Mississippi

Mississippi is just a 90-minute drive from New Orleans, Louisiana. With the Mississippi River to its west, Alabama to its east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Mississippi is a must-visit state on your Southern adventure. It is known for its lush, forested Appalachian foothills, expansive Delta horizons, and coastal roadways with 71km of beautiful coastline. Along the Mississippi River, visitors can find anything from barbecued ribs to fried catfish on the menu.

Outdoors in Mississippi, there’s no end to fun activities – the state’s lakes, rivers, and streams have more than 175 different species of freshwater fish, so grab your fishing rod – deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is spectacular. There are nine national parks and 24 state parks, would you believe it! You can hike, bike, golf, kayak, camp, hunt, and for the more adventurous – enjoy a whole host of extreme water sports. Or, you can even spend your days in the serene bliss that birdwatching brings.

The Mississippi Delta region is considered the birthplace of blues music, honoured at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale. Head to the Grammy Museum ® Mississippi. Music fan or not, you will enjoy this interactive experience in Cleveland which is dedicated to the history and future of music, and celebrates the recording process. Visit Tupelo: the birthplace of Elvis Presley, and journey through the Mississippi Blues Trail, which consists of over 200 markers, ready to tell you the stories of how people, places, and culture influenced music. Mississippi has successfully preserved its historical sites and creative arts heritage, and there are many options for visiting museums – for instance, don’t miss two great ones housed together, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History.

In Mississippi, you can taste history in a restaurant setting and celebrate all its fabulous flavors and musical roots at local festivals! At legendary restaurants tucked in unexpected places, flavours are crafted from scratch, recipes passed down through many generations, and you’ll find everything from fresh coastal seafood to local bbq cooked lowwww and slowwww! Mississippi is famous for its Delta Tamales – seasoned beef, pork, or turkey, with some deep-fried or smothered in chilli. Usually, you eat them straight from the husk they’re wrapped inside. The annual Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale held in April is an established festival where Mississippi's musical roots are celebrated as well as the Tupelo Elvis Festival in June honoring the King of rock 'n' roll. The Natchez Food and Wine Festival in July and the Jackson Food and Wine Festival in March are must dos as well. The Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford in April celebrates the music, food and the arts. The biggest event in Mississippi is Cruisin' the Coast in October where antique, classic and hot rod cars traverse the coast of Mississippi with stops along the way to enjoy music and food.