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Mississippi

Flanked by the mighty Mississippi River along its entire western border, the Magnolia State encompasses many identities. You'll find palatial mansions and rural poverty; haunting cotton flats and verdant hill country; honey-dipped sand on the coast and serene farmland in the north. Often mythologized and misunderstood, this is the womb of some of the rawest history in the country. And that's why the state is worth an extended visit. The novels, music and art birthed here tell deeply personal stories. They're not always easy to hear. But there's a compelling sense of connection – even joy – in the sharing. See for yourself in a late-night blues club in the Delta. Or on a wander through the homes of the state's great novelists. Or during a quiet moment inside an artist's cabin where bright murals depict the wonders of nature here. Immersion sparks conversations and will challenge your assumptions.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Mississippi.

  • See

    BB King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center

    Stopping in the tiny Delta town of Indianola is worthwhile to visit this modern museum. While it's ostensibly dedicated to the legendary bluesman, in many ways it tackles life in the Delta as a whole. The museum is filled with interactive displays, video exhibits and an amazing array of artifacts, effectively communicating the history and legacy of the blues while shedding light on the soul of the Delta.

  • See

    Vicksburg National Military Park

    Vicksburg controlled access to the Mississippi River, and its seizure was one of the turning points of the Civil War. A 16-mile driving tour passes historic markers explaining battle scenarios and key events from the city's long siege, when residents lived in caverns to avoid Union shells. Plan on staying for at least 90 minutes. The USS Cairo Museum, which spotlights the ironclad gunboats used by Union forces, is worth a stop, and the salvaged USS Cairo is on view. If you have your own bike, cycling is a fantastic way to tour the place. Locals use the scenic park for walking and running.

  • See

    Gulf Islands National Seashore

    Here along one of the last undeveloped stretches of the coastal South, this maze of wetlands, beaches and five off-shore barrier islands is not tremendously accessible, but if you plan ahead, you will experience the migrating birds, scrubby dunes and empty white-sand beaches. By car, you can access Davis Bayou, an attractive wet quilt of marsh islands and flat-water horizons. Otherwise, the big draw comes in the shape of four wilderness islands, Horn, Sand, Petit Bois and East Ship Island. All are open to camping, but you'll need to charter a boat to get there; see the park website for a list of commercial operators. During the osprey nesting season some parts of the island will be off-limits to nurture the nesting flocks.There are two developed campgrounds in the park: Davis Bayou Campground in Mississippi and Fort Pickens Campground in Florida (www.recreation.gov; campsites $22-40). West Ship Island is the most accessible island in the archipelago. There's a twice daily ferry to and from the island all summer, and Wednesday to Sunday services in the spring and fall. In addition to snorkeling, bodyboarding, swimming and beachcombing, you can visit Fort Massachusetts, a brick fort built in 1868, right on the beach.

  • See

    Emmett Till Interpretive Center

    In 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago, was lynched in Mississippi after being accused of flirting with a white woman. An all-white jury acquitted two white men, Roy Bryant and JW Milam, who later confessed. Although lynchings had occurred in the South before, this particular murder galvanized anger like few others and led to the first major wave of the mid-20th-century Civil Rights movement. This small museum, in the courthouse where the trial occurred, offers self-guided tours. The self-guided tour includes a few displays about the trial and the public response, and the courtroom looks like it did at the time of the trial. A staffer is available to answer questions. If you're part of a larger group, call ahead to schedule a more in-depth tour and possibly a group dialogue about Till's murder. The interpretive center can also recommend third-party tour guides if you're interested in a a highly detailed look at the history. It is remarkable how raw the wound of the Till murder can still feel in this area; in 2018, a sign that marked the spot where Till's body was recovered from the Tallahatchie River was riddled with bullets.

  • See

    GRAMMY Museum Mississippi

    Open since 2016, this glossy outpost of the GRAMMY Museum – the other is in Los Angeles – traces the development of recorded music, with a focus on its cultural context and on Mississippi's rich musical heritage. The numerous interactive exhibits are quite engaging, especially if the museum isn't crowded. Songs by the state's most talented musicians, from Charley Patton to Faith Hill, can be enjoyed at the Mississippi Music Bar. Highlights include enclosed pods where you can compose your own lyrics, and a cubicle where you can sit and compare the sound of Beyonce's music across historic musical devices, from an early wax cylinder to today's 5.1 surround sound. The museum is located on the campus of Delta State University.

  • See

    Robert Johnson's Grave

    Folks leave bourbon and other mementos beside the tombstone of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, whose immense talent, they say, may have stemmed from a deal with the devil at the crossroads of Hwys 61 and 49. This grave, at Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church, four miles north of town, is one of three possible burial sites. His death certificate says Johnson was buried at Zion Church. There are three in the region. Johnson died aged 27, possibly from poisoning by a jealous husband.

  • See

    Bryant's Grocery

    There's not much left to see other than a dilapidated building covered with vines, a historic marker and the railroad tracks, but the scene remains haunting. Here, 14-year-old Emmett Till, a black youth, was accused by a white shopkeeper of flirting with her. For this alleged 'offense,' he was later abducted, tortured and murdered by the shopkeeper's husband and his half-brother, an event that kickstarted the Civil Rights movement. The sight is eleven miles north of Greenwood.

  • See

    Walter Anderson Museum

    A consummate artist and lover of Gulf Coast nature, Anderson suffered from mental illness, which spurred his monastic existence and fueled his life’s work: in his words, being one of 'those who have brought nature and art together into one thing.' After he died, the locked shack where he drew and painted was discovered to be covered in mind-blowing murals, which depict a day on his beloved Horn Island. These murals, preserved in the 'Little Room,' are a museum highlight.

  • See

    Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center

    Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black youth from Chicago, was abducted from his uncle's house by two white men for allegedly flirting with one of the men's wives in the nearby town of Money. Till's mutilated body was recovered from the Tallahatchie River just up the road from the museum. Unflinching exhibits trace his short life and violent death. The twenty-minute video delves into relevant local background. The museum is housed in a cotton gin connected with the events.

Featured videos

Things you can't miss in Mississippi

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