Visit USA - America's Best Travel Guide

When to visit:

Normally Mississippi has two major tourist seasons, High and Low. The High season refers the late spring and early summer, peaking in July and August, when vacationing families yearn to enjoy the water-based fun off the Gulf of Mexico. Low season draws folks fleeing the fury of winter to enjoy a little warm weather and riverboat gambling for the holiday season.

The recent destruction left by hurricane Katrina has disrupted the normal tourist seasons. Many attractions have yet to return to anything like their old capacity, and the less visited northern parts of the state are still crowded with hurricane survivors at the time of this writing.

Mississippi Facts

State Abbreviation: MS
State Capital: Jackson
Largest City: Jackson
Area: 48,434 square miles (32nd biggest state in the USA)
Mississippi Population: 2,844,658 (as of 2000)
Major Industries: farming, oil, textiles, electronic equipment, transportation equipment, fishing
Mississippi Rivers: Mississippi River , Big Black River, Pearl River, Yazoo River
Mississippi Lakes: Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake, Grenada Lake
Highest Point: Woodall Mountain - 806 feet above sea level
Bordering States: Alabama ,Arkansas ,Louisiana ,Tennessee
Bordering Body of Water: Gulf of Mexico
Origin of the Name: From the Ojibwa Indian words "mici zibi," which means "great river" or "gathering of waters"
State Nickname: Magnolia State
State Motto: By valor and arms
State Song: Go Mis-sis-sip-pi