Vicksburg, MS, is an absolutely stunning city. Its streets are easily walkable, its restaurants and attractions plentiful, and the locals so friendly. So when you’re planning a Vicksburg girls getaway, where do you begin? Feel free to start right here! From cool art to test driving the local cuisine to a truly historical overnight stay, here are 16 things to do for a Vicksburg girls getaway!
Disclosure: I was graciously hosted by the fine folks at Visit Vicksburg to give you the scoop on things to do for your Vicksburg girls getaway. All opinions are my own!
Over the last couple of years, I’ve fallen hard for the state of Mississippi. And it’s this love that has truly encouraged me to explore the state thoroughly. A couple of years ago, I hit the coast in Biloxi and Ocean Springs to discover what the cities are like during the off season.
Vicksburg Girls Getaway – A Road Trip Through Mississippi
Last month, I explored two new cities in Mississippi:
Hattiesburg – Adorably southern, the city has gorgeous murals, amazing food, and some pretty cool history.
Tunica – My last stop on our girls getaway road trip, Tunica is the home of Gold Strike Casino Resort. My daughter and I got the ultimate pampered treatment with a massage in the Spa.
Vicksburg – I know I mentioned this above, but I’m in love with Vicksburg. I’m an American history lover and, knowing that the city was filled with rich history, it made a stop in the city a must do. Alright, now that you’ve got my road trip in a nutshell, let’s dig into things to do for a Vicksburg girls getaway.
Stay in an Historical Southern Mansion
If I could only suggest one thing to do while in Vicksburg, it’s to visit Anchuca Mansion. A Choctaw Indian word meaning “happy home” the property is utterly jaw dropping for its beauty.
On the National Register of Historic Places, the antebellum style home is a combination of both wood and brick exterior, but it’s the interior and pool that will catch your eye. Tours are given daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, but spending the night in one of its guest suites is like a dream come true for this lady.
Each morning of your stay, you’ll get a full (and I mean full!) southern-style breakfast that will stave off the hungries for hours. The rooms are spacious and well decorated, the staff utterly amazing, and I seriously didn’t want to leave.
Vicksburg Girls Getaway – Mosey by the Riverfront Murals
Artist Robert Dafford created 32 larger-than-life murals that sit along the water. Featuring periods of history in the city of Vicksburg, they’re a gorgeous addition to a pretty walking area along the river.
Additionally, don’t forget to check out the first flood wall mural painted in 2001 by Martha Ferris. Whimsical and colorful, it showcases the three main travel arteries in the city – the river, railroad, and highway.
Take a Tour of the Most Haunted House in Mississippi
I love to visit haunted houses, both the kind you’d find at a theme park or in October and the truly haunted ones. And even if you’re not a believer, taking a tour of the McRaven House is fun just for the atmosphere and decor alone.
Our tour guides were dressed in period clothing, making the tour even more memorable, and we heard all about the history of the home and why the last owner bolted off property one evening, never to return. I also heard firsthand stories from the guides about their haunted experiences.
And if that wasn’t enough, I have video from an upstairs bedroom showing a tall desk’s upper door swing closed from a stopped position. Three times. Once we left the room, I peeked back in and the door was still open. Now that’s a story I’ll never forget!
Vicksburg Girls Getaway – Shop for Local Art
There are a couple of art shops in town that need to make your short list:
The Attic Gallery – Describing itself as a gallery that has “featured Southern folk art, contemporary fine art, handmade pottery, glass, jewelry and many “blues” related items with funk mixed in, it’s a cool peek into decades of Vicksburg art finds. If you and the ladies are looking for some arts and crafts, this place is THE place to go.
HC Porter Gallery – I had the pleasure of chatting with the owner, HC Porter, about her work. From my perspective, it’s pop art with a southern flair, but the work going into it is hardly only six words long. Definitely make time to pop inside and check out the colorful pieces on display.
Spend Some Time Learning about the History of Vicksburg in Its Museums
If you have a few hours to check out the city’s museums, put these ones on your must-do list:
Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum – The first place to bottle Coca-Cola, this museum is dedicated to all things soda. You can not only check out some super cool memorabilia, you can grab a glass bottle or a float for a treat.
Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum – From the Army Corps of Engineers, the museum tells the story of the Corps key roles with the Mississippi River. While that reads short and sweet, it really is a cool museum to check out.
Old Court House Museum – With a beautiful exterior, this museum is filled with memorabilia from Vicksburg’s past history. You’ll find two floors stocked with everything from a Meerschaum Pipe (remember National Treasure?) to a recreated bedroom filled with antique furniture to a peek at what a courtroom would have looked like when the building was in its heyday.
Old Depot Museum – The Old Train Depot of Vicksburg turned into a transportation museum and is a fun peek at massive miniature train displays. You’ll also find plenty of war memorabilia.
Catfish Row Museum – The Catfish Row Museum provides a cultural heritage experience that showcases the unique and diverse aspects of Vicksburg — from its music, history and storytelling to its vibrant food heritage, religions, and the visual arts. Having written that, it’s a quaint museum that’s worthy of a visit, especially if you want to delve into the old school Vicksburg music scene.
Vicksburg Girls Getaway – Drive Through Military History
Loving the details of American history (hey, some are good, some not so), military parks are right up my street. And having the chance to drive through Vicksburg Military Park was both cool and poignant.
If you know about the Battle of Vicksburg during the Civil War, you know it was over three months long, from March 29 through July 4, 1863 (for reference, the Civil War ended in 1865).
It captured the last confederate fortress on the Mississippi River, divided the Confederacy in two, and gave the Union complete control of the river, making the battle a major turning point for the Union.
In total, over 100,000 military troops fought, and over 37,000 of them lost their lives. When you put that into perspective, it’s almost haunting. But driving through the 1,800 acre park is not only beautiful, it’s a needful lesson in history.
We were able to jump out of the car and walk around to look at the beautiful monuments as well. You’ll want to put aside about three hours for this experience.
Vicksburg Girls Getaway – Where to Eat in Vicksburg
Vicksburg is filled with mom and pop restaurants that serve true southern food. Here are the spots that we enjoyed:
Walnut Hills – A transformed two-story home, Walnut Hills is everything you’d expect in a southern restaurant. The menu is filled with dishes including fried chicken and mac and cheese, gumbo topped with rice, and a massive cake selection. We tried the lemon blueberry and it didn’t disappoint.
The Tomato Place – Such a cool property, The Tomato Place started out as a roadside stand selling tomatoes. Now, years later, it’s a must stop for toasted tomato sandwiches and BLTs. The prices are affordable, the meals hearty, and the atmosphere downright fun.
Relish Bistro – Relish is a cool, indoor restaurant that’s fun for getting cleaned up and enjoying dinner. With its dark lighting and brick walls, it’s great for cocktails and heavier meals. If I had to give my top picks, try the Chicken Alfredo, truffle fries, and berry cobbler.
10 South Rooftop Bar & Grill – We had the pleasure of dining at 10 South for dinner on our first night in town and it was so lovely. The view from 10 stories above the city and the river is stunning, too. If you like hearty salads give this restaurant a go, especially for its Chicken Caesar. If you’re looking for a decadent end to the meal, the bread pudding is unstoppable.
Vicksburg Girls Getaway – Where to Stay in Vicksburg
Oak Hall Bed & Breakfast – A mission style revival house built in 1910 in the Fostoria neighborhood, it was originally the home of Fannie Willis Johnson. Complete with a carriage house, Miss Fannie turned the home into an Old Ladies Home and spent her nights in the carriage house, giving more room for the ladies.
We loved (and I mean loved!) our night’s stay at Oak Hill – we stayed in the Carriage House suite! It was spacious with a king bed, full kitchen, and living area. I enjoyed the patio at night and in the morning, too.
Again, a full southern-style breakfast was in the main home on the day of our check out and it was fun to sit around the large dining table and chat with other guests. I had the pleasure of taking a morning tour after breakfast and had a hard time tearing myself away from the stained glass windows and massive front porch that’s perfect for sipping ices tea on in the afternoon.
Owners, Don and Elizabeth Nelson are all about keeping the property gorgeously historical, so feel free to ask for a quick tour.
Anchuca Mansion – Definitely worthy of a stay, in my humble opinion. I’ve shared all of our visit details above, so scroll up to the top if you missed them.
