Mississippi
Discover Mississippi
Mississippi, in the American South, is often overlooked by travelers, yet those who seek out the many things the state has to offer will not regret it. Mississippi is home to the blues, a notable literary tradition, and incredible food. Visit Mississippi to experience rich history and warm hospitality. Most of Mississippi's western border (with Arkansas and Louisiana) is the mighty Mississippi River. Tennessee lies to the north and Alabama to the east, and it has a small coastline on the Gulf of Mexico to the south.
What to Experience in Mississippi
Taste of Mississippi...
The state is largely rural. Outside of large towns and away from major interstates and state highways, dining options are fairly limited, but even the smallest of towns will have a local diner. However, if you enjoy country cooking, there is no shortage of good to excellent places to eat. Fried chicken, country-fried steak, fresh vegetables, and cornbread are favorites, although barbecue is also widely available. Mississippi barbecue tends to pork ribs and pulled pork or chopped beef sandwiches with tomato-based sauces, usually slightly sweet. Fried catfish is one meal that Mississippians pride themselves on. If you want to visit the world catfish festival, go to Belzoni (pronounced by the locals as: bell-zone-uh). There's not much to see there, but it's interesting if you're in that area. One treat often served with catfish is fried dill pickles, a strange sounding but delicious side dish. Generally, one can't go wrong with Mississippi staples of biscuits, corn bread, fried chicken, catfish or steak, collards and other greens, and fresh vegetables. In Indianola, you can visit the Indianola Pecan House where you won't find a shortage of ways to consume pecans, which are found in abundance in the local area. Laws regarding alcohol are a frequent source of confusion to outsiders. Mississippi continues to practice "local option" with regard to sale of alcohol. Under this system, local jurisdictions may choose whether or not to allow the sale or consumption of alcohol.
Culture & Religion
Culture
While Mississippi has been especially known for its music and literature, it has embraced other forms of art. Its strong religious traditions have inspired striking works by outsider artists which have been shown nationally. Mississippi was the last state to retain the Confederate flag in its state flag, though voters voted to change the state flag and remove the Confederate symbol in a 2020 referendum. Interstate 20 (east-west route along the lower middle half of the state), Interstate 10 (an east-west route along the Gulf Coast), Interstate 55 (north-south route passing through the middle of the state), and Interstate 59 (southeastern corner of the state). Highway 61 is known as the river highway. It goes through cities like Port Gibson, Vicksburg, and Natchez. Jackson has the largest airport in the state, Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN). The Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is also of an adequate size.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsInterstate 20 (east-west route along the lower middle half of the state), Interstate 10 (an east-west route along the Gulf Coast), Interstate 55 (north-south route passing through the middle of the state), and Interstate 59 (southeastern corner of the state). Highway 61 is known as the river highway. It goes through cities like Port Gibson, Vicksburg, and Natchez. Jackson has the largest airport in the state, Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN). The Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is also of an adequate size. Smaller airports are found in Columbus (Golden Triangle Regional Airport), Greenville, Hattiesburg (Pine Belt Regional), Meridian, Natchez, and Tupelo. See Amtrak for the most current and active routes (several routes have permanently closed due to Hurricane Katrina or waning customer interest)....
Regions
Explore AreasMost of Mississippi's western border (with Arkansas and Louisiana) is the mighty Mississippi River. Tennessee lies to the north and Alabama to the east, and it has a small coastline on the Gulf of Mex…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The easiest method of getting around Mississippi is by automobile (and, in most cases, it’s the only method of getting around the state). Greyhound bus lines are very inconvenient. Be prepared for long waits, uncomfortable rides to remote locations (typically the bus stops are at a gas station on the outskirts of the city) and unannounced cancellations. The hassle is not worth the money you would save compared to renting a car; you may have to rent a car anyway due to the limited bus routes. Visitors to Mississippi should seriously consider renting a car (usually, most auto rental locations are at airports: just be sure to make reservations far in advance), as there is not a well-established public transportation system in this state.
Money & Budget
The larger cities and towns in Mississippi provide major retail stores. Some major malls in Mississippi include Barnes Crossing Mall in Tupelo, Northpark Mall in Ridgeland (Jackson Metro area), Dogwood Festival Market in Flowood (Jackson Metro area), Turtle Creek Mall in Hattiesburg, and Edgewater Mall in Biloxi. Other great shopping malls that you would find very interesting and good clothes is the Edgewood Mall in McComb, and the Bonita Lakes Mall in Meridian. Most smaller towns still offer your typical nationwide and regional stores, but local antique and furniture stores abound. If you go looking for antiques, you will likely find one near the old town centers. Natchez has Franklin St., which is known as "antiques row".
Safety Information
Safety Overview
In the event of an emergency, you can dial 911 (for police, fire, and medical assistance) from any cell phone or landline free of charge. If you use a cellphone, it is important to let the operator know exactly where you are located at, as it takes time to find out your location if you do not give that information (time that you should not waste). For non-emergency calls, do not dial 911, but rather contact the specific organization directly from their non-emergency phone number listed in the respective local phone book. The Mississippi Highway Patrol may be contacted (in the state) on your cell phone by dialing *HP (*47). This is only for emergency calls on the highways or Interstate routes from cell phones only. When driving at night, keep in mind that most highway roads and even a majority of the Interstate routes in Mississippi do not have lights posted on the sides of the roads, making the roads very dark at night.
Glimpses of Mississippi
- Part of a 30 days streak of Unsplash uploads - Get lost in the Bayou they said. It’ll be fun they said. Jp Valery is one of the best photographers in Montréal, QC. He’s a self-taught photographer passionate by his craft. He’s available for hire - no projects are too big or too small - and can be contacted at contact@jpvalery.photo. Don’t hesitate to contact Jp Valery if you’re looking for a talented photographer in Montreal, Quebec with great photography services.
Tug going up the Yazoo River Diversion Canal towards the Port of Vicksburg.
tree near mosque
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Headed down the Mississippi River, a tugboat pushes barges as it passes under the Vicksburg Bridge.
At the Vicksburg bridge looking west into Louisiana.
people walking on wooden dock during daytime
Sunset on hwy 465 in February near Redwood, MS
a body of water surrounded by trees in a forest
Overview of bridge near Vicksburg, MS and a pusher tug headed up the Mississippi River.
- Part of a 30 days streak of Unsplash uploads - Get lost in the Bayou they said. It’ll be fun they said. Jp Valery is one of the best photographers in Montréal, QC. He’s a self-taught photographer passionate by his craft. He’s available for hire - no projects are too big or too small - and can be contacted at contact@jpvalery.photo. Don’t hesitate to contact Jp Valery if you’re looking for a talented photographer in Montreal, Quebec with great photography services.
Tug going up the Yazoo River Diversion Canal towards the Port of Vicksburg.
tree near mosque