Mississippi

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).

Hunter Evans remembers running around with his brothers when they visited their grandmother Elvieretta in New Orleans. The Jackson, Mississippi, native can still see the fresh shrimp in the sink and smell the spicy aromas of her homemade stuffed artichokes.

Named for the Natchez tribe of Indigenous Americans, Natchez is a perfect destination for foodies, history buffs, and nature lovers alike.

Dockery Farms, just east of Cleveland, Mississippi, is regarded as the birthplace of the blues. In the late 1800s, Will Dockery bought the former swampland to farm timber; later, he had it drained and...

I’m not a big crier, but I feel two fat tears threatening to spill down my cheeks as an eight-piece band performs “What a Wonderful World.” I’m sitting in a darkened theater aboard the inaugural voyage of the American Countess, a luxurious new paddle wheeler cruising the Mississippi.

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.

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.

When people speak of Jackson, Mississippi, the conversation often turns to the past—the complicated civil rights history that has both shamed and shaped the city. But increasingly, they also talk about momentum.

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.

Award-winning potter Matt Long is a professor of art at the University of Mississippi and presents ceramics workshops internationally. His functional pieces have appeared in publications such as Ceramics Monthly.