Top Things to do in Mississippi
What to do and see in Mississippi, United States: The Best Things to do
From 24-hour casinos, upscale shopping and luxurious spas in Tunica to the Civil War sites in Vicksburg to the lush golf courses, beaches and upscale casinos in Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi offers visitors a wide range of vacation experiences. Vacationers to Mississippi can choose from a diverse group of destinations and activities. On the Gulf Coast in Biloxi and Gulfport, casino gaming, big name entertainment shows, deep-sea fishing and golf, are popular pastimes. In Vicksburg, the Vicksburg National Cemetery and Civil War sites draw many visitors. In historic Natchez, you can take a scenic drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway or visit Frogmore Plantation, one of eight plantations originally owned by a wealthy Natchez planter. For an urban experience, Jackson, dubbed the “City with Soul” has over 50 nightclubs featuring Soul, Jazz, Blues, Rock and other musical genres. Tunica offers great casinos, golf and big name entertainers such as Bonnie Rait, Smokey Robinson and George Jones. Golfers, rejoice! Mississippi has more than 150 golf courses. Among the high-profile courses on everybody’s must play list are The Links at Cottonwoods and Tunica National Golf Tennis Club in Tunica and Grand Bear Golf Club in Saucier and The Bridges Golf Club at Hollywood Casino. Families visiting Mississippi fall in love with the heaping portions of Southern hospitality. Family-oriented activities are plentiful in Mississippi whether it’s enjoying the beaches on the Gulf Coast, visiting the home of Elvis Presley in Tupelo or riding a huge paddlewheeler on the Mississippi River.
Restaurants in Mississippi
1. Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 194 reviews
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum shares the stories of a Mississippi movement that changed the nation. The museum promotes a greater understanding of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement and its impact by highlighting the strength and sacrifices of its peoples. Visitors will witness the freedom struggle in eight interactive galleries that show the systematic oppression of black Mississippians and their fight for equality that transformed the state and nation. Seven of the galleries encircle a central space called This Little Light of Mine. There, a dramatic sculpture glows brighter and the music of the Movement swells as visitors gather.
Reviewed By grandmareviews1952
The museum is amazing. You can step into the jail cell or watch videos of what led to the civil rights movement. The museum is filled with people and events that are displayed from the floor to the ceiling. We didn't have enough time to see the upstairs, so be sure to allow enough time to see everything. It is very moving to see how men and women believed in a better world for their families and what the sad reality of it was like for them to do so.
2. Beau Rivage Casino
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,412 reviews
This Gulf Coast casino resort offers the whole package: accommodations, dining, gaming, shopping, charter boat fishing, access to 19 championship golf courses and big-name acts for nighttime entertainment.
Reviewed By lonnieb519 - Biloxi, United States
Ever felt like you were living the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous?" Nah, me neither !!!, Until I stepped out of the elevator and walked into the lavish world of the Beau Rivage for the first time !!! It's like you are walking down the yellow brick road with Dorothy and Toto(but Toto is invisible, and Dorothy is that beautiful girl by your side !!! In my case, that would be my sweet and beautiful little wife, the most beautiful girl in the world !!! You might think you could give me someone more beautiful, but Oz never did give nothing to the Tinman that he didnt already have, and, no disrespect, You are not Oz !!! LoL !!! Not to boast, but I'm kinda proud of my baby !!! That brings me to a different set of songs, the ones that are sang and played at the end of the yellow brick road, physical address: Eight75, the name of the lounge just prior to stepping into the gaming area of the casino and also the actual physical address of the Beau Rivage(875 Beach Boulavard, Biloxi Mississippi). Eight75 holds a special place in my heart because it is where she(yes, you guessed it, my beautiful wife) and I began this wonderful life together. We would meet there for a glass of Merlot and would get lost in each other as the band played and as the packed house kept the energy alive with conversation and laughter. One thing(Merlot) led to another(Merlot) and before we knew it, we knew how to dance(Merlot) !!! Neither of us knew how before, but it's like a wizard stepped in and cast a spell on us...wait a minute, that's Merlin(Merlot), LoL !!! Anyway, we fell in love, dancing the night away on the dance floor in front of the band, with lots of other happy couples who didnt know how to dance either, or was it only the two of us(Love) !!! Everyone is there to assure that you have a Great time, from the band to the bartenders to the waitresses to the Beau Rivage itself !!! The scenery is breathtaking and you Really Do get a sense of living the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous !!! Head to the Beau Rivage for a Super Great Time and I'm sure, that you too, will fall in love !!!
3. Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 314 reviews
Meet over 200 living species in our 100,000 gallon aquarium network. See native reptiles, fishes, and amphibians! Explore an entire wall of fossil specimens, Zygorhiza, Mosasaurus, and a giant Sloth. Check out deer, waterfowl, and Mississippi's endangered species exhibits. The Preschool Discovery Room features colorful murals and an iconic, giant treehouse with a slide. Plus, two miles of outdoor walking trails that wind through natural habitats. The museum was named the "2014 Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year" by the Southeast Tourism Society.
Reviewed By cherylmG1601HW - Jackson, United States
Great place to take the family. Kids love it, and the dinosaur exhibit is wonderful. Lots of exhibits showing the ecology of Mississippi along with the history.
4. Beauvoir
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,170 reviews
Home of Ex-Confederate President of the Confederate States of America where he lived his remaining 12 years of his life (post-war) and where he wrote "The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government." Golf Carts are now available to rent. Guided tour of the home showing how life was lived by the President and his family and self guided grounds (Varina's Garden, Cemetery, and nature trail), Museum, separated into 3 sections: Rotating Gallery, Soldier's Exhibit, and President Davis Exhibit. Research Library including reference books to accommodate most genealogy research focused on the Civil War.
Reviewed By interceptpubs - Columbus, United States
Built around 1850 by James Brown, a wealthy planter, as a summer home on the Gulf of Mexico, Brown called his new estate "Orange Grove." Brown died in 1866, but it wasn't until 1873 that the property was sold to pay back taxes and settle his estate. It quickly changed hands a couple of times, ending up in the possession of Sarah Ann Dorsey, the daughter of a wealthy planter in Natchez. She bought the house along with 600 hundred surrounding acres, renaming it "Beauvoir" or "beautiful view." Dorsey was a childhood friend of Varina Howell, Jefferson Davis' second wife, and herself had known the Davis family all her life, often visiting the Confederate president's elder brother Joseph's family at his home, Hurricane Plantation, near Vicksburg. When Jefferson Davis came to the Gulf Coast in 1877 seeking a place to write his memoirs, Dorsey offered him the use of one of the cabins on the estate. Two years later Dorsey died, leaving the entire estate to Davis. Davis, his wife, and their youngest daughter, known as Winnie, lived here until his death in 1889. The remaining two women moved to New York City in 1891, although they retained ownership of Beauvoir. The Davis family finally sold it in 1902 to the Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans for use as a veterans home. It served in this role until 1953. The main house was turned into a shrine to the late Confederate president in 1941 with a museum honoring Confederate soldiers in the basement. With the closure of the veterans home, the home's hospital became the soldier's museum and a Davis' family museum took up the exhibit space in the main house's basement. In the late 90s, the Jefferson Davis Library and Museum were opened on the grounds. Unfortunately, just a few short years later, Katrina hit devastating the ocean front property. The main house survived, but has required extensive restoration that is only now in its final stages. A number of artifacts were also damaged, and the Library was effectively destroyed. Overall damage estimates exceeded $25 million dollars. Fortunately, much of the restoration is now complete, as we discovered in our recent visit to the estate. The first stop for visitors is the gift shop where tickets ($12.50 for adults) for the hourly house tours can be purchased. The tour itself last about 30 minutes and covers all the rooms in the house (although some rooms, such as Jefferson Davis' bedroom, are only looked at through the glass doors/windows). The rooms are mostly furnished with pieces from the Davis' family. The docent provides a fairly fast paced overview of the estate's history with a particular emphasis on the time that the Davis family lived here. After the house tour, we went back into the main building to look at the museum exhibits that take up much of the second floor. Items from Jefferson Davis, including correspondence, as well as an extensive collection of Civil War military material (edged weapons, rifles, flags, etc.) are on display. Some damaged items are shown to illustrate the havoc caused by Katrina. We then walked the 50 or so acres of grounds including out to the soldiers cemetery, where we found the grave of the Confederate unknown soldier, before finally hitting the gift shop to buy some interesting books on the history of the estate, the Civil War, and Mississippi. Overall, we spent about two hours here and enjoyed every minute of it.
5. Longwood
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,559 reviews
Construction on this architectural gem, the largest octagonal house in the U.S., began in 1860, but was interrupted by the onset of war. A National Historic Landmark, the still-unfinished mansion is an enduring symbol of the impact of the Civil War.
Reviewed By PadreGirl - Eureka, United States
We'd been to Natchez before, but never visited Longwood. It's amazing. Only the "basement" level was originally finished due to the coming Civil War. The workers basically left tools and supplies and returned home leaving the huge home unfinished. The tour starts on the basement level where you see how the family lived and then you are able to go upstairs to see the building in progress. The craftsmanship and what they were able to do with hand tools was shocking. The family story was quite interesting as well. There's a nice walk to the family cemetery too. The area is beautiful.
6. Biloxi Visitors Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,354 reviews
Reviewed By OPMaster1978 - Bowling Green, United States
The Biloxi Visitors Center is located in a beautiful building that has some architectural features of a mansion from the Antebellum period. The staff are very friendly and there are many brochures and flyers available offering information on nearby attractions, restaurants and shops. At the rear of the building is a small, but informative museum documenting the history of Biloxi and the various groups that have contributed to the city over the years. This is a good first stop for any tourists who are planning on spending time in the area.
7. Natchez Trace Parkway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,746 reviews
This 444-mile parkway follows a Native American footpath from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN.
Reviewed By hopalongrving - Mississippi, United States
The parkway is 444 miles long but you can easily visit just a small piece of this well kept parkway to see the beauty. The parkway has no billboards and is not open to commercial traffic of any kind. We traveled a section between Jackson and Tupelo, MS. The wayside points were well marked and offered ample parking for most vehicles. The main visitor center for the entire parkway is located in Tupelo, MS but you can stop and many other informational centers along the day. We strongly recommend you grab a booklet about the parkway as it offers exact mile makers for significant points. Though there are not many cities along the actual parkway there are numerous opportunities to leave the parkway so don’t stress too much about gas/food. Fun facts: There are many places you can HIKE the old trail, see attached hiking trail list There are 25 campground along the corridor 100+ wayside exhibits The parkway crosses over 5 degrees of latitude and 4 different ecosystems Emerald Mound (the 2nd largest in the US) is located near Natchez at mile marker 10.3
8. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 780 reviews
The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1984 for the purposes of public education, conservation, and research on marine mammals and sea turtles in the wild and under human care. IMMS's Ocean Adventures Marine Park is open to the public year-round, reservations are not required. The Park is open seven days a week from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. All admission and interactive program proceeds go toward our conservation efforts. IMMS has been an active participant of the National Stranding Network since its inception. IMMS is the premier stranding organization in the Mississippi-Louisiana-Alabama region of the Gulf Coast with the capability and expertise to care for sick and injured marine mammals and sea turtles. IMMS serves as an important educational resource for the Mississippi Gulf Coast, incorporating programs for conservation, education and research of marine mammals, sea turtles, and their environment.
Reviewed By megann1680
I recently visited and had an amazing time! The trainers and staff are all so friendly and could answer every question I had about the animals. There are so many things to do and see like stingrays, birds, gators, fish, snakes, sea lions, and dolphins! All of the shows are excellent and are sure to put a smile on any visitors face. The encounters offered with the animals are amazing and 100% worth it! For the stingray encounter, I got to snorkel and feed the stingrays in the large Ray Pool. For the sea lion encounter I got to feed and get a big kiss from McCoy. For the dolphin interaction, I got in the water with Turner and was able to feed and give him a big kiss. I will never forget the time I was able to spend here. This is a must-do for any visitor or resident of Gulfport and your visit also contributes to the conservation efforts of marine life!
9. Rodney Ghost Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
My wife and I love to visit ghost towns. It's part of our fascination for all things historic. In our travels, we have visited old mining camps in Colorado, Montana, Arizona, California and Nevada. But Rodney, Mississippi, is a whole different experience. Once a bustling city on the banks of the Mississippi River, it was the busiest port on the Mississippi River between New Orleans and St. Louis with almost 1,000 residents, two banks, two newspapers, a large hotel with a ballroom, the state's first opera house and several churches. It numbered almost 4,000 residents by 1860, more than Jackson. Graves in Rodney Cemetery date to 1828, the year Rodney was incorporated as a town. In fact, Rodney was the state capitol after Mississippi achieved statehood in 1817. So what happened? In 1870, the Mississippi River changed course, moved two miles west and Rodney lost its port. Loss of river trade caused many residents to move to more progressive towns. By 1930, Rodney was no longer considered an official town. The 2011 flood washed away most of the residents and buildings that were left. But Rodney still remains a time capsule of a past we seldom see today. Rodney is located 32 miles northeast of Natchez. From Lorman, home of Alcorn State University, take Route 552 west to Rodney. It isn't as easy as it sounds. Locate Old Country Store on Highway 61 in Lorman. Behind the store, make a turn onto a road that doesn't look like a road and travel northwest, passing the Cane Ridge Cemetery. Go 12 miles of blacktop and dirt road until you reach Rodney. Today, it is a one-road town with only remnants of the past. Drive down muddy but once bustling Commerce Street. See the Baptist Church with its stunning Greek Gothic architecture and silver dome rising into the sky. See the Presbyterian Church with its grand bell tower, the finest example of Federalist architecture in Mississippi. Founded in 1828, the red-brick structure still stands as a symbol of the community. The Masonic Lodge and Alston's Grocery Store still stand. Church Street, Cypress Street and Magnolia Street, once busy thoroughfares, are no longer visible. Commerce Street used to be two blocks from the Mississippi River. Now it is four miles away. But Rodney still beckons to visitors who harken for a glimpse of the past. Did you know that Rodney is the only ghost town with its own newspaper? The Rodney Telegraph is a quarterly online publication that keeps old-timers and historians and travelers abreast of current events in the town.
10. Biloxi Beach
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,116 reviews
Reviewed By valeriecaylor - Biloxi, United States
I love to walk this beach daily (weather permitting). I can either walk along the shoreline or the boardwalk. Either way I choose to walk, the white sand beaches, the wildlife, and the fresh air all leave me renewed and restored!
