Vicksburg stands on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. The area surrounding the town was the setting for a major event in the American Civil War in 1863. Union soldiers held the Confederacy under siege for 47 days. The eventual defeat was a turning point leading to the ultimate Union victory. Explore the Vicksburg National Military Park at the site of the battle. The national cemetery holds the remains of 17,000 Union soldiers.
One of the highlights of the park is the restoration of an ironclad warship that patrolled the waters of the Mississippi River. Learn about life on these boats and the importance of the river to both sides of the war effort at the USS Cairo Museum. Drive along the 16-mile (26-kilometer) tour through the park, listen to cell phone descriptions of sites and stop to view some of the 1,340 monuments.
In the Old Depot Museum, visit the Vicksburg Battlefield in miniature and see more than 200 model ships. The city has another historic site that has had a global impact. Visit the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum where the popular soft drink was first bottled in 1894. Learn about the origins and evolution of the drink and its unique, highly recognizable bottle.
Watch an original American melodrama, Gold in the Hills, at the Vicksburg Theatre Guild’s Parkside Playhouse. The play has been performed every year since 1936. Other theater performances are offered throughout the year. More live performances and art films are offered at the Strand Theatre.
Try gambling at one of the town’s four casinos. Enjoy Cajun, Creole and Southern soul food at area restaurants. Spend the day shopping in downtown Vicksburg or outlet malls and relax with golf or a spa vacation.
Vicksburg is less than a 1-hour drive west of Jackson, Mississippi, the state capital. For a special treat, travel to the city on a paddlewheel steamboat on the Mississippi River as people did 200 years ago.
