16 Fun things to do in Jackson MS & places to eat

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What does it mean to be the City with Soul? This was my first question as I drove into Jackson, Mississippi, and read that namesake on the welcome sign.

I was expecting gospel handclaps, bluesy guitar riffs, and the rhythm of jazz to echo out of every red-brick facade, but I soon learned there is more to what gives Jackson this nickname than its musical legacy.

Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, though it doesn’t feel like it. It has a charming, small-town feel with magnolias blooming outside historic buildings, their petals falling like confetti across the sidewalks that are steeped in stories.

It’s equal parts grit and grace: a place where civil rights landmarks sit next to cutting-edge galleries, and where smoky barbecue joints and live music venues are packed shoulder to shoulder day and night.

With world-class museums that reveal the complicated, inspiring, humbling, and thought-provoking history of the city, and music clubs that keep it up ‘til dawn, there are so many things to do in Jackson MS, it deserves your time.

1. Visit The Mississippi Museum of Art

The Mississippi Museum of Art has been a community-supported institution for over 100 years. It’s not like other art galleries and is more than just the stunning art collection – it’s a vibrant cultural center that offers outside movies, bands, and food trucks, and the café inside is meant to be stellar.

We only experienced the art within the museum, which features a lot of local and national artists and brilliantly tells the story of Mississippi.

I love the blend of old and modern art within each section of the museum, which is broken down into historical timelines.

I was super impressed with the quality of the art collection.

We were led through the museum by two teaching fellow students who helped us gain more from the pieces with the background stories and additional insights that those with a trained artistic eye can see.

I love how there are interactive sections for the kids, and my girls, not used to art museums, really enjoyed it.

2. Take the kids to the Mississippi Children’s Museum

If you’re traveling with kids in Jackson, the Children’s Museum is a good shout. We’ve been to a few Children’s Museums in our travels, but the Mississippi Children’s Museum in Jackson was by far the best we’ve been to.

Firstly, the spacious, light, and bright design of it draws you in and opens the right framework for learning and engagement. I didn’t realize how important this was until I walked in and felt it.

The Museum has a mission to improve health, literacy, and overall well-being for children, and the activities reflect this.

It’s highly engaging, creative, and educational.

There are climbing walls, a real car you can pretend to drive, a giant Scrabble board, and cycling skeletons.

There is a music and dance room where you can create and record, and an art room with volunteers teaching art lessons.

And there is a large digestive system (i.e. giant tunnel playground) that gurgles and farts as you move through it until you poop out the end in the toilet bowl!!

There’s also a Literacy Garden outside, which is a 13,000 square feet garden and playground with artworks, fountains, and climbing towers.

3. Learn at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

We will always remember the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science for the two-headed snake.

Have you ever seen one before? Me neither! It freaked us all out!

Apparently, the snakes were twins in the egg but stopped the splitting process, and so now they are one with two heads.

Just when you thought snakes couldn’t be any scarier. (I love them!!)

There are plenty of cute alligators and turtles, as well as reptiles and amphibians, to look at, too. There’s also a great section on energy conservation, which leads a discussion on what we can do better in our lifestyle.

If you want to stretch your legs, there is an outside area with a few nature trails to walk around, and some picnic areas too.

4. Step back in time at the Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Museum

The Agricultural Museum is on a large block of land and has a small historical town area, which features farm animals, a barn, a large indoor model train display, cotton bales, old crop dusters, and more.

The museum also has a Heritage Center where you can learn all about the past, from the construction of the railway and other modes of transport, to how the land was used for agriculture. You can also see historical artifacts.

My girls enjoyed the printing room the most.

We learned how printing has evolved, and they had the opportunity to use an old printing machine. They learned how phrases such as mind your p’s and q’s came from the old style of printing.

It’s just so easy to produce words for others to read now with the online world!

Note to self: Never complain about how hard blogging is again.

5. See sporting legends remembered at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum

If you’re a sports fan, check out the Sports Hall of Fame.

When I first met Craig, I knew about Jerry Rice about an hour into our conversation. He has been his sporting hero for many years.

So it was quite a thrill for him to visit the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, where Jerry Rice, alongside a few other Mississippi sporting legends, like Brett Favre, Walter Peyton, Archie Manning, and Dave “Boo” Ferriss are recognized.

Start with the short video so you can learn just how important sports are to the state of Mississippi and how many sporting legends come from there.

There are some Super Bowl MVP trophies, Olympic gold medals, and more all on display, for you to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at!

The girls liked cartwheeling about in the replica baseball stadium and racing on the short sprint track.

6. Learn about important history at the Museum of Mississippi History

The Museum of Mississippi History is in the same building as the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, and together they are known as the Two Mississippi Museums.

They were both only opened in December 2017, which means the displays are modern, engaging, and interactive.

The city was founded in 1821 and was named after Andrew Jackson. It quickly became big in political, economic, and social activity, and has a rich civil war and civil rights history.

You can tell they’ve learned how to do a museum right. The theme of the Museum of Mississippi History, which covers the entirety of the state’s history, is “One Mississippi, many stories.”

I was expecting the girls to be whining about being bored as soon as we entered, so I was shocked to see them race from one display to the other, taking a keen interest, engaging with the story and interactive exhibits.

Videos share stories of specific historical events throughout the museum if you want to deepen the experience.

The girls loved the Reflections section at the end, where you’re invited into the recording room to share your own history stories.

7. Don’t miss the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Be prepared. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum can be a little overwhelming.

There is a lot to take in, much of it traumatic.

There is a section in the museum on lynching, which we were warned about regarding the girls. There’s a curtained section with some disturbing footage about it, which we skipped.

It’s a brutal story that cannot be glazed over, though. It’s important to remember the past and use it as a reminder of how to be better.

This monument to the heroes and martyrs of the movement shows how willing the people of Mississippi are to embrace the pain of the past to heal and move forward.

We had been following the Civil Rights Trail a lot on our travels, in Memphis and Montgomery, so it was great to further deepen the story and learn about some civil rights activists and new heroes like Medgar Evers.

If you’re in the city to visit the Jackson museums, don’t miss this one! It’s one of the best tourist attractions in the city.

8. Pay a visit to Medgar Evers Home

I was surprised I did not know anything about Medgar Evers, and I am glad that I learned about his Civil Rights activism.

He was a significant and influential Civil Rights leader in Mississippi. He tirelessly worked to overturn segregation and maintain voting rights for African Americans and was the Field secretary for the NAACP.

As a result, his life was constantly under threat, and sadly, he was brutally assassinated in his driveway in 1963 by a white supremacist.

You can take private tours of his house, organized through Tougaloo University. Tours by appointment only.

His house is now a national historic landmark and a time capsule for middle-class African American life in the 1960s.

Minnie Watson took us through the home and shared details of Medgar’s early life and career, and we saw the bullet holes from when the bullet went through his chest and into the house, ricocheting around the kitchen.

You will leave with a heavy heart. Honor those who bravely sacrificed to create a better world.

Hot Tip: Some other attractions in Jackson you may want to consider learning about the history: Author Eudora Welty House and Boyd House in Jackson come highly recommended as hot attractions. There are also the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center, the Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, and the Old Capitol Museum

9. Stargaze at the Russel C. Davis Planetarium

If you’re interested in space exploration, then you’ve got to make a trip to the South’s largest and best-equipped planetariums! The Russel C Davis Planetarium is known for its giant hemispheric theater, which has a 4k full-dome digital projection system and really makes learning about the stars come to life.

The museum hosts many festivals and film screenings, which offer a fully immersive experience of the land of space.

The Russell C. Davis Planetarium was built to educate on everything space-related, but it has since moved on from that. It is also a venue showing comedy shows, fashion shows, and so much more.

Make sure to check out their Facebook page to see what’s on before you visit Jackson.

10. Get musical at Blue Mondays at Hal and Mal’s

No to miss on your Jackson list – experiencing the Blues. Of course, that’s what makes a city have soul!

There are several places in Jackson where you can find live blues music, but Hal and Mal’s is a Jackson institution known for its food and live music. It’s also one of the most family-friendly places we discovered to experience blues music.

If you’re looking for entertainment in Jackson, this should be top of your list.

It was opened in 1985 by brothers Hal and Mal in a former 1920s GM&O freight train depot building in the heart of downtown Jackson.

Its quirky and retro interior perfectly matches the warmth of a Southern Blues jamming session, which is what you’ll get on a Monday night at Blue Monday (which is held in the red room of the restaurant).

We did not eat here, the kitchen was closed, but we saw plenty of people bringing in their own snacks!

On Mondays between 7pm and 11pm, for a small $5 cover charge, you can experience a blues jamming session hosted by the Central Mississippi Blues Society.

The regular band plays a series of upbeat tunes and then invites members of the audience to get up and sing and play with them. You just never know who might get up. You perhaps?

Blue Monday is friendly, relaxed, fun, and suitable for kids.

It is one of the most enjoyable and soulful things to do in Jackson, MS. We loved it.

11. Sip and enjoy live music at Cathead Distillery

Our first introduction to Jackson was the Cathead Distillery, an old airy warehouse that gives it a hip industrial feel.

Wow! That was my initial reaction.

This is my kinda place. If this is what Jackson is like, then I know it’s for me. We arrived for a BBQ and Blues event, one of the many events it hosts throughout the year.

Although the BBQ and Blues event was unique to our visit, this distillery often has live music and various food-related events, making it the perfect place to go for a night out.

Outside sat a food truck where you could grab your BBQ nachos or tacos, and inside were visiting local breweries and a sampling bar of the Cathead liquor.

Cathead is the first and oldest distillery in Mississippi. Its name honors the rich musical history, as Cathead was a term used by blues musicians as a nod to artists they respect.

Since its beginning, their vodka (including their honeysuckle and pecan versions) and gin have become baseline bottles for any cocktail bars across the South.

With corn hole, giant jenga and connect 4 games there was a playful and relaxed atmosphere and on the stage in front of the giant fermentation tanks and copper-columned still was a five-piece Blues band playing some upbeat tunes.

When we went to leave, we randomly started talking to a fellow, who turns out to be the head distiller of the vodka and once lived in Adelaide.

He introduced us to one of the owners, chatted for a bit and gave us a bag of his unique honeysuckle vodka to take home.

Welcome to the warmth and friendliness of Jackson. We’d arrived at the right place.

Check thewebsite for events, like the BBQ and Blues.

12. Take a guitar lesson at Fondren Guitars

Time to get licking and riffing with a guitar lesson at Fondren Guitars.

Owner and local musician, Patrick Harkins sat down with the girls to teach them a few simple E chord strums to bring out the blues sound.

He was very patient and encouraging and had an artistic, soulful vibe.

The girls had fun, and it sounded great.

I was hooked listening and, after Savannah’s request for a guitar, I was thinking about throwing one in for myself.

Getting a guitar lesson on vacation is something I’ve never considered before.

Jackson, Mississippi, the birthplace of the Blues, is the perfect place to have one. It brings a unique and soulful experience to your travels and perhaps introduces you to a new hobby (or potential career).

13. How about a little Southern Soul Pampering?

Kalyra and Savannah adored getting a pedicure at the Soul Spa at the Westin Hotel. I think they were made for Southern living.

Savannah’s fits of giggles over her ticklish feet were highly entertaining for us all.

Craig and I ducked back to the Spa ourselves with a therapeutic couples’ massage – yes to instant shoulder tension relief and a divine 80 Soulful personalized facial that left my skin feeling soft and looking radiant.

Note to self: do this more often.

Carve out a fair amount of time for your trip to the Soul Spa, as they have saunas, a tranquil relaxation room, and the best digital shower ever.

Ramp up the indulgence on a Sunday with unlimited Mimosas. Yes, puhlease!

14. Wander around the Mississippi Petrified Forest & Caveman’s Bench

One of the most beautiful sites in Mississippi has to be the Petrified Forest. This 36-million-year-old forest is located just outside Jackson in the town of Flora, just a 30-minute drive from downtown.

The forest is considered a National Natural Landmark and offers walking trails through the mossy green landscape, which gives you a close-up look at the petrified logs.

A petrified forest is a sort of fossilized wood – it happens when plant materials are replaced with certain minerals, which preserves the forest in a frozen state. Along the trail, you’ll see logs where nature has decided to put them.

One of the biggest attractions in the forest is Caveman’s Bench, which is a bench-shaped petrified wood where visitors can sit and rest.

15. Round of golf at Lefleur’s Bluff State Park

For outdoor lovers and golf fans, don’t miss a stop by LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. This public recreation area is just within the city limits of Jackson, near the Pearl River, and is an area of natural beauty.

It is home to the gorgeous Mayes Lake that spans 50 acres, a 9-hole golf course and driving range, and is also where you’ll find the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.

The area is a lush green space that offers a relaxing escape from the bustling downtown. Visitors can go camping, fishing, or walking around the many nature trails.

Pack a picnic lunch, or take the kids to the LeFleur’s Bluff Education and Tourism Complex, the largest playground in the Southeast, for soulful kind of play.

16. Go wild at Jackson Zoo

Another landmark not to be missed off your itinerary is the Jackson Zoo. It’s not just a center for wildlife, but it’s also running conservation efforts, too.

The zoo houses animals of North American and South American species, from exotic birds to monkeys. There is also a splash pad included in the price, which young kids will love.

Kids will love riding the carousel and train ride, which is an additional fee, but so worth it!

Places to eat in Jackson, Mississippi

Time to put some Soul in your stomach, as the food scene in Jackson is next to none. Even the fussiest eater won’t be able to resist the depth and soul with delicious contemporary twists we found in Jackson.

It’s not all about ham hocks, deep-fried chicken, and okra in Jackson, Mississippi. Our only disappointment was that we were left with several must-not-miss recommendations left unchecked.

Bully’s Restaurant

Welcome to a soul food kitchen that has served its community for over 35 years.

From the outside, it’s low-key and humble, but on the inside, it’s some of the best soul food you can have in the South.

Bully’s Restaurant received the 2016 James Beard Award for America’s Classic Food. That is a restaurant that has timeless appeal and is cherished for quality food that reflects the character of its community.

The Food Network featured their tender and flavorful BBQ ribs and named Bully’s Restaurant #4 on their Top 5 Soul Food Restaurants in the country.

You can go crazy with some Southern delights like chitterlings, oxtails, ham hocks, neckbones, turkey wings, meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, and fried green tomatoes.

Due to an immensely full stomach after days of good Jackson eating, I settled on a vegetable plate.

They were the tastiest lima beans, collard greens, and black-eyed peas I’ve ever had. And that cornbread! To die for.

Don’t miss Bully’s.

Brent’s Drugs Malt Shop Soda Fountain

If you’re looking for a treat for the kids, and you, don’t miss Brent’s Drugs!

Brent’s Soda Fountain has been operating since 1946, and happily maintains its old-school soda fountain style.

It was originally a pharmacy that served milkshakes to ice cream to the community as they waited for prescriptions to be filled.

In 2009, it opened as a diner serving burgers, hot dogs, and other family favorites.

The soda fountain and classic bar stools remain in the original 1946 location, but the kitchen now sits where the pharmacy once was.

I loved how Brent’s retains the retro 50’s charm with its turquoise and chrome decor. It oozes southern hospitality. The movie The Help was filmed here.

The hot fudge Sundae was nostalgic to my childhood, and the Nutella milkshake the girls chose was just divine.

Parents, if you can manage to find a sitter for the kids, sneak out the back door to the Speakeasy hidden in the back of Brent’s.

Apothecary is a small, intimate space that maintains its old pharmacy feel with the old medicine drawers making a feature wall behind the bar.

You can order your medicine of choice and sip your libations in what has where you can sip your libations in what has been noted as one of the best cocktail bars in the South.

The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen

I was hesitant to order duck for breakfast, but I’m so glad I took the plunge to add another dimension to the Soulful food experience we were having in Jackson.

The duck leg over polenta, maple glaze, and fried egg was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.

I could not get over how something so simple, yet so unique, could deliver so much intoxicating flavor.

I snuck a spoonful of Craig’s southern smashed hash browns, which were so creamy and delicious.

It’s an eclectic menu that is seasonal and locally sourced where possible.

The food fuses Southern classics with flavors borrowed from across the Mediterranean. Chic, rustic, and delightful,

The Manship is in the historic Belhaven neighborhood and is an entirely wood-fired kitchen, because, as they say, without flavor, how can you ignite?

One of the real locals’ favorite restaurants in Jackson, MS.

Iron Horse Grill

The Iron Horse Grill has a rich heritage in Jackson. Having been built as the Armour Smokehouse in 1906, it became the Iron Horse Grill restaurant in 1986, but mysteriously, it burned down twice before being abandoned in 1999.

In 2013, it rose from the ashes again when a group of locals committed to restoring its former glory serving up food and music to the people of Jackson.

We went with The Iron Horse signature dish, the Navajo Chicken, breast grilled over an open fire with sautéed mushrooms & onions and topped with Monterrey jack cheese.

You can choose from a wide variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and fajitas, and they have a Sunday brunch of waffles and omelets.

Live music is frequently performed on the stage at the Iron Horse Grill.

We enjoyed some Sunday Jazz over our brunch.

There’s also a Mississippi Music museum on the second floor, which is a tribute to the deep roots of blues music in the state.

There’s a timeline hall starting in the 1800s to the current music scene, with unique life-sized wax models depicting the musical story.

It’s a stop on the famous Mississippi Blues Trail and another Jackson tourist attraction for music lovers.

Sal & Mookie’s

Sal & Mookie’s was made for families. I got this as soon as I walked up the steps to the front door.

Teams of teens crowded around the front patio, gossiping and indulging in giant ice creams.

The line was long and the tables full of families happily gorging on gigantic, New York-style gourmet pizzas.

Don’t worry if you have a bit of a wait – it’s worth it – but you can pass the time watching the chefs mold, spin, and flip the 18-inch pizza bases from the window looking into the open-air kitchen.

I’m telling you, there is some pizza being made each day at Sal & Mookies, as we saw a lot of pizza spinning into that brick-lined oven, and there was no time for pausing.

You can be as loud as you like with your kids here, you’ll be right at home, and the service is that warm Southern style you’ve come to expect traveling in the Deep South.

It’s a shame it was raining, as sitting out on the deck would have made it a perfect evening.

We recommend the Franklin Street pizza with creamy spinach & artichoke spread, grilled chicken, jalapenos, and creole seasoning, and the Upper Westside with feta shrimp and sun-dried tomatoes.

And for the kids, you can let them indulge in a Double Stuffed Oreo supreme sundae or line up at the ice cream counter to choose their favorite scoop.

Okay, adults, you can too.

Magic Show at Char Restaurant

Char Restaurant is a classy steakhouse joint that serves contemporary Southern cuisine made from the highest quality ingredients in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

We enjoyed a delicious three-course meal in a private room while the host, and local magician, Joe Presto, shared some mind-blowing magic tricks.

How did he do that?

The girls loved the show and have since been practicing how to turn a fork into a spoon.

It’s an experience they’ll always remember of Jackson.

Broad Street Baking Company

Broad Street Bakery is owned by a family that has been baking bread for generations with old-world recipes passed down from Eastern Europe.

All their pastries, bread, desserts, and cookies are made by hand.

They even bake gluten-free bread!

You can pop in for a sweet baked treat (such as our girl’s favorite, cinnamon rolls), or for some paninis, burgers, pizzas, and omelets on their extensive menu.

We visited for breakfast, and my recommendation to start the day is a delicious spinach, Portobello mushroom, and goat cheese omelet!

Where to stay in Jackson: Westin, Jackson MS

The Westin Jackson is one of the newest hotels in Jackson, Mississippi – and like most things in Jackson, they have perfected the art of Southern hospitality and style.

We thoroughly enjoyed our four-night stay here. It was comfortable and classy and the service friendly and efficient.

Over the past few years, I’ve morphed into someone who cares about fitness facilities in our accommodation. I’m training hard every day at our local gym, so I don’t want to lose the routine or habit.

The fitness center at The Westin was large and came fully equipped with everything I use for my fitness and weight training regimen. I was impressed. We’d stayed at several hotels before The Westin in Jackson on our road trip, and the fitness centers were small and lacking in some of the equipment I wanted.

There is also an indoor pool that the girls enjoyed, an on-site restaurant, and of course, the divine Soul Spa.

Final thoughts

Before visiting, I only knew of Jackson MS because of its Deep South Blues history and complicated slavery and Civil Rights history – and I knew I loved saying Jackson, Mississippi, with that Southern Drawl.

Now, I love it for its diversity of thriving arts and music culture, and open, friendly people. I was impressed with how this city has embraced its challenging past and is willing to evolve into something better.

Oh, and the food. I can’t forget the food in Jackson!

We had some of the best food we’ve had so far in the US – fresh, creative with a modern twist on some soulful Southern dishes.

What about you? What are you most excited to do in Jackson? Let us know in the comments!

More Travel Tips for the South

Are you thinking of visiting other cities in the South? Then you might like to check out our other resources:

• Exciting Reasons Jackson MS is a soulful family getaway
• Best things to do in Nashville with Kids
• Fun Things to do on the Gulf Shores Alabama
• Best Things to do in New Orleans with Kids
• Insanely cool things to do in Memphis
• Fun and Interesting Things to do in Mobile Alabama
• Spectacular Florida vacation spots
• Inspiring Things to do in Montgomery Alabama
• Fun Things to do in Knoxville TN for a family vacation

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