Springing Into Mississippi’s Natchez Trace Parkway

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Mississippi Blog Trip Ideas Clinton French Camp Ridgeland Tishomingo Natchez Raymond Tupelo Trace Blog

Springing Into Mississippi’s Natchez Trace Parkway

Springing Into Mississippi’s Natchez Trace Parkway

Spring break is just around the corner, and it is the perfect time to start planning a fantastic seasonal road-trip through the Mississippi portion of the Natchez Trace, exploring the towns of Natchez, Raymond, Clinton, Jackson, Ridgeland, French Camp, Tupelo and Tishomingo.

The state features scenic nature sites, history and culture, outdoor recreation and roots laid by the best artists and musicians in American history.

Southern hospitably abounds in Natchez as it is perched high on the bluffs overlooking the magnificent Mississippi River. Natchez, MississippiWith a fascinating history spanning more than three centuries, Natchez easily blends the old and the new. It is home to an extraordinary collection of historical structures, residences and churches, as well as immaculately preserved antebellum mansions, four National Park sites, prehistoric Indian mounds and the stunning Natchez Trace Parkway.

Raymond, a small antebellum city, is 40 miles north of Port Gibson. Raymond welcomes visitors with its picturesque charm and Civil War history. A driving tour highlights the historic Hinds County Courthouse and the Dupree House. The Confederate Cemetery and the Civil War Battlefield include a walking trail, allowing visitors to see where history was made in 1863.

 

Clinton, just southwest of Mississippi’s capitol city, offers a variety of unique experiences for visitors of all ages. The numerous historical landmarks, as well as the robust visitor center, will appeal to history buffs. The museum room highlights the history of the Natchez Trace through Clinton, hosts monthly “Mississippi Old Time Music Society” jam sessions and has changing exhibits throughout the year. Numerous walking paths and activities are available at one of Clinton’s many parks. The charming brick streets of Clinton’s Olde Towne complement a variety of unique shops, restaurants and hotels.

Jacksonians have a triumphant spirit and are passionate individuals. Thanks to their innate sense of genuine welcome, you’ll instantly feel at home. Jackson is the ideal location for your next vacation thanks to its attractions, award-winning chefs, distinctive restaurants, countless entertaining events, three historic cultural districts, plenty of visual and performing arts and hip nightlife.

Ridgeland presents a surprising fusion of nature and style to discerning tourists. Boutique and upscale shopping, outdoor adventures, dining of all types and the Bill Waller Craft Center help Ridgeland maximize Mississippi’s pleasant climate by fusing the inside and outdoors. Visitors are greeted by the natural beauty and exceptional recreational options of the 33,000-acre Barnett Reservoir, whose north side skirts along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

French Camp’s Historic District sits directly on the Natchez Trace Parkway and offers a glimpse into the daily activities of early settlers. Set your watch back – to the 1800s – and stay a while as you a bed and breakfast, historic buildings and special attractions, such as the pottery studio, gift shop, restaurant and museum.

In Tupelo, at the Natchez Trace Parkway headquarters, visitors may immerse themselves in the road’s vibrant and thrilling history through recently redesigned and improved exhibits that mix learning with fun. The chance to participate in tasks like crafting corn shuck dolls, weaving baskets, beading and working with leather is provided by living history demonstrations for both adults and children. The city of Tupelo offers a wide range of lodging options, the birthplace or Elvis Presley and award-winning culinary experiences.

Tishomingo Swinging Bridge
Tishomingo Swinging Bridge

Tishomingo County is home to Woodall Mountain, Mississippi’s highest point, two award-winning state parks and a national park. It is located in the Appalachian Mountains’ foothills. Caverns, canyons, a swinging bridge, a covered bridge, miles of hiking trails and streams perfect for canoeing, fishing and swimming make this an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise.

Mississippi abounds in historic and cultural experiences, mouth-watering food, southern hospitality and a climate made for year-round outdoor enjoyment, so get to planning your Spring trip now!

French Camp Pioneer Day

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Attractions Attractions Mississippi French Camp

French Camp Pioneer Day

Pioneer Day, etc 198
Local artisan, Susan Donald, demonstrates mosaic work. Susan is also the potter at French Camp Academy’s Children of God Pottery Studio.

The whole family will find plenty of fun things to do and see on Saturday, May 9, 2015, at Pioneer Day in French Camp, MS. Activities start at 9:00 and wrap up around 4:00. Admission to the festival is free.

You can step back in time as you wander through the Natchez Trace Historic District, where the air will be filled with invigorating sounds of music and tantalizing aromas of food. Artisans, showcasing their crafts will welcome you to watch, or maybe try your hand, at pottery, chair caning, wood carving, quilting, basket weaving, and more.

The Log Cabin Gift Shop will be stocked with Children of God pottery and beautiful handcrafts by local artisans. The Council House Café will serve up their famous sandwiches and desserts. (Proceeds are used to support FCA students.)

French Camp, MS, is located at the crossroads of MS Highway 413 and the Natchez Trace Parkway, about halfway between Jackson and Tupelo.

For updates on Pioneer Day, visit our website www.frenchcamp.org/historic. If you are interested in being a vendor or demonstrator, call Brittany Henderson at 662-547-6482.

Greenlea

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Lodging

Greenlea

  • 211 S. Wall St.
  • Natchez, MS 39120
  • Phone: (601) 446-7053
  • Alternative Phone: (601) 807-5637
  • Visit Website
  • E-Mail

The bed and breakfast at Greenlea is located in the rear of the house adjacent to the Courtyard and overlooking it. The suite is in what is now the kitchen wing and is the oldest part of the house. A flight of steps from the kitchen porch takes you to the attached dependency. The steps lead to the porch overlooking the courtyard at Greenlea. In the spacious exposed brick bedroom, there are windows on three sides overlooking the gardens. The suite has the feel of a treehouse as you look out the windows into the gardens through the foliage of the surrounding trees. There is a kingsize bed and a Murphy bed concealed in a closet to your left. There is a small kitchen with a coffee maker,stove, microwave and refrigerator stocked with complimentary beverages. The bath has a tub/shower combination. There is a double sized closet for your hanging clothes.

Travel Inn

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Lodging

Travel Inn

  • 271-A D’Evereux Drive
  • Natchez, MS 39120
  • Phone: (601) 446-8799
  • Visit Website

The Travel Inn is another economical lodging property located on the outskirts of Natchez; located just a couple of minutes from downtown.

 

Natchez Coffee Company

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Restaurants

Natchez Coffee Company

The Natchez Coffee Company is more than just a coffee shop. Sure they offer coffee, espresso, and flavored cappuccinos, but they also serve sandwiches, salads, and blue bell  ice cream.  Wireless Internet is available, so bring your laptop to check your e-mail while you treat yourself to a chai tea or cup of joe. Natchez Coffee Company is located within walking distance of downtown hotels and a number of Natchez area B &  B’s, and sits right in the midst of downtown shops.  Locals gather there for morning coffee, so stop in early and perhaps they’ll fill you in on some Natchez history while you’re there.

La Fiesta Grande Too

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Attractions

La Fiesta Grande Too

  • 339 D’Evereux Drive
  • Natchez, MS 39120
  • Phone: (601) 442-2333
  • E-Mail

La Fiesta II is a sister restaurant to La Fiesta.  The Mexican restaurant is so popular, that over-crowding becomes an issue.  The owner’s have also located La Fiesta II so that it is convenient to locals living on the North end of town.  The only difference between the two is that La Fiesta II is a completely non-smoking facility.  The food and service are just as great as that of the original.  If you have a hankering for some Mexican cuisine and are looking for a smoke free place to eat, then head out Highway 61 North and look for LF II on the North frontage road just beyond the Highway 84 intersection. 

The Dining Pavilion at The Briars

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Attractions Restaurants

The Dining Pavilion at The Briars

The view from this fabulous restaurant is among the most spectacular anywhere along the mighty Mississippi, and the food is equally grand. Our dining is ideal for a quiet intimate dinner for two to celebrate an anniversary or just to get away to reconnect. We can serve two or twenty and make it special!

Dexter’s Seafood & Steaks

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Restaurants

Dexter’s Seafood & Steaks

  • 175 Hwy. 61 South
  • Natchez, MS 39120
  • Phone: (601) 446-9518

Dexter’s Seafood & Steaks offers your family an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet that includes all your favorite Southern comfort foods: fried oysters, fried shrimp, stuffed shrimp, stuffed crab, fried catfish, frog legs, broiled catfish, seafood gumbo, fried dill pickles, fried green tomatoes, crawfish etouffee and much more. For an extra charge, you can enjoy our salad bar and dessert bar. Our menu also includes rib-eye steaks and T-bones. Don’t forget Dexter’s blooming onions and oysters on the half shell (when available).

The Buffet at The Isle of Capri Casino

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Restaurants

The Buffet at The Isle of Capri Casino

  • 70 Silver Street
  • Natchez, MS 39120
  • Tollfree (800) 722-0605

Visit Website

 

Enjoy a variety of delicious market-fresh items, plus all the home-cooked favorites you’ve always loved in our newly remodeled restaurant aboard the Isle of Capri Casino. Try everything from freshly created recipes to home-style favorites.
As the place to eat when you play, we’re proud to offer you the freshest food around. So pull up a seat every day of the week for lunch and dinner.
It’s all here at The Buffet! Enjoy Market-Fresh Meals. $7.00 Lunch Buffet: Sunday–Saturday, 11:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. $11.00 Dinner Buffet: Sunday–Thursday, 4:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. $14.99 Prime Rib & Shrimp Buffet: Friday, 4:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. $19.99 Seafood Buffet w/ Crab Legs: Saturday, 4:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.

The Natchez Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Attractions

The Natchez Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Natchez Convention & Visitors Bureau is your official resource for meetings, weddings, vacations and group tours. Located inside the Natchez Visitor Center, we are here to answer all your questions with insider information, from the best views of the Mississippi River to the best biscuits in the South. Give us a call, or order a free visitor guide to start planning your trip today. Y’all Come – and see for yourself.

Historic Jefferson College

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Attractions

Historic Jefferson College

Jefferson College, incorporated by an act of the first General Assembly of the Mississippi Territory in 1802, was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States and president of the American Philosophical Society. Territorial governor William C. C. Claiborne served as president of the college’s first Board of Trustees.

After years of initial financial difficulties, Jefferson College opened its doors on January 7, 1811, as a preparatory school, with fifteen students. Funds from Congress, the Legislature, and private citizens led the way to new prosperity, and by 1817 Jefferson College had become a full-fledged college; ten-year-old Jefferson Davis attended in 1818. By 1819 a new building, the East Wing, designed by prominent Natchez architect Levi Weeks, was complete.

In 1830 the college purchased the Methodist church building that had housed the 1817 Mississippi statehood convention, renovated it in 1832, and in 1839 completed construction of a new West Wing.

Emerald Mound

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Attractions

Emerald Mound

emeraldmoundDesignated a National Historic Landmark, Emerald is one of the largest mounds in North America. Covering eight acres, Emerald Mound measures 770 by 435 feet at the base and is 35 feet high. The mound was built by depositing earth along the sides of a natural hill, thus reshaping it and creating an enormous artificial plateau. Two smaller mounds sit atop the expansive summit platform of the primary mound. The larger of the two, at the west end, measures 190 by 160 feet and is 30 feet high. Several additional smaller mounds were once located along the edges of the primary mound summit, but were destroyed in the 19th century by plowing and erosion. Emerald Mound, built and used during the Mississippian period between 1250 and 1600 A.D.,was a ceremonial center for the local population, which resided in outlying villages and hamlets. Its builders were ancestors of the Natchez Indians. By the late 1600s, the Natchez had abandoned Emerald and established their capital at the Grand Village some 12 miles to the southwest.

Emerald Mound Site, near Natchez Trace Parkway, is about 10 miles northeast of Natchez, Mississippi (milepost 10.3). Exit parkway at Rte. 553 intersection; follow signs to mound, about 1 mile. Open to the public daily, free of charge.

Natchez National Historical Park

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Attractions

Natchez National Historical Park

natchezparkNatchez National Historical Park is located in Natchez, Mississippi, near the intersection of US 61 and US 65/84.

European settlement of Natchez began with a French trading post in 1714. Control passed to Spain in 1779 and to the United States in 1798. In the decades before the Civil War, Natchez became a commercial, cultural, and social center of the South’s “cotton belt.” The city today represents one of the best preserved concentrations of significant antebellum properties in the United States. Within the park are Melrose, an excellent example of a planter’s home, and the home of William Johnson, a free African-American businessman, whose diary tells the story of everyday life in antebellum Natchez.

Park visitors can enjoy guided tours of the Melrose mansion and self-guided tours of grounds. Walking tours and living history events are also scheduled throughout the year.

The Natchez Visitor Reception Center is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Sunday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Melrose is open daily from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Guided tours are offered on the hour from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The William Johnson House is open Thursday through Sunday from 9:00am until 5:00pm.

Historic Homes

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Attractions

Historic Homes

From National Historic Landmark properties to unassuming old houses that families have called home for generations, historic properties crowd the landscape of Natchez, making it one of the most architecturally and historically interesting places around.

Take a look here to learn more about Natchez Pilgrimage Tours.

Historic Homes

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Attractions

Historic Homes

From National Historic Landmark properties to unassuming old houses that families have called home for generations, historic properties crowd the landscape of Natchez, making it one of the most architecturally and historically interesting places around.

Take a look here to learn more about Natchez Pilgrimage Tours.

St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge

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Attractions

St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge

St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge, encompassing 24,442 acres, with a potential size of 34,256 acres, is located in Adams County in southwest Mississippi. The headquarters lies ten miles south of Natchez. The western refuge boundary is formed by the Mississippi River. The eastern boundary meanders along the loessal bluffs and the southern boundary is the Homochitto River.

Habitat on the refuge offers a myriad of ecological niches for wildlife. Cypress swamps and hardwood forests vegetated with oak, gum, elm, ash, cottonwood and pine comprise thirty percent of the refuge. Ten percent of the acreage is open water, while the remaining property consists of cleared land and batture land.

The refuge is open to the public year-round. Available activities include fishing, hunting, bird watching and hiking. A three-mile nature trail is located near the headquarters where visitors can enjoy a peaceful opportunity to view wildlife.

Refuge headquarters are open 7:30 am until 4:00 pm Monday – Friday. They are closed all Federal holidays. Refuge hours are sunup to sundown.

  • 1 W. Sibley Farms Road
  • Sibley, MS 39165
  • Phone: (601) 442-6696
  • Visit Website

Natchez Trails

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Attractions

Natchez Trails

The Natchez Trails are a combination of city streets and walkways which are dotted with kiosks depicting the history of the area in which you are walking. The trails run throughout the downtown area and along the bluff overlooking the river. Pedestrians and cyclists can share parts of the trails, and you can wind your way down to the edge of the mighty Mississippi River by way of the beautiful boardwalk which follows the contour of the bluff’s facade. Not only is it a great way to get some exercise, it is a great way to learn a lot about the abundant history of Natchez. The trail is wide enough atop the bluff to be shared by walkers and those just wanting to take a look at the river or watch a magnificent sunset over neighboring Louisiana. You can add an extra day to your stay just to spend it walking along the Natchez Trails.

Homochitto National Forest

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Attractions

Homochitto National Forest

You will find nature at its finest throughout the Homochitto National Forest and could spend hours hiking along the many creeks and trails that thread this enchanting woodland. The Clear Springs Recreational Area, consisting of a man-made lake, campground, picnic grounds, swim area, and two hiking trails. The longer of the two trails in the Recreation Area, Clear Springs Trail, is developing a reputation as one of the top three mountain-bike trails in Mississippi. Most campsites are secluded and either overlook the lake or are within an easy walk of the lake. Two CCC constructed pavilions on either side of the lake provide a comfortable place to enjoy the surrounding beauty and watch the wildlife. With a nice assortment of car, tent, recreational vehicle (RV), and motorhome-friendly camping, Clear Spring offers diverse collection of activities that will keep all entertained making it a good place for a family camping vacation.