Deborah and I are pleased to welcome you to Mississippi!

While you are reviewing this Official Mississippi Tour Guide, you are sure to find many events, attractions and places you will want to experience when you visit our state. This guide will help you plan your trip here so you can Find Your True South.

Mississippi is truly unique. The only way to fully explore our state is to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and flavors that make Mississippi the authentic experience for every visitor.

Our historical sites include some of the most diverse and interesting locations in the United States. Discover more about Mississippi’s past at Civil War battlefields and antebellum homes. Learn about our heritage from Native American, African-American and civil rights experiences all across the state.

Outdoor adventures include an array of activities and opportunities for hunting, fishing, golf, camping, beaches, waters sports and pure relaxation in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. Cultural pleasures from fine arts and literary interests to local artists and craftsmen are showcased throughout the state.

As the birthplace of America’s music, you can feel the rhythm that brought about blues, country and rock and roll—all of which started right here in Mississippi. One of the best ways to understand Mississippi’s musical significance in the world is by exploring our Blues Trail and Country Music Trail.

Celebrate our delicious culinary offerings with restaurants, chefs, cooking schools and specialty food items. Mississippi is home to some of the best food in the nation, so make plans to sample local favorites such as catfish, tamales, barbecue, fresh vegetables and local seafood.

Hotels, resorts, and bed and breakfast accommodations are available statewide with lots of choices for any budget. Non-stop entertainment, festivals, fairs, fantastic shopping and a wide variety of other events all year long make Mississippi the perfect destination any time of the year.

Enjoy this Mississippi Tour Guide, and be sure to also frequently check out www.VisitMississippi.org for the most up-to-date information about new and exciting things happening here.

On behalf of the people of Mississippi, we are honored you are planning to visit our state, and we know you will make many new friends and long-lasting memories on your trip here. We are looking forward to seeing you soon in Mississippi.

Sincerely, Governor Phil Bryant

The Mississippi Tourism Association gratefully acknowledges the cooperation and support of this project by the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division. Some photographs in this guide were provided by Frontier Strategies, Leading Edges Advertising, the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division, other state agencies, and the various convention and visitors bureaus in Mississippi. Additional photography provided by Ken Murphy, Karen Lingo, Michael Clemmer, Michael Klemme and the Vicksburg National Military Park/National Park Service. Mississippi Children’s Museum photo courtesy of Mississippi Children’s Museum. B.B. King photos courtesy of Tom Joynt, the B.B. King Museum and B.B. King Road Shows. Bellissimo Spa photos courtesy of Harrah's-Horseshoe-Tunica Roadhouse, Caesars Entertainment. IP photos courtesy of IP Casino Resort Spa. Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel & Spa photo courtesy of Caesars Entertainment. MSU Riley Center photo courtesy of Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education & Performing Arts. Silver Star, Golden Moon and Bok Homa photos courtesy of Pearl River Resort. Ginkgo tree photo, Oxford, Mississippi, photo courtesy of Ken Murphy. Cover: Photographer Ken Murphy; special thank you to Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau, Great Mississippi River Balloon Race pilots and Mississippi State Society Daughters of the American Revolution for Rosalie Mansion balloon launch site. For additional information, call MDA/Tourism Division at 1.866.733.6477 or visit its Web site at VisitMississippi.org. The Mississippi Tour Guide is published by the Mississippi Tourism Association. All information in city listings and advertising is provided by the local communities and advertisers. MTA cannot guarantee the advertising information listed herein. Before leaving for any special event or attraction listed in this publication, call the phone number given to confirm date and details. Mississippi Tourism Association, Post Office Box 2745, Madison, MS 39130, www.mstourism.com.

©2012, Mississippi Tourism Association

Let Us Be Your Guide

Finding the best of Mississippi is like a treasure hunt, and this 2012 Tour Guide is your map. Follow it and discover a rich tapestry of food, music, history and nature’s bounty. Begin anywhere, head in any direction. Follow highways that run wide and true up, down and across the state. Take U.S. 61, the “Blues Highway,” to lively casino resorts in Tunica, to blues clubs in Clarksdale and past Blues Trail markers in places such as Cleveland, Leland, Greenville, Rolling Fork and Vicksburg. Turn east on U.S. 82 to the fabulous B.B. King Museum in Indianola, and to Greenwood, where movie scenes from The Help were filmed. When you reach Starkville, turn north on State 389 toward the Sparta Opry, with homegrown music that happens every Friday night. Travel U.S. 45 from the Civil War town of Corinth south to Tupelo, birthplace of Elvis Presley, then on to Meridian, Jimmie Rodgers’ hometown. Follow the Natchez Trace out of antebellum Natchez and U.S. 90 as it glides past the Gulf of Mexico, casino resorts and some of the state’s best seafood restaurants. Take the byways, too, and discover even more gems to add to your Mississippi vacation chest.

VisitMississippi.org » 1.866.SEE MISS (733.6477)

Let Us Be Your Guide