Mississippi

It’s Thursday evening, and the Downtown Fondren Historic District in Jackson is electric. North State Street, the area’s main thoroughfare, glows with boutiques, galleries, and some thirty neighborhood restaurants—the heaviest concentration of eateries in...

Named after the university town of Oxford, England, this north-central Mississippi town was founded in 1837 by three men who wanted to establish a site for the state’s first higher-learning institution. Now, more than 175 years later, Oxford is home to the University of Mississippi (colloquially known as Ole Miss), as well as a rich cultural and literary history.

Since Southbound debuted in 2013, our staff and contributors have logged thousands of miles, consumed millions of calories, and taken countless notes and photos to showcase the very best destinations around the region. Although every place we’ve covered is special, some left a particularly powerful impression. Here, we give you the best of the very best, our favorite spots in the South.

As much as we love the South's quintessential clapboard churches and stately mansions, our appreciation of Southern architecture extends beyond the classics. We‘ve combed the region for noteworthy structures, from historical masterpieces like Thomas Jefferson‘s Palladian Monticello to modern marvels like the breezy, zero-energy McDonald‘s Florida flagship (yes, McDonald’s).

“I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers.” Among the most memorable lines penned by Southern playwright Tennessee Williams, it also expresses the reception visitors may expect when touring his birthplace of Columbus, Mississippi.

Author Anton DiSclafani’s trip to Mississippi revives her flagging spirits.

Before 2017, Laurel, Mississippi, was rarely, if ever, on the minds of people who didn’t live there. It certainly didn’t attract travelers from around the world. But thanks to Ben and Erin Napier, stars of HGTV’s Home Town, it is now a popular destination.

The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist shares why the king is still magic.

Check in at one of these full-service establishments, among the most storied in the Gulf, from the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi to the legendary Loews Don CeSar (aka: the Pink Palace).

I first visited Ship Island as a child with my family, taking the hour-long ferry out of Gulfport. It is the only barrier island off the coast of Mississippi with ferry access, the only one you can get to if you don’t have your own boat.