From award-winning Southern cuisine to stunning river views and historical monuments, here's your weekend guide to the charming Mississippi River towns of Vicksburg and Greenville.
LessIf you’re looking for a great breakfast or brunch spot to kick off the day in Vicksburg, The Coffee House Café is a local favorite for a grab-and-go bite. Offering a rustic and relaxing vibe with oversized couches and wood plank accents on the walls, this charming spot serves up breakfast bagels, burritos, croissants and delicious fruit smoothies. We recommend cooling off with a refreshing lavender lemonade on a hot day.
Step back in time at the Vicksburg National Military Park, an 1800-acre park that preserves the memory of the campaign and siege of Vicksburg, which took place between May and July 1863. You can visit historical monuments and sites like the Memorial Arch and Vicksburg National Cemetery. Or, head to the Visitor’s Center, where exhibits go into more detail about the battle. The park even hosts living history programs like cannon demonstrations starting in the spring.
Serving as Vicksburg’s courthouse until 1939, this beautiful building was converted into a museum in 1946, housing a vast array of artifacts documenting the rich history of Vicksburg, including an expansive collection of Civil War memorabilia, china, antique furniture, and the tie once worn by Jefferson Davis at his inauguration. If you’re visiting during the spring or fall, the museum also hosts an annual flea market for arts, crafts and food from local vendors.
Spend the afternoon exploring the Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum. From interactive displays highlighting the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 to an aquarium filled with fish that inhabit the river, this museum highlights how important the Mississippi River was and still is to the communities living alongside it. Check out exhibits replicating the 1927 flood wall and tent, and interact with the outdoor river flood model that showcases the movement of the river’s flow and tides.
No trip to Vicksburg is complete without a stroll past the Riverfront Murals on Levee Street, a series of 32 beautifully painted vistas that capture key moments from Vicksburg’s past. Designed by renowned artist Robert Dafford, the murals depict scenes such as the Great Mississippi River Flood and the steamboat Sprague at sunset.
A glittering evening of fun awaits at the Ameristar Casino in Vicksburg. Housed in a stunning 70 000 sq. ft. riverboat, once a common sight on the Mississippi River, you can try your luck at various slot machines and table games such as Blackjack, Roulette or Cajun Stud. Hungry for a bite? Grab dinner at the Heritage Restaurant for some classic homestyle grub, or enjoy pizza and sandwiches at Bella's Bakery & Cafe.
If you want to immerse yourself in the history of Vicksburg, head over to the Baer House Inn. This gorgeous Victorian mansion has been lovingly restored and offers intimate bed and breakfast accommodations. The six rooms all feature period antiques and unique decor, from the Scarlett Room's vivid red walls and original 1870 flooring to the General's Room, featuring Civil War artwork and antiques.
If you’re going to do dinner right in Greenville, the locals recommend Doe’s Eat Place. Opened in 1941 as a family-run eatery, this restaurant is known for its steaks and tamales. Featuring a 1940s aesthetic, the building still resembles the original restaurant and market, including the front kitchen, which was once a honky tonk. Dine on favorites like Aunt Flora's house salad, meatball subs or the famous steak sandwich topped with bacon and blue cheese.
One of the largest Indigenous American mound sites in the United States. Winterville State Park is a National Historic Landmark and home to 12 prehistoric mounds and two expansive plazas. Constructed by hand by the ancestors of the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes, these mounds showcase the history of these ancient people. Currently, the visitor’s center is closed for renovations, but each mound has a placard highlighting details of its construction and more.
The River Road Queen Welcome Center & Museum of the Delta is a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about the region and the state of Mississippi. Housed in an authentic Victorian riverboat, this museum served as an exhibit for Mississippi at the 1984 New Orleans World Fair. Here, you’ll find exhibits celebrating Mississippi writers, Washington County history and even Kermit the Frog (Greenville is the birthplace of Jim Henson).