Travel Mississippi 15 Best Things To Do In Vicksburg, Mississippi A blend of history, art, dining, and the great outdoors makes Vicksburg, Mississippi ideal for your next trip. By Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay is the Senior Travel and Culture Editor for Southern Living. A writer and editor with nearly 10 years of experience in producing lifestyle content for local, regional, and national publications, she joined the Southern Living team in 2021. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 6, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article What To Do Where To Eat Where To Stay Set on the Mississippi River, 45 minutes west of Jackson, Vicksburg is full of surprises. For a town of only around 20,000 people, the riverside community presents a big personality and offers plenty to do. From visiting historic sites and museums to the arts and the outdoors, a weekend spent in Vicksburg can be as busy or relaxed as you prefer. Stroll through the brick-paved downtown for shopping and dining at local restaurants, or spend a day canoeing on the Mighty Mississippi. No matter your speed, the “Key to the South” (as dubbed by President Abraham Lincoln) will find a way to deliver. Built up by French colonists in 1719, Vicksburg has a long history that it isn’t shy about sharing. The town hosts six different museums all within a one-mile radius of each other. These institutions give insight into everything from transportation (Old Depot Museum) to the Mississippi River (Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum) to general information on Vicksburg (Old Court House Museum and Catfish Row Museum). According to Vicksburg's visitor's bureau, you should plan your visit in the fall, for plenty of citywide festivals, or in late winter to enjoy mild weather and the summer rainy season. Here’s how to spend a weekend in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Our Favorite Towns to Visit in Mississippi Courtesy of Visit Vicksburg The Best Things To Do In Vicksburg, Mississippi Catch Up On Civil War History The Siege of Vicksburg in 1863 played a major role in the outcome of the Civil War. Learn more about the battle at various museums and historical sites around town. The Vicksburg Civil War Museum walks visitors through Black history during the Civil War, including life in the 1800s and the Black soldiers who fought. For more history, head to the Vicksburg National Military Park. On the site of the siege, the park has monuments to various soldiers and burial grounds, like the Vicksburg National Cemetery. The park will do demonstrations, give tours to various groups, and has informational films about the battle. Onsite, is the USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum, which focuses on the naval history of the Civil War, like this Union ship, which was sunk in 1862 and later pulled out of the Yazoo River in 1964. vicksburgcivilwarmuseum.org, 1123 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 nps.gov, 3201 Clay St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Learn About Coca-Cola Where It Was First Bottled Depending on your drink of choice, visit the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum. The museum shares the iconic brand’s history in the place where the drink was first bottled. There are exhibits, plenty of memorabilia, and a candy store that sells souvenirs, fountain drinks, coke floats, and more. biedenharncoca-colamuseum.com, 1107 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Courtesy of Visit Vicksburg Take A Tour If you’re looking for another way to stretch your legs, the town hosts several self-guided walking tours. Take a Heritage Walking Tour, which brings visitors past 35 different markers of local sites and history. Or, visit six different markers on the Mississippi Blues Trail, which maps the origins of the Blues music genre throughout the Mississippi Delta. msbluestrail.org, 602 Clay St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Walk Through Some Old Houses Vicksburg also has 12 historic houses that are open for visitors to tour and peer into life from the past. The homes represent residential architecture dating back to the 1700s. Many of these homes have been repurposed to new roles—Anchuca, for example, is now a bed-and-breakfast. While you can't stay over at the McRaven house, it is considered the most haunted home in Mississippi, offering ghost tours for brave visitors anchuca.com, 1010 First East St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 mcraventourhome.com, 1445 Harrison St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Shop And Stroll Spend time moseying around downtown Vicksburg and be sure to go extra slow around Washington Street, a charming brick-paved stretch that’s home to local boutiques, art galleries, antique stores, and restaurants. Art lovers should be sure to check out The Attic Gallery and H.C. Porter Gallery. atticgalleryvicksburg.com, 1101 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 hcporter.com, 1216 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Courtesy of Visit Vicksburg Get On The Water When you’re ready to take your waterfront adventures a step further, book a catfishing charter with Blue Cat Guide Services or a guided canoe or kayak tour with Quapaw Canoe Company. bluecatguideservice.com, Vicksburg Boat Ramp, Clay Street, Vicksburg, MS 39183 www.island63.com, 1250 Levee St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Go On A Mural Scavenger Hunt Of course, you can’t visit Vicksburg without getting up close and personal with the Mississippi River. Head to the riverwalk to find beauty surrounding you on all sides from both the river and a flood wall covered in murals depicting different periods of history in Vicksburg. riverfrontmurals.com, 1201-1299 Levee St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Place A Bet At A Local Casino Vicksburg has several casinos for locals and visitors to test their luck. And if you’re hoping for river views with a side of entertainment, hop aboard the Ameristar, a 70,000-square-foot riverboat and casino parked permanently on the water. ameristarvicksburg.com, 4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Courtesy of Visit Vicksburg The Best Places To Eat In Vicksburg, Mississippi Enjoy Southern Comfort Classics Vicksburg wears its Southern badge proudly, and nowhere is it more obvious than in their dining options. For a dining experience that feels like a late summer dinner on your grandma’s back porch, head to The Tomato Place. What started as a side-of-the-road fruit stand is now a beloved café specializing in comfort food ranging from po’boys and fried catfish to grits and pork skins. There’s also a healthy list of tomato sandwiches, of which we recommend the Fried Green Tomato BLT. thetomatoplace.com, 3229 Hwy. 61 S., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Taste NOLA In Mississippi Another great lunch spot is Main Street Market Cafe, owned by Sally Bullard, a Vicksburg native and her husband, Chris, who is a New Orleans transplant. Order a gourmet sandwich or one of Chef Chris’s New Orleans specialties like chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. mainstreetmarketcafe.com, 902 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Courtesy of Visit Vicksburg. Kick Back With River Views For dinner, check out 10 South Rooftop Bar & Grill, the only rooftop restaurant in the state that overlooks the Mississippi River. Enjoy a plate of poutine or dirty rice fritters as an appetizer, and get the 16-ounce whiskey rib-eye for your main meal. 10southrooftop.com, 1301 Washington St. Floor 10, Vicksburg, MS 39180 Dine In History At Walnut Hills Restaurant, you’ll find a quintessential Southern dining experience inside a stately 1880 house with an expansive front porch and impressive columns. Order the famous Walnut Hills Fried Chicken, and save room for a slice of customer-favorite Cream of Coconut Pie. walnuthillsms.com, 1214 Adams St., Vicksburg MS 39180 Sip And Relax At Key City Beer Get a two-for-one at Key City Beer, where you can sip on a classic Mr. Sippi pilsner, then order from an eclectic menu of eats that includes everything from a classic patty melt to roasted pork collar with preserved strawberry glaze, coconut-stewed greens, and tamarind pork jus. keycitybeer.com, 1311 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Courtesy of Visit Vicksburg The Best Places To Stay In Vicksburg, Mississippi Book A Historic Bed-And-Breakfast One of Vicksburg’s best attributes is how welcoming the town is to visitors; its many lodging options are a perfect example. For a lovely “home away from home” experience with a. flair for the past, book a room at Oak Hall Bed and Breakfast, Duff Green Mansion, or the Inn at Cedar Grove. Each of these historic homes offers comfortable suites and rooms and more than its fair share of Southern hospitality. oakhallbnb.com, 2430 Drummond St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 duffgreenmansion.com, 1114 First East St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 cedargrovemansion.com, 2200 Oak St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Stay (Or Live) At The Mulberry More modern accommodations can be found at The Mulberry. Part apartment complex and part hotel, the all-in-one destination is known for its many amenities. Relax in a private cabana and unwind with a drink from the poolside bar. You can also visit the full-service restaurant, peruse art in the on-site gallery, and take advantage of a calendar of regular events. mulberryvicksburg.com, 1310 Mulberry St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit