MISSISSIPPI: THE MAGNOLIA STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
People
in general consider traveling
as their personal interests. Traveling
can quickly became an interests simply because it is such an enjoyable
experience. When you travel around the world and you will see a variety of
different cultures and people. There
are two things to remember while traveling. The first thing is to be
open-minded about people and their culture. The second thing and the most
important, is to respect other cultures no matter how different. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!
Mississippi serves up a veritable feast of hearty food, outdoor
adventure and fascinating history. Running deep like the Mississippi River, the
state's narrative has been shaped by American Indians, European traders and
pioneer settlers, whose tales of triumph and toil litter the Natchez Trace
Parkway, a fascinating heritage route between Natchez and Nashville.
Vicksburg also delivers a huge slice of history. A key battle
ground during the American Civil War (1861-1865), the conflict is commemorated
with memorials and monuments at the Vicksburg National Military Park.
Meanwhile, the Mississippi Freedom Trail pays poignant tribute to the racial
strife that erupted here during the 1960s, when the state was a major player in
the Civil Rights movement.
The architecture is no less dramatic. From 19th-century antebellum
plantations to the eccentric Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, the state abounds with
eye-catching design. But nothing beats Mississippi's stunning landscapes, which
have inspired a wealth of artistic talent, from William Faulkner and Eudora
Welty to Elvis Presley and BB King. The arts scene still thrives, with indie
film festivals, honky tonks and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors lending the
state a creative vibe.
Outdoor enthusiasts are well catered for in Mississippi: its balmy
climate and vast wilderness are ripe for adventure. Bike a section of the
4,800km (3,000-mile) Mississippi River Trail, which scythes through 10 states,
cycle through the Appalachian foothills on the Tanglefoot Trail, or set up camp
in one of the state's six national forests.
Mississippi's culinary offerings also deserve exploration. State specialties
range from fresh-from-the-Gulf shrimp and Delta hot tamales to super-sweet
slices of Mississippi mud pie. You'll want seconds – and we're not just talking
about the food.
Travel
to Mississippi
Getting There By Rail
Two Amtrak (tel: 1
800 872 7245, in the USA only; www.amtrak.com)
lines traverse Mississippi: the 'City of New Orleans' passes through Jackson on
its way north to Chicago, and the 'Crescent' cuts through the southeast corner
of the state (stopping at Meridian, Laurel, Hattiesburg and Picayune) on its
way from New Orleans to Atlanta, Washington, DC and New York City.
Approximate rail journey times:
From Jackson to New Orleans is 4 hours 30 minutes, to Memphis is 4 hours 30 minutes, and to Chicago is 10 hours 25 minutes.
Approximate rail journey times:
From Jackson to New Orleans is 4 hours 30 minutes, to Memphis is 4 hours 30 minutes, and to Chicago is 10 hours 25 minutes.
Cruise Ships
The Delta Queen Steamboat
Company (tel: 1 800 543 1949, in the USA only; www.deltaqueensteamboat.com),
runs scheduled paddlewheel cruises up and down the Mississippi River, stopping
at several Mississippi cities, and travelling as far upriver as Minneapolis/St
Paul. A similar journey is available on a European-style hotel barge operated
by RiverBarge Excursion Lines (tel: 1 888 456 2206, in the USA only; www.riverbarge.com).
Things
to see and do in Mississippi
Cruise down Mississippi
River
Join a Mississippi
riverboat (www.mississippirivercruises.com) for a cruise down
Ole Man River. Paddle-wheel steamboats take travelers on an historic journey
down the Mississippi River through the Old South.
Delta Blues Museum
Sample Mississippi's vibrant
blues tradition at the Delta Blues Museum (www.deltabluesmuseum.org)
in Clarksdale.
Discover Natchez
The oldest civilized
settlement on the Mississippi River, Natchez (www.visitnatchez.com)
was spared major destruction in the Civil War. Today, over 500 historic
buildings and antebellum mansions still stand providing a wonderful glimpse of
pre-war life in the Deep South. Stay in an historic bed & breakfast, then
explore Natchez-under-the-Hill, with its shops and famous dockside gaming.
Explore
Vicksburg National Military Park
The park (www.nps.gov/vick)
is where some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War took place. Here, on 4
July 1863, the Union victory helped the Yankees gain control of the Mississippi
River. Living history demonstrations and battle re-enactments every summer
provide a fascinating insight into this dramatic period.
Explore the
All-American Rose Garden
Enjoy the famous
All-American Rose Garden in Hattiesburg (www.hattiesburg.org),
which features 740 patented bushes.
Explore the Tupelo Buffalo
Park
Explore the Tupelo Buffalo
Park, featuring a herd of buffalo that can be viewed from aboard the Monster
Bison Bus.
Follow
the Deep South Antique & Wine Trail
Make Natchez your starting
point for the Deep South Antique & Wine Trail (www.deepsouthantiqueandwinetrail.com), which is a
co-operative endeavor between the states of Mississippi and Louisiana and
covers 322km (200 miles) and six counties, with over 100 antique shops en
route.
Highway 61 Blues Museum
Enjoy the haunting sounds
of blues music at the Highway 61 Blues Museum (www.highway61blues.com)
in downtown Leland.
Jackson's history museums
Explore the Old Capitol
Historical Museum, containing exhibits chronicling the Civil Rights Movement,
while the Smith Robertson Museum houses displays on African-American
Mississippian history and heritage.
Leland
Take the family to Leland (www.lelandms.org),
where Kermit the Frog was born. See the Birthplace of the Frog exhibition where
the childhood of Jim Henson, creator of the Sesame Street and Muppets characters, can be remembered.
Natchez Trace Parkway
Travel the historic Natchez
Trace Parkway (www.nps.gov/natr) that winds 640km (400 miles)
southwest from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi. Free of billboard
advertising and commercial traffic, and with a speed limit of 80kph (50mph),
the parkway provides a scenic introduction to the delights of Mississippi and
leads visitors down paths once trekked by buffalo, Native Americans and
frontiersmen.
Natchez
Join the spring or fall
pilgrimages in Natchez (www.natchezms.com), touring some of the area's 500
remaining antebellum mansions. Walk through Longwood, the largest octagonal
house in America, nestled among huge oaks hung with dripping Spanish moss.
Tour the
Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center
The Corinth Civil War
Interpretive Center (www.nps.gov/shil/historyculture/corinth.htm)
chronicles the Battle of Corinth and its significance in Civil War history.
Tupelo
Visit Tupelo, best known
for its native son, Elvis Presley. Visitors can stop at Elvis Presley's
Birthplace (www.elvispresleybirthplace.com), the humble
two-room house where 'the King' was born, and the adjacent museum which
contains rare photos, memorabilia and a statue of Elvis aged 13.
Visit Oxford
Oxford is the picturesque
town captured forever in the writings of William Faulkner. Rowan Oak,
Faulkner's house, can be visited today and remains much as the literary giant
left it, with the outline of his novel, A Fable, scrawled on his study wall.
Walter Anderson
Museum of Art
Visit the Walter Anderson
Museum of Art (www.walterandersonmuseum.org) in Ocean Springs, on
Mississippi's Gulf Coast. Anderson's art reflects coastal life and the amazing
variety of birds that migrate along this Mississippi Flyway.
REFERENCE SITES:
That Mississippi sound, that
Delta sound is in them old records. You can hear it all the way through. Muddy
Waters
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