Mississippi Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
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WARNING: The effects of Hurricane Katrina severely damaged much of southern Mississippi in August 2005 and it will likely take several years for the hardest-hit areas to return to normal. While most inland areas are pretty much back to normal tourism, services remain limited in coastal areas. Precautions should be taken and plans should be made accordingly. |
Mississippi [1] is a state in the South of the United States of America. Most of its western border (with Arkansas and Louisiana) is the mighty Mississippi River. Tennesee lies to the north and Alabama to the east, and it has a small coastline on the Gulf of Mexico to the south.
Contents |
Regions
Cities
Other destinations
Understand
Talk
Keep in mind that smaller cities in Mississippi still have “Blue Laws” on the books, meaning that stores are closed on Sundays. Gas stations are typically open daily.
Cell phone coverage in Mississippi is generally better (especially on Sprint & T-Mobile) along the major Interstate routes, with Cingular providing the most area coverage. Coverage in the Mississippi Delta region is sometimes spotty, and several areas in the Delta are without service of any type.
Get in
By car
Interstate 20 (east-west route along the lower middle half of the state), I-10 (again, an east-west route along the Gulf Coast), I-55 (north-south route passing through the middle of the state), and I-59 (southeastern corner of the state).
By plane
There are several regional airports. Golden Triangle (Columbus, MS); Greenville, MS; Tupelo, and Gulfport. Jackson has the largest airport in the state, Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN). Jackson's airport (http://www.jmaa.com) closes early (usually a little after 10PM), so plan accordingly.
By train
See Amtrak (http://www.amtrak.com) for the most current and active routes (several have closed due to either the after effects of Katrina, or lack of profitability).
Get around
The easiest method of getting around Mississippi is by car (and in most cases, it’s the only method of getting around the state). You can get around Mississippi by bus (http://www.greyhound.com), but it is a very inconvenient method of traveling around the state (be prepared for long waits and sudden cancellations). Consider renting a car from a regional airport if you fly into Mississippi, as there is not a well established public transportation system in this state.
By car
If you do rent or drive your own car into Mississippi, make sure that you have uninsured motorist coverage to protect yourself from another driver. Mississippi does have a law that all automobile drivers are required to have liability insurance coverage (the minimum coverage is rather low); however, the law is not enforced unless the driver is involved in an accident.
By train
You can travel by Amtrak (train) on along the following routes: the western half, southeastern corner of the state, and along the Gulf Coast (http://www.amtrak.com). The main disadvantages of rail travel in Mississippi are that there are only a few stations that are still in use, it’s not reasonably priced, and the routes are limited so you cannot explore the state very well (furthermore, the effects of Katrina have seriously disrupted service along the Gulf coast).
See
The casinos of Vicksburg, Tunica, Philadelphia (Choctaw Indian Reservation), and along the Gulf Coast are fun to visit. Keep in mind that nearly all of the casinos along the Gulf Coast were destroyed from hurricane Katrina, and it may be a year before they are in service again.
The Civil War Park in Vicksburg is interesting to visit, and the entire park can easily be visited in an afternoon.
Mississippi is the home of the blues, and the Blues Museum in Clarksdale is interesting for the blues music enthusiast. In addition, live blues is still fairly easy to find in the Delta and in Jackson (where the former Subway Lounge blues bands play on Saturday nights at Schimmel's Restaurant).
- B.B. King's home town is Indianola, which has a Blues Party for him on his birthday. Usually B.B. King will visit and play some music on his birthday in Indianola.
Be sure to visit the antebellum houses in city of Natchez. The tours offered during the pilgrimages are a good way to see a wide selection of the houses and buildings. Tours are arranged at the old downtown train station (nearby the local casino called the Isle of Capri).
For those who enjoy nature, a journey along the Natchez Trace Parkway (which starts in Natchez, MS, and ends in Nashville, TN) is a good bet. Be aware that the speed limit is a strictly-enforced (by US Park Police) 50 mph (80 kph), and that wild animals such as deer and turkeys often run across the road. Also keep in mind that you will have to share the road with bicyclist and those camping along the Natchez Trace.
The International Ballet Competition takes place once every four years in Jackson (no, this is not a joke). See the webpage http://www.usaibc.com/ for details. The competitions takes place at the Thalia Mara Hall in downtown Jackson on Pearl Street and some of the best in ballet from around the world compete ((601) 355-9853 - 157 E Pearl St).
Do
Outdoor activities are a favorite of Mississippians, given the state's low population density and natural resources. Hunting, fishing, water sports, camping, and hiking all have their devotees.
Eat
The state is largely rural. Outside of large towns, dining options are fairly limited. 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 fairly widely available. Mississippi barbecue tends to pork ribs and pulled pork or chopped beef sandwiches with tomato-based sauces, usually slightly sweet. Of particular note is Leatha's (http://www.leathas.com/), outside Hattiesburg, which enjoys a tremendous (and well-deserved) reputation.
Fried catfish is one meal that Mississippians pride themselves on. If you want to visit the catfish festival (http://www.catfishcapitalonline.com), go to Belzoni (pronounced as: bell-zone-uh) MS. 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.
Oddly, one of the best Sushi restaurants I’ve ever tried is located in Jackson. Named Little Tokyo, there are two locations in Jackson. One is along I-55 North ((601) 982-3035 - 4800 I 55 N, Jackson, MS), and the other is in Ridgeland near the Northpark Mall ((601) 991-3800 - 876 Avery Blvd N, Ridgeland, MS).
Drink
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, each county (and, independently, any incorporated municipality with a population over 2500) may choose whether or not to allow the sale or consumption of alcohol. Beer, where sold, may be purchased from convenience stores or supermarkets, while wine and spirits (considered the same under MS law) may only be purchased from licensed liquor stores. Alcohol-by-the-drink is yet another area of local option; some locations permit purchase of alcoholic beverages at restaurants but do not permit liquor stores. Where they are allowed, liquor stores are limited to the hours of 10am-10pm; hours during which beer sales are permitted are at the discretion of the county or municipality. The only reliable way to determine the regulations is to ask a local. Do note that there are still numerous counties where alcohol is forbidden; enforcement is typically lax regarding alcohol purchased elsewhere for personal consumption, but may not be if an officer of the law decides to make it an issue.
Stay safe
Mississippi has a fairly high occurrence of tornadoes. You might want to check the Tornado safety page if you are visiting Mississippi.
Crime is a general concern in Mississippi, and one should use the same precautions that would be used in any large city (be aware of your surroundings - if you go looking for trouble, you're likely to find it).
Get out
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