palace Casino & Resort. Or, explore the small but incredibly charming coastal town of Ocean Springs.
The state is also home to a number of national parks. Natchez marks the Southern end of the Natchez Trace Parkway, perfect for a windows-down cruise through breathtaking landscapes, the Gulf Islands National Seashore is home to breathtaking emerald waters, and the Delta National Wildlife Refuge houses tons of critters in its marshes and wetlands.
mdwfp.com
mdwfp.com
mdwfp.com
nps.gov/natr/index
Fantastic Food and Drinks
The entire Southern region is known globally for its homestyle cuisine, and Mississippi is no exception. Whether you’re looking for seafood, barbecue, or a cocktail, some of the best can be found all across the state.
Barbecue lovers will enjoy stops at destinations statewide, including the Little Dooey in Starkville, the Pig & Pint in Jackson, the Shed BBQ & Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, and Leatha’s Bar-B-Que Inn in Hattiesburg. We’ve already tackled Mississippi’s gulf coast, so it should come as no surprise that fish and seafood are a staple. Drawing influences from its own landscapes and its Cajun next door neighbor, Mississippi is known for dishes like gumbo, shrimp and grits, and fried catfish, sure to be hits on any menu across the Magnolia State.
Wash down all that Southern cooking with a locally-made cocktail or craft beer, starting with the liquors from Cathead Distillery that now appear behind bars all over the world. Whether you’re in Mississippi or catch the Cathead logo on a menu elsewhere, any cocktail made with their Honeysuckle Vodka is sure to be subtly sweet, Southern, and delicious. Or, explore the state’s craft beer scene at breweries like Lazy Magnolia Brewery in Kiln, Southern Prohibition Brewing in Hattiesburg, or Crooked Letter Brewing Company in Meridian.
littledooey.grabourmenu.com
pigandpint.com
theshedbbq.com
catheaddistillery.com
Literary and Artistic Heritage
Mississippi has produced legends spanning artistic disciplines, from literature to music, theater, and visual arts. Nods to famous figures can be found statewide through museums and other cultural institutions. Did you know Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo?
Authors including William Faulkner, John Grisham, Eudora Welty, Richard Wrights, and Tennessee Williams have ties to the state, and their history can be found through both their independent works and through markers across Mississippi. Explore William Faulkner’s life at his preserved home, Rowan Oak, in Oxford, and experience Mississippi in the pages of some of his work. A more recent literary figure, thriller novelist John Grisham, was born in Southaven and attended Mississippi State University. Explore the state through his books like the recent Boys from Biloxi.
Mississippians have also staked their claim in the visual and performing arts, including famed artists Walter Anderson, George Ohr, and Theora Hamblett. See the work of Mississippi artists on display at Jackson’s Mississippi Museum of Art and Biloxi’s Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art. On stage, playwright Tennessee Williams, a multiple Pulitzer Prize winner, was born in Columbus and his home can be visited there to this day.
rowanoak.com
msmuseumart.org
georgeohr.org
Cool College Towns
The Southeastern Conference comprises some of the best college towns – and teams – in the world, and Mississippi is home to two. The small town of Starkville houses Mississippi State University, an agriculturally-rich institution known for its programs in engineering, landscape architecture, golf, and much more. The town itself is quaint but incredibly charming, accented by the downtown “Cotton District,” a colorful strip of bars, restaurants, and businesses bustling with college students and Bulldog fans on any given day.
To the north stands the University of Mississippi – better known as Ole Miss – in the opulent town of Oxford. With beautiful homes leading to campus, it’s no wonder the campus itself is breathtaking. Put on your best and stroll the square at the center of town, filled with shops, restaurants, and bars for entertainment all day and all night long. On game days, the Grove is the place to be, with thousands of elaborate tailgating tents filling a field sprinkled with towering trees, creating an experience like no other in the SEC.
Naturally, the two schools are fierce (and sometimes unfriendly) competitors, vying each year for the Golden Egg trophy during rivalry week’s Egg Bowl. A statement of fact and in no way a humble brag for my alma mater, Mississippi State currently holds the winning title.
Other college towns in Mississippi include the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, a small town known for its art galleries and lively downtown footprint, Delta State University in Cleveland (which is also home to the Grammy Museum Mississippi), and Mississippi College in Clinton.
msstate.edu
olemiss.edu
