Mississippi

Storied red cedar trees outside Rowan Oak, the Oxford home of writer William Faulkner

Visit Mississippi

1 of 10

Paddling on Crystal Lake

2 of 10

Elvis Presley's Homecoming statue by Mississippi artist Bill Beckwith, a stop on the Elvis Driving Tour in Tupelo

Visit Mississippi

3 of 10

The state capitol building in Jackson

4 of 10

Sunrise at Biloxi Beach

5 of 10

Live performances at Ground Zero Blues Club

Visit Mississippi

6 of 10

Sweeping views of the Mississippi River from the old and new Vicksburg bridges

7 of 10

The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola

8 of 10

The immersive This Little Light of Mine installation at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Visit Mississippi

9 of 10

Driving along the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway

Visit Mississippi

10 of 10

Major Airports:

Jackson (JAN)

Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT)

New Orleans (MSY)
Nickname:

Magnolia State

"The Birthplace of America's Music" and the original home of the blues

Dip your toes in the Gulf of America at the “Riviera of the South,” then tap them to the beat of authentic roots blues music. Follow the paths of revered Civil Rights movement leaders, and stand next to a statue of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Nourish your soul and body in Mississippi, known for its preservation of historical places, creative arts heritage and natural wonders. The mighty Mississippi River forms the state’s western boundary, and visitors are as apt to find freshly caught shrimp on a menu as they are barbecued ribs and fried catfish.

Visit Mississippi

Musical Legacies

Music figures prominently in the state’s heritage, whether blues, rock ‘n’ roll or country. The Mississippi Blues Trail recognizes blues pioneers, including Albert King, Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke and B.B. King. Several museums in the Delta pay tribute to these artists, such as the B.B. King Museum in Indianola. On the Country Music Trail, notable names on markers include Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, Faith Hill and Tammy Wynette. Learn more about the “Father of Country Music,” Jimmie Rodgers, along with other notable Mississippi musicians, actors and artists at the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience in Meridian. For an interactive musical experience, visit GRAMMY® Museum Mississippi in Cleveland to further celebrate the "Birthplace of America's Music."

Nearly everyone the world over recognizes Elvis Presley, the perennial “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” See the legend’s birthplace and childhood home in Tupelo. Pose next to a life-size statue portraying him at age 13, and step inside the church where his love for Southern gospel music began.

Civil Rights Sites

The Mississippi Freedom Trail commemorates the work of men and women in Mississippi during the Civil Rights movement at prominent locations throughout the state, including the Emmett Till marker in Money. Visit the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument which pays homage to the civil rights activist who was assassinated at his home. Learn more at the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in the state capital of Jackson, which is also home to several sites on the Freedom Trail.

Keep Exploring

Get outdoors and admire Mississippi's wide range of natural landscapes in national and state parks, from Tishomingo State Park in northeast Mississippi to the white sand beaches of coastal Mississippi. Seek out even more cultural pursuits at museums and art galleries such as the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi. Book a stay at one of Mississippi’s many unique accommodations, whether a quaint bed-and-breakfast or a luxury boutique hotel – and keep those toes tapping.

Visit Mississippi

Contact the Travel Trade Team

We inspire tourists to visit and work with the travel industry to promote this destination worldwide.

For general inquiries and travel information:

Send email

Phone:

601-359-3035

Web:

http://visitmississippi.org/

Fun Fact

In 1986, National Football League player and Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton from Columbia, Mississippi, became the first American football player to appear on the front of a Wheaties cereal box.

Coca-Cola memorabilia inside the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum

In 1894, at Biedenharn’s Candy Store in Vicksburg, Joseph Biedenharn bottled Coca-Cola for the first time anywhere in the world.

Aerial view of the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson

The world's first human lung transplant was performed in 1963 at Jackson’s University of Mississippi Medical Center, followed a year later by the first heart transplant.

Must see places

The house where singer Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo

Elvis Presley Birthplace

The modest two-room house in Tupelo where the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was born was built for $180 by his father. It is part of the six-hectare Elvis Presley Birthplace, which includes a park, statue, church and museum.

The GRAMMY Museum® Misssissippi in Cleveland celebrates the past, present and future of music

GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi

In a state known as the “birthplace of America's music,” the interactive experience in Cleveland explores the past, present and future of music and celebrates the creativity and technology of the recording process.

The Greyhound bus station in Jackson, an important site in the civil rights struggle of the 1960s

Mississippi Freedom Trail

Markers around the state highlight people and places with pivotal roles in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ’60s. Among the sites are Medgar Evers’ home (established as a U.S. monument in March 2019), Fannie Lou Hamer’s grave, a Greyhound bus station and the Mississippi State Capitol.

Tishomingo State Park

Go rock climbing, canoe in Bear Lake, walk a wildflower-bordered trail, fish in the 18-hectare Haynes Lake and stay in a cabin in a wooded bluff area at Tishomingo State Park in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Walter Anderson Museum of Art

The Ocean Springs museum celebrates Walter Inglis Anderson, whose work highlighted the region’s plants, animals and people. Included in the watercolors, drawings, oils, block prints, ceramics and carvings are works by his two brothers.

Rowan Oak

In 1930, Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner bought the 1840s Greek Revival house and lived there until he died in 1962. Tour the National Historic Landmark in Oxford and see where he wrote several books.

The Gateway to the Blues Museum and Visitor Center on Highway 61, the “blues highway,” in Tunica

Mississippi Blues Trail

Throughout the state, nearly 200 trail markers tell stories of famous blues artists and significant sites. Find them in cotton fields, train depots, cemeteries, clubs and churches, and see how people, places and culture influenced music.

Vicksburg National Military Park

Visit battlefields, 1,325 monuments, 32 kilometers of trenches and an antebellum home, and learn how the Union gained control over the Mississippi River after a three-month campaign in 1863 during the American Civil War.

The Natchez Trace Parkway

In Natchez, find the start of the 715-kilometer historic and scenic trail that continues to Nashville, Tennessee. Drive, hike, bike, horseback ride and camp along the way through rolling hills, farmland, thick forests and cypress swamps.

The Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Two Mississippi Museums

Journey through state history and its role during the Civil Rights Movement at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History. Experience powerful oral histories, examine rare artifacts and walk through immersive timelines that bring Mississippi’s past to life.