Malra SolfiMississippi, know also as “The Magnolia State” and “The Hospitality State”, offers some of the most beautiful and spectacular sights and places to visit! Just browse through these awesome pictures and be amazed by it’s beauty. Ps: Did you know the world’s largest shrimp is on display at the Old Spanish Fort Museum in Pascagoula?
1. Windsor Ruins
Source: karenfoleyphotography / shutterstock
The Windsor Ruins are well and truly off the beaten track, giving visitors a private window into the centuries gone by quite unlike other tourist attractions. Surrounded by natural beauty and a breath-taking scenery, it’s easy to forget the Windsor Ruin’s past of slavery, war, and disaster.
Built between 1859 and 1861 by a wealthy plantation owner, Smith Coffee Daniel II, was a four-story Greek Revival mansion overlooking the Mississippi River. Destroyed by a fire on 1890, all that remains of the grand mansion are the beautiful Greek columns and a deathly serenity—a haunting reminder of what once was.
2. Doyle Arm, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge
Source: Gary Rolband / shutterstock
The Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge is home to not only a wide variety of Mississippi’s native wildlife but some stunning natural beauty, too. As a feeding area for migratory species, the boardwalk at Doyle Arm offers some spectacular bird watching year-round—and for the more adventurous explorer, the opportunity to see Alligators in their natural habitat is something not to be missed.
Doyle Arm has something for everyone, offering breathtaking scenery, a host of animal-spotting opportunities, and room for quiet contemplation. The best time to visit is the fall when the leaves have begun to change and the water glistens an orange-brown hue.
3. Cypress Swamp
Source: Jerry Whaley / shutterstock
While away a few hours in the tranquility of Cypress Swamp, inside the Natchez Trace Parkway National Park. Bask in the natural beauty that you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere and take in the excitement of seeing Mississippi’s wildlife at play. Whether walking, driving, or cycling, you’ll find lots to do and see when you visit the Cypress Swamp and its surrounding area.
4. Dunn’s Falls
Source: JMcQ / shutterstock
Dunn’s Falls, named after their creator—John Dunn, an Irish immigrant—came to be in the mid-1850s. Hidden among the rugged landscape around the Chunky River, the stream provides a natural source of power via a working water wheel, before crashing seventy feet into the river below.
Whether you are looking to take part in activities such as fishing, canoeing, and swimming, or simply wish to see the marvel of nineteenth-century engineering, this quiet landmark offers something for everyone.
5. Friendship Cemetery
Source: Leigh T. Harrell / Wikimedia
Formerly known as Odd Fellows Cemetery, the Friendship Cemetery in Columbus fills visitors with conflicted emotions. While appreciating the natural beauty of this historic resting place, it’d be easy to forget that thousands of unknown soldiers, federal and confederate, are buried here—were it not for the graves that stretch as far as the eye can see.
However, many graves have been reclaimed by Mother Nature herself, with Southern Magnolias decorating otherwise grim reminders of the bloody civil war that raged on in the surrounding areas in the not too distant past; Friendship Cemetery is a real testament to the continuous beauty of the natural world.
6. Stanton Hall in Natchez
Source: Bennekom / shutterstock
Irish immigrant and successful cotton merchant, Frederick Stanton, began the construction of his dream home in 1857. The house covered the area of a city block and was decorated with the finest marble from New York and grand mirrors imported from France. Stanton Hall has seen a vast and varied history: with its namesake dying only months after it was completed, the hall housed Union troops throughout the Civil War.
In 1894, Stanton Hall was transformed into a Ladies College and remained that way until 1938, when it was bought and restored to its former glory by the Pilgrimage Garden Club. Nowadays, daily 30-minute tours of the home are given, providing a unique insight into the history of this beautiful mansion. Whether you love architecture or history, Stanton Hall provides an excellent day out—and food lovers will delight in the nearby Carriage House Restaurant!
7. Biloxi
Source: Sean Pavone / shutterstock
You’d be forgiven for thinking that New Orleans was the birthplace of Mardi Gras. However, that honor actually resides with Biloxi! Known as the “playground of the south,” Biloxi has a host of activities, landmarks, and cultures to suit all tastes. Thanks to its prime position on the Mississippi Gulf, wherever you are in Biloxi, you’re always near to beautiful coastline and pristine beaches.
With casinos and nightclubs for party-goers, mini-golf and amusement parks for children, and everything in between, it’s no wonder that Biloxi is such a popular seaside getaway!
8. Mississippi State Capitol
Source: Katherine Welles / shutterstock
The third State Capitol building to be built in Jackson, Mississippi, this signature landmark was completed in 1903 and cost over one million dollars to build! After undergoing a renovation between 1979 and 1983, the Capitol building still retains its original architectural design and feel, as was the intention throughout the restoration project.
Listed on the National Register of Historical Places and located at 400 High Street, Jackson, the Mississippi State Capitol building is well worth a visit thanks to its beautiful Beaux Arts flair. It is hard to decide what is more impressive, the exterior façade, with its 180-foot dome; or the brightly lit interior with its replica liberty bell, and multitudes of scenes from US history. With free-of-charge daily tours on a daily basis, and group reservations available upon request, the Mississippi State Capitol is not to be missed!
9. Fillmore Street Chapel, Corinth
Source: Nyttend / Wikimedia
Located 90 miles or so from Memphis, the Fillmore Street Chapel is Corinth’s oldest place of worship. It was completed in 1871 and at one time served as a Presbyterian Church. From the outside, you’ll be amazed by awe-inspiring steeples and arched windows that act as mirrors reflecting Corinth’s scenery.
Currently, Fillmore Street Chapel is maintained by the First United Methodist Church and its history and landmark status make it a popular venue for weddings, baptisms, and more. Whether you’re religiously inclined or not, Fillmore Street Chapel is well worth a visit, merely to see a beautiful historical landmark that is currently making history for people every year.
10. Ship Island
Source: SeanRhinoPhotography / shutterstock
Once a single island, 1969’s hurricane split the land mass in two. Located some eleven miles south of Gulfport and Biloxi are some of Mississippi’s most magnificent beaches. Accessible by a 50-minute ferry ride on which you’ll see Bottlenose Dolphins at play, Ship Island is definitely the place to be for sun seekers and marine-life lovers alike.
Ship Island offers affordable fun for families and individuals alike. Administered by the National Park Service, there’s loads to do across miles of tranquil beach and warm, gentle shoreline. If you’re a fan of history, you’ll be more than pleased to know that Ship Island played a vital role in the settlement up and down the gulf coast—its deep water anchorage providing French settlers with its name, which still stands to this day.
11. Bluff Lake, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge
Source: Eric Fortney / shutterstock
The beauty of nature and the tranquility of solitude combine at Bluff Lake to create memories that will last a lifetime. Bird watchers will appreciate the vast number of species on offer—included the endangered Red Cockaded Woodpecker. Meanwhile, fishermen will appreciate the quality of the sport available, and nature lovers will fall in love with just about everything on offer.
Visiting Bluff Lake during the fall is truly magical: the crunching of leaves underfoot as you adore the orange and yellow and brown that envelopes you into a trance-like peaceful state is something that you’ll never quite get over.
12. The Biloxi Lighthouse
Source: Sean Pavone / shutterstock
Construction of the Biloxi Lighthouse was completed in 1848, making it one of the very first cast-iron lighthouses in the southern states. It is central to Biloxi’s image and has, since Katrina, become an iconic tribute to the city’s strength and resolve. Biloxi Lighthouse has a rather symbolic meaning for females in the area, thanks to its rather unique renown for having female lighthouse keepers, right up until the Coast Guard took on the lighthouse in 1939.
Despite Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge battering a third of the lighthouse’s 64-foot tall stature, it stood firm, and the City of Biloxi re-opened it for tours in 2010, after an almost half-million dollar renovation. Whether you’re visiting Biloxi for its nightlife or culture, you’ll definitely want to visit this living tribute to the city’s triumph over Katrina’s destructive force.
13. Vicksburg National Military Park
Source: karenfoleyphotography / shutterstock
The battle of Vicksburg was pivotal to the American Civil War—it included a 47-day siege which gave way to the surrender of the city, which gave the Union complete control of the Mississippi River. Vicksburg National Military Park is run by the National Park Service in commemoration of this vital point in United States history, and to the lives of the soldiers that gave their lives throughout the campaign.
Whether you’re a history lover or not, it’s impossible not to appreciate this national treasure. Over 1,300 historical monuments and markers are within the park’s bounds, as well as the melancholic Vicksburg National Cemetery—the resting place of over 18,000 people, of which two-thirds are unidentified. Over 500,000 visitors attend this haunting tribute to the battle of Vicksburg and the soldiers that gave their lives during; whether you wish to learn more about the civil war, or just pay your respects, Vicksburg National Military Park is a prime place to do either.
14. Tishomingo State Park
Source: Fredlyfish4 / shutterstock
Rich in history and a breath-taking sight to boot, Tishomingo State Park takes its name from Chief Tishomingo, the leader of the Chickasaw nation. Archeological surveys have indicated that Paleo-Indians were active within the Park’s boundaries as far back as 7,000 B.C—and if that’s not enough to get you interested, the natural beauty and the array of activities on offer surely will!
Dissected by the Natchez Trace Parkway, the Tishomingo State Park is a landscape of the likes you’ll only find in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains—imposing ferns scatter the ground, moss-covered boulders rise from their earthy domain, and colorful wildflowers add majesty to the harsh terrain.
15. Clark Creek Nature Area, Woodville
Source: Roberto Michel / shutterstock
Totaling over 700 acres and scattered with over 50 waterfalls, some of which stand over 30-feet tall, Clark Creek is a paradise for all naturists, hikers, cyclists, and outdoors lovers in general. Though the majority of the park is made up of large beech and magnolia trees, this hardwood forest also has some of the United States’ rarest flora on offer—all of which is clearly marked, helping visitors to stay out of trouble!
Clark Creek Nature Area is a popular and beautiful state park, but do not be fooled: the terrain is tough going and it is highly recommended that you take the correct equipment!
16. Elvis Presley Birthplace Park
Source: Gordon Ball LRPS / shutterstock
In 1935, few people local to Tupelo would have guessed that this area would become known as the birthplace of the King of Rock n’ Roll. Of course, Elvis Presley’s name and legacy will live on forever; and thanks to Elvis Presley Birthplace Park, so too will his birthplace.
A couple of hours from Memphis, this museum is home to the place where the future music legend was born and has various personal effects on display for guests to view. If you’re a fan of Elvis, or even if you’re not, this small but impressive monument to the birth of one of the most iconic names in musical history is well worth a visit!
17. Noxubee Refuge
Source: Kara’s Photography / shutterstock
Established in 1940, Noxubee Wildlife Refuge set out to repair the damage done by generations of intensive farming and grazing and provide habitat protection for species that direly needed it. This vast and beautiful refuge, covering three counties, has been a great success—it is now home to both wildlife and forests that were on the brink of destruction at the turn of the twentieth century.
The landscape will take your breath away. The selection of wildlife—both native and migratory—on offer, is as impressive as you’ll find anywhere else in Mississippi. The Noxubee Refuge sees 150,000 visitors a year, and just by looking at it, it is easy to see why!
[…] with the source at Lake Itasca a popular tourist attraction in its own right. St. Paul’s Mississippi River Visitor Center is a great place to go to learn more about the river’s […]
[…] the Driftless Region, Perrot State Park is at the scenic place where the Trempealeau River flows into the Mississippi. Here you can check out some of the finest views of the Mississippi to be had […]
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.