9 Undisturbed Towns To Visit In Mississippi
In Mississippi, a small-town escape feels slow, sunny, and wonderfully unhurried. You might spend an afternoon in Corinth over slugburgers and vintage shopfronts, or book a night in Bay St. Louis to hear blues pouring out of a historic hall. Each of these nine undisturbed towns stands on its own, with a lived-in downtown, locals who still rely on it, and public spaces that stay busy on weekends. History is everywhere, but it’s part of daily life—movie-ready streets in Canton, riverfront views in Vicksburg, and porch-swing evenings in Natchez. Whether you have a single day or a long weekend, you can drop into any one of these towns and instantly feel the character, continuity, and charm that keep people rooted there.
Corinth
Located in northeast Mississippi, Corinth sits on the Tennessee state line and offers visitors a look back in time to 1862, an incredibly important year in America’s railway heritage. Often called the “Crossroads of the South,” Corinth was a key supply town and contested location for generals seeking to exploit the railroad system during the Civil War, especially during the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. The Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, Crossroads Museum, and Historic Corinth Depot offer valuable insights into the town’s importance in US history and feature exhibitions and artifacts, plus up-close views of rail history at the Historic Corinth Depot/Crossroads Museum (including a vintage caboose).
After exploring the town’s historic sites, the White Trolley Café, operating since 1947, serves the locally known ‘slugburger’ alongside classic diner fare. Borroums Drug Store and Soda Fountain is another well-preserved Corinth establishment, Mississippi’s oldest operating drug store and soda fountain, offering customers a chance to try authentic, old-fashioned beverages. For time in nature and space to reflect on the area’s history, the 73-acre Crossroads Regional Park provides a mile-long walking trail, sports fields, three playgrounds, and a splashpad in summer.
Canton
Canton, in central Mississippi, has served as the setting for multiple major films. The City of Lights has become a popular destination for Hollywood directors looking to capture an authentic portrayal of the past. My Dog Skip (2000), O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000), and The Minute You Wake Up Dead (2022) are just some major productions filmed in Canton. Visitors can view scenes created in Canton and discover the town’s unique connection with Hollywood at the Canton Movie Museums. In addition to the film industry, Canton also contributes to the Mississippi Blues Trail, a designation honoring one of the most influential genres in music, which was born and developed across the Mississippi Delta. The shops and cafes of Hickory Street, or “the Hollow,” once supported famous blues musician Elmore James. Club Desire was a hugely successful establishment until the 1960s, hosting the biggest names in blues in an impressive, elegant atmosphere. Both sites are now marked with informational plaques, including archival images.
Canton has a wealth of architecture to be immersed in. The Courthouse Square features a well-preserved Greek Revival Courthouse originally built in 1854-1858. The Canton Courthouse Square District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and is the venue for the Canton Flea Market Arts & Crafts show, which occurs twice a year and attracts over 100,000 visitors. Canton stands out as one of Mississippi’s most influential examples of historical preservation and continues to impact new visitors, artists, and filmmakers.
Vicksburg
Vicksburg is located in western Mississippi on the Mississippi River across from Louisiana. Steeped in well-preserved history, visitors to Vicksburg can take advantage of multiple Heritage Walking Trails that follow 35 markers throughout the downtown and historical districts. Visitors can step inside one of 11 preserved tour homes to experience this history firsthand. The McRaven Tour Home is an especially interesting experience as it represents three time periods through three sections of the home built in 1797, 1836, and 1849. Named the “time capsule of the South” by National Geographic Magazine, the McRaven Home offers tour guests a glimpse into its history and former residents while presenting artifacts and antiques. The Oak Hall Tour Home is another preserved historic home with 32 custom stained-glass windows, elaborate wooden carvings, and artist-designed Beaux-Art lighting fixtures.
Vicksburg also offers expansive river views and natural experiences along the Mississippi River. The Quapaw Canoe Company leads river tours of the Lower Mississippi River, which runs through downtown Vicksburg. River travelers of all ages and experience levels enjoy paddling through bluffs, forests, and more while looking for fish and other wildlife, with each experience changing with the current season. Paddlers should keep an eye out for any of the hundreds of species of birds located in Vicksburg, as the town is a major part of the National Audubon Society’s Great River Birding Trail. The depth of Vicksburg's architectural history and preserved landscapes make it a strong representation of Mississippi’s layered past.
Port Gibson
Port Gibson is the third-oldest European-American settlement in Mississippi. Port Gibson offers preserved historic sites set within a quiet natural landscape. Allegedly called “too beautiful to burn” by Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War, Port Gibson is full of historic preserved homes and buildings, including many that have turned into acclaimed bed and breakfasts. Built in 1901 on the site of a previous structure used by Grant as his base camp in 1863, the Bernheimer House is a great example of Italianate architecture and features many chandeliers, restored windows, hand-carved fireplace mantels, and manicured gardens that give visitors a glimpse of Mississippi’s golden age. Groundskeepers are dedicated to preserving the property and its over 165-year-old legacy, beginning as the residence of successful merchants Samuel and Jacob Berheimer, who developed a group of buildings now designated as the Bernheimer Complex Historic District.
For an extended historic stay in Port Gibson, Grand Gulf Military Park offers camping accommodations within a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hiking trails, an observation tower, restored Civil War-era buildings, the Grand Gulf Cemetery, and a museum featuring artifacts such as a Mastodon bone and Civil War relics are all accessible for a day trip or a unique overnight experience. The park’s Spanish House is a particularly interesting spot, having been built in the 1790s as part of a group of homesteads raised by settlers. Port Gibson’s many opportunities to sleep in history and closeness to towns like Natchez and Vicksburg make it the perfect home base for tourists looking to explore southwestern Mississippi’s undisturbed towns.
Natchez
Natchez is one of the oldest towns in Mississippi and features numerous preserved historic sites. The Grand Village of the Natchez, or Fatherland Site, is a 128-acre site that showcases three prehistoric Native American mounds: the Great Sun Mound, Temple Mound, and Abandoned Mound. Once partially excavated, the mounds were rebuilt to their original sizes and shapes by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The onsite museum and visitor center offer educational exhibits and information on the Natchez people, bringing their legacy to life for visitors.
Back in town, the Dr. John Bowman Banks House is the home of Natchez’s first black physician, offering tours and an up-close look into a hub of the 1960s civil rights movement. There are many impressive churches in Natchez to visit, including the St. Mary Basilica, the oldest Catholic building still in use in Mississippi. The Basilica is open for self-guided tours and boasts a recently restored interior and Gothic revival architecture. To visit these locations, and many others in and around Natchez’s downtown, visitors often travel by bike on the Natchez Trails, which include the Natchez Bluff Trail, Nature Trail, and a 444-mile-long historic byway that leads from Natchez to Nashville, Tennessee. For a more casual day trip, the very walkable downtown features a variety of shops and restaurants connecting historic location after historic location. Stop by Frankin Street Relics to search for vintage items from Natchez’s past or Eccentricities, LLC, a boutique located in the 1875 Cole House.
Holly Springs
Holly Springs is a northern Mississippi town, close to the Tennessee border, with lively historical roots and many opportunities to learn from the past. Founded by Albert Hollowell, Foxfire Ranch is a fourth-generation farm that honors the 80-acre property’s legacy as a community hub for African American families during the post-Reconstruction era. In spring and summer, Foxfire Ranch hosts live music rooted in North Mississippi Hill Country Blues, bringing echoes of Mississippi’s cultural past, present, and future to life. The ranch is open year-round for special events and cabin rentals. For even more time in preserved Mississippi nature, Holly Springs National Forest offers 155,000 acres to explore through activities like hiking, camping, and fishing. Look for animals such as snapping turtles, deer, turkeys, and many species of birds.
In downtown Holly Springs, the Montrose Arboretum, located at the Montrose House and Museum, preserves plant species native to Mississippi and features over 50 native tree specimens. The Montrose was built in 1858 in the Greek Revival style and now serves as the headquarters for the Holly Springs Garden Club, who volunteer as preservationists and groundskeepers. The Marshall County Historical Museum is another portal back in time in Holly Springs. The museum holds a large collection of fascinating artifacts, including 1920s flapper dresses, taxidermy animals native to the area, Victorian children’s books, Native artifacts, and the town’s first-ever bathtub.
Bay St. Louis
Located in southern Mississippi, Bay St. Louis is named for the bay on which the town sits. Beaches and a preserved Old Town offer visitors a glimpse of this unique part of the state’s history and legacy. The Hancock County Historical Society is stationed at the Kate Lobrando House, a traditional “shotgun” style house built in 1896, that now displays a variety of historic photos of the area. The Society is volunteer-run and made up of community members with a wealth of historical knowledge to share with visitors and future generations. The Society’s photo collection and documentation of the area’s history continue to grow as they accept photos from the public, thoroughly organize them, and upload them to an ever-growing online database.
At the 100 Men Hall, a landmark on the Mississippi Blues Trail, the legacy of African American culture in the area is kept alive through educational programming and live music. Incorporated in 1894, the Hall hosts open mic nights, festivals featuring famous blues musicians, and numerous community events that bring the past to life through artistic expression. The Bay St. Louis Little Theatre is a community theatre that highlights the community’s focus on preservation. When the original building, founded in 1946, was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Board of Directors began a dedicated three-year search to restore the legacy and rebuild their beloved community center. After finding a new venue and hosting a grand opening in 2010, the theatre sold out for two consecutive years and earned multiple awards, including the Bay St. Louis Historic Preservation Commission “Heritage Award” and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History “Mississippi Heritage and Trust Award.”
Ocean Springs
After a trip across the Biloxi Bay Bridge, visitors traveling to Ocean Springs have their pick of preserved Mississippi nature and famous art and architecture. The Gulf Islands National Seashore comprises barrier islands, serene white beaches, lush marshes, and historical points of interest.
Preservation of coastal culture is the goal of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, a nationally accredited art museum dedicated to the legacy of Walter Anderson and connected artists. Anderson had a strong connection to art through color, nature, and spirituality, an aesthetic that draws thousands of visitors annually who hope to see the area through his eyes. Rotating exhibits and permanent installations create a dynamic experience that keeps visitors coming back. The Charnley-Norwood House is another example of artistic interpretation of the coast. “Father of the Skyscraper,” Louis H. Sullivan designed the home in 1890. It is an early example of traits that would become known worldwide as markers of 20th-century Modernism, including natural materials, practical functionality, and spatial flow. Multiple groups remain dedicated to preserving the structure, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, and the Mississippi Heritage Trust.
Columbus
Columbus is a historic eastern Mississippi community close to the Alabama border. It is known for multiple Victorian and antebellum homes, African American cultural heritage, and a historic downtown lined with local businesses. The Tennessee Williams House Museum & Welcome Center is the former residence of playwright Tennessee Williams and serves as an introduction to the town’s literary history. First built in 1875, it is a National Literary Landmark and has undergone consistent preservation efforts. The Columbus Riverwalk begins at Main Street and offers river views, framed by lush trees and native wildlife. The Robinson Road marker details the route’s history, originally opened in the 1820s as the only direct route from Columbus to Jackson.
Catfish Alley highlights the deep roots of African American culture in Columbus. Named for the smell of fried catfish sandwiches, Catfish Alley was a business center, meeting spot, and blues music hub for the late 19th and 20th-century African American community. The annual Catfish in the Alley festival honors that legacy with live music, local food, and craft vendors. The Stephen D. Lee Home & Museum is an Italianate mansion built in 1847 with an impactful legacy. After being sold by local residents, the house became an economics building and cafeteria for the City of Columbus school system. A fire in 1959 destroyed much of the home, which was later restored by the Association for the Preservation of Antiquities in Columbus and Lowndes County. Currently, the Florence McLeod Hazard Museum is located within the home and displays many historical artifacts and local items from the home and the area's past.
Mississippi Memories Worth Capturing
Mississippi has many picturesque towns that transport visitors back in time to untouched nature, the origins of popular music, the foundations of award-winning architecture, and the beginnings of community legacies still impacting residents to this day. Scattered across the state from the hilly forests of the north to the shimmering sea at the south, the towns on this list reflect Mississippi’s varied landscapes and preserved heritage across every region of the state.
