Thanks to new low-cost, direct flights on Southwest, it’s easy and affordable to travel from the Music City to Mississippi, the Birthplace of America’s Music. Click the button below to find flights and then explore a few favorite places you can enjoy during your stay.
Search FlightsThe Mississippi Natural Science Museum, the state’s largest museum, is located in the LeFleur Museum District of Jackson. Their collections include more than a million specimens of native animals, plants, and fossils. Outdoor attractions include a 300-acre natural landscape, open-air amphitheater, 2.5 miles of nature trails, and an innovative new 30,000-square-foot playground shared with the Mississippi Children’s Museum.
The Bill Waller Craft Center in Ridgeland is home to the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, a collection of artists who work together to “preserve and promote, educate and encourage, the highest standard of excellence in regional crafts.” The Craft Center showcases the work of these Mississippi artisans and offers a wide variety of handmade items for purchase at their retail store.
The award-winning Mississippi Children’s Museum offers hands-on exhibits and programs focused on literacy, health, STEM, the arts, and Mississippi history. Highlights include the outdoor Literacy Garden, featuring sculptures, interactive tech, and native plants. The museum hosts over two dozen major events throughout the year, so be sure to check their calendar before you come.
Located in the heart of Jackson, Mynelle Gardens Arboretum and Botanical Center features seven acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with shaded trails bounded by plants and flowers, including azaleas, camellias, daylilies, and other Southern favorites. The garden’s trails cross over an idyllic bridge and past bronze sculptures, with several sitting areas for admiring the view.
Stretching from Natchez to Nashville, the Natchez Trace Parkway is the crown jewel of Mississippi’s bike-friendly roadways. The 444-mile recreational road is managed by the National Park Service and is truly unlike any other scenic route in the country, thanks to its historic sites and numerous markers that tell the story of the Trace’s 10,000-year history.
Just a short drive from Jackson, at milepost 122 on the Natchez Trace, you’ll find the Cypress Swamp loop trail. The boardwalk trail passes through a half mile of cypress swamp wetlands shadowed by a canopy of bald cypress and water tupelo trees. The swamp is a trailhead for two longer trails – you can hike 14 miles south to the West Florida Boundary or nine miles north to the Yockanookany Trailhead.
Located in Central Mississippi, just northeast of Jackson, the Ross Barnett Reservoir (or “Rez” as it is often called) is a 33,000-acre reservoir that offers twenty-two boat ramp launches and numerous recreation opportunities. Bass, crappie, bream, and catfish are the most common catches. Once you’ve hit your catch limit, you’ll find some of Mississippi’s best restaurants and shops nearby.
LeFleur’s Bluff State Park in Jackson offers a peaceful natural retreat in the heart of the city, with scenic trails, fishing spots, and access to the Pearl River. The park is also home to the LeFleur’s Bluff Playground, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and the Mississippi Children’s Museum, making it a popular destination for families, nature lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
The Mississippi Museum of Art, located in downtown Jackson, is the state’s largest art museum, showcasing a diverse collection of over 5,000 works, including pieces by American, Mississippi, and British artists. Visitors can explore rotating exhibitions, participate in educational programs, and enjoy the Art Garden—a vibrant outdoor space featuring sculptures, water features, native plants, and seasonal events.
The Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail is a 10-mile paved path that runs through historic Choctaw homelands. Chisha Foka, which was the original name of the Choctaw territory, means “among the post oaks” in the Choctaw language. The trail system travels through Natchez Trace woodlands and features scenic overlooks of the Barnett Reservoir, historic sites, and interpretive markers.
The Refuge Golf Course in Flowood is a beautifully redesigned public golf course nestled in 200 acres of wetlands just outside Jackson. Following a major renovation, the course reopened in 2021 to feature stunning views, top-tier conditions, and a layout suited for all skill levels. It’s conveniently located at the Refuge Hotel & Conference Center for the ultimate stay-and-play experience.
The Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum offers a fascinating look at the state’s rural heritage through immersive exhibits, historic buildings, and interactive displays. Visitors can explore a recreated small-town Main Street, see antique farm equipment, and learn about the vital role agriculture and forestry have played in shaping Mississippi’s economy, culture, and way of life.
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum offers a powerful, immersive journey through the state’s role in the national civil rights movement from 1945 to 1970. Through dynamic exhibits, personal stories, and historic artifacts, the museum highlights the struggle for freedom and equality, honoring the courage of those who fought for justice and helping visitors understand the movement’s lasting impact.
Next door to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Museum of Mississippi History explores 15,000 years of state history through engaging exhibits, rare artifacts, and personal stories. From Native American cultures to the Civil War, the Civil Rights era and beyond, the museum offers a comprehensive look at the events and people that shaped Mississippi, inviting visitors to connect with the past in meaningful ways.
The Vicksburg National Military Park preserves battlefields, trenches and trails commemorating the siege and battle of Vicksburg, a major turning point in the American Civil War during 1863. In addition to the park’s nearly 1400 memorials, monuments and markers spread across 1,800 acres, visitors can view the USS Cairo, one of only Union ironclad gunboats still in existence.
Eudora Welty lived nearly 80 years at a Tudor Revival home in Jackson’s Belhaven neighborhood that was built by her parents in 1925. Today, visitors to the Eudora Welty House & Garden can take a guided tour of the home museum and wander through Welty’s beautifully landscaped gardens. A permanent exhibit based on her memoir, One Writer’s Beginnings, traces Welty’s path to becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
Lou’s Full-Serv is located in the Township at Colony Park district of Ridgeland, a thriving dining, shopping, and business center of the city. The restaurant, which is owned by Chef Louis LaRose, features a southern-inspired menu and a casual, vintage atmosphere. All food is prepared in-house daily, utilizing items from local purveyors and seasonal ingredients.
Elvie’s offers a cozy, upscale dining experience in the heart of Jackson’s historic Belhaven neighborhood. The restaurant, which was named after chef and owner Hunter Evans’ grandmother, features a New Orleans-inspired menu with an emphasis on fresh ingredients sourced, whenever possible, from local farms. Elvie’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are recommended.
Jutamas was founded in 2009 by Thailand native Bordean “Dean” Pienpermpat and his longtime friend Nitchamol “Kitty” Rice. Together, they have built a reputation for flavorful Thai cuisine prepared from scratch with an artistic flair, reflecting the attention to detail that Dean learned while working at Manhattan’s famed Essex House under the tutelage of world-renowned chefs.
Jackson’s Big Apple Inn traces its roots back to Mexican immigrant Juan Mora, who first sold tamales out of a cart in 1939. The tamale tradition continues today (plus their famous pig ear and “red hot” sandwiches) with Juan’s great-grandson Geno Lee. During the Civil Rights era, the Big Apple’s Farish Street location was frequented by historic figures, including Medgar Evers, whose office was above the restaurant, and Fannie Lou Hamer.
A staple of the culinary scene in Jackson’s fun and funky Fondren district, the Pig & Pint is known for its award-winning slow-smoked pork, brisket, and creative barbecue dishes like pork belly tacos and BBQ nachos. With a rotating selection of regional craft beers and a laid-back vibe, it’s a must-visit after exploring the neighborhood.
Hal & Mal’s is a popular downtown Jackson restaurant and nightclub. But it’s much more than that. For nearly 40 years, the Jackson institution has hosted some of the biggest names in Mississippi music, including music legends such as Willie Dixon, B.B. King, Ike Turner, and Albert King. In 2024, Hal & Mal’s introduced The Walk-in, a new restaurant and cocktail bar inside their building.
The Apothecary, located in Jackson’s trendy Fondren district, has been named one of “The South’s Best Bars” by Southern Living and one of “America’s 50 Best Bars” by Esquire. Look for The Apothecary in a hidden room behind Brent’s Drugs (which is no longer a drug store but a fun 50s-style restaurant). The bar’s vintage “speakeasy” feel, intimate setting, and signature drinks are just what the doctor ordered.
Fondren Public is a popular hangout among youngish (21+) Jacksonians, and for good reason. The pub offers 24 beers on tap, including several made by Mississippi breweries, such as Southern Prohibition and Lazy Magnolia, and cocktails made with spirits from Mississippi’s own Cathead Distillery. The bar has a shuffleboard table and, on their spacious outdoor patio, a few bocce ball courts.
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