8 Most Eccentric Towns in Mississippi

Mississippi is the home and birthplace of some of the most influential people, movements, and products in the U.S.’s history. Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo. Blues Music came onto the scene after the Civil War in many regions, and Pine-Sol was created in Jackson. The unique and odd attractions are what make Mississippi a desirable place to visit. Don’t just come for the ordinary, come for the extraordinary in these eight most eccentric towns in Mississippi.

Biloxi

Biloxi sits on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast and is known for its long stretch of man-made beachfront, which extends for 26 miles along the shoreline. Calm waters make the beach suitable for swimming, and casinos line the opposite side of the road, creating an unusual coastal setting. Barrier islands such as Ship Island and Cat Island are visible offshore, adding interest to views along the beach. A frequent stop for visitors is the Biloxi Lighthouse, a cast-iron structure built in 1848 that survived multiple hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina. The lighthouse is open for guided tours that allow guests to climb the tower and learn about its maritime role. For casual local dining, many visitors choose Shaggy’s, a coastal restaurant that began as a bait shop in nearby Pass Christian and later rebuilt after Katrina, serving seafood, burgers, and drinks with views of the Gulf.

Tupelo

Tupelo is best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley and remains closely tied to his early life. Visitors can tour the Elvis Presley Birthplace, a modest home built by his father where Elvis was born in 1935 and spent his early childhood. The surrounding grounds include a small museum, a chapel, and exhibits tracing his career. Downtown, the Elvis Homecoming Statue marks his 1956 return to perform at the fairgrounds and stands near City Hall as part of a self-guided driving tour of related sites. Tupelo also has significance beyond music. Tupelo National Battlefield preserves land associated with the 1864 Battle of Tupelo, an engagement aimed at disrupting Confederate supply lines. Although development has overtaken much of the original battlefield, the remaining site and monument provide a quiet place for reflection on the town’s Civil War history.

Natchez

Natchez stands on high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River and is named for the Indigenous people who once lived in the area. It is considered the oldest continuous European-settled community along the river. Nearby, Grand Village of the Natchez Indians covers 128 acres and includes three stabilized platform mounds, a museum, and walking trails. Interpretive displays explain the cultural and ceremonial role of the site during the period when the Natchez people lived there. Natchez also marks the southern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile route following an ancient travel corridor northward. Close to town are stops such as Emerald Mound, Mount Locust Historic House, and the Sunken Trace, where foot traffic carved a deep path into the ground. Within the city, the Turning Angel statue in Natchez City Cemetery commemorates victims of a 1908 drugstore explosion and is tied to enduring local legends.

Belzoni

Belzoni is located in the Mississippi Delta and promotes itself as the Catfish Capital of the World, reflecting Humphreys County’s role in farm-raised catfish production. Since 1976, the town has hosted the World Catfish Festival each April, featuring food vendors, arts and crafts, live music, and family activities, along with the crowning of a Miss Catfish queen. Visitors interested in aquaculture can stop at the Catfish Museum and Welcome Center, also known as the Catfish Capitol Visitor’s Center and Museum, which explains the catfish farming process through exhibits and videos. Outside stands the King Cat sculpture, measuring more than 40 feet in length. After learning about the industry, travelers often eat at Belzoni’s Catfish Café, a long-running local restaurant known for fried catfish, ribs, burgers, and catering for major events in other states.

Vardaman

Vardaman, located in north Mississippi, is known for sweet potato farming and proudly uses the title Sweet Potato Capital of the World. Each fall, the Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival brings the community together for races, vehicle shows, tractor displays, and large chicken dinners served with sweet potato side dishes. A central event is the Sweet Potato Recipe Cooking Contest, where home cooks submit original or adapted recipes for judging. Outside festival season, visitors can stop at Sweet Potato Sweets, a family-owned bakery offering pies, breads, muffins, and candies made with locally grown sweet potatoes and long-shared recipes. For a full meal, Ram Shack on Sweet Potato Street serves steaks, seafood, and comfort-food favorites in a relaxed setting, with desserts such as coconut meringue pie rounding out the menu.

Clarksdale

Clarksdale is known internationally for its role in the development of Delta blues music. A starting point for visitors is the Delta Blues Museum, which documents the history of the genre through photographs, instruments, recordings, and exhibits, including the cabin where Muddy Waters once lived. Live music remains central to the town’s identity. Ground Zero Blues Club hosts regular performances and jam sessions, allowing musicians and audiences to share the space. Another key stop is Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, a combination record store, gallery, and informal information center. The shop sells albums, books, artwork, and local memorabilia while providing guidance on festivals and performances. Walking through Cat Head’s crowded interior offers insight into how closely music remains tied to daily life in Clarksdale.

Greenville

Greenville lies along the Mississippi River and is linked to a well-known moment in American toy history. In 1902, local hunting guide Holt Collier led President Theodore Roosevelt on a bear hunt in the area. Roosevelt declined to shoot a restrained bear, a decision reported widely in newspapers and later depicted in a political cartoon that inspired the creation of the teddy bear. Visitors can visit Holt Collier’s grave, a modest site marking his role in that story. Nearby, the Greenville Cypress Preserve protects about 16 acres of wetlands and forest, with walking trails and interpretive signs explaining local ecology. North of town, Winterville Mounds preserves a major Native American site built between about 1000 and 1450. Twelve of the original mounds remain visible, and visitors can walk the grounds and tour the museum.

Leland

Leland holds a place in American pop culture through its connection to Jim Henson, who spent part of his childhood in the area. The Birthplace of Kermit the Frog Museum honors Henson’s career with memorabilia, photographs, and exhibits, including an original Kermit puppet donated by his wife. Leland also recognizes its musical history at the Highway 61 Blues Museum, housed in the former Montgomery Hotel. The museum highlights musicians from the Mid-Mississippi Delta through instruments, images, and personal stories, often guided by local experts. Visitors interested in outdoor traditions can also stop at the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum, which focuses on hunting and fishing history, vintage equipment, regional call collections, and the Mississippi Outdoor Hall of Fame honoring notable conservationists and sportsmen.

A Collection of Stories Across Mississippi

Mississippi’s smaller towns offer a wide range of experiences tied to music, Indigenous history, local food traditions, and unexpected chapters of American culture. Visitors can explore blues history in Clarksdale, learn about catfish farming in Belzoni, walk through Elvis Presley’s early years in Tupelo, or visit Native mound sites near Greenville. Along the way, they can attend seasonal festivals, visit small museums, and hear stories preserved by local residents. Taken together, these towns show how Mississippi’s history lives on through places that continue to shape and share their past.