Welcome to Mississippi

Feeling good! That's what Mississippi is all about. If you come in from the north, you'll start to feel it in the Delta with the soulful blues music. The majestic Mississippi River will greet you at the western border, and the sweet smell of magnolias will bring you in from the east, setting the stage for the tranquil natural environment that soothes you with its beauty. Approaching from the south, the shimmering Gulf of Mexico and carefree way of life will refresh and prepare you for the myriad of activities that are in store.

MISSISSIPPI, THE SOUTH'S WARMEST WELCOME
Mississippi life is based on deep cultural roots and a tradition of treating others kindly. Nowhere is that more evident than in Columbus. You can say hello to total strangers and they'll ask how you've been getting along. Mississippi has an infinite amount of pleasant surprises, and if you take it easy, you're bound to stumble across a few. Mississippians have a way of blending the past with the present to create a unique and inviting world. Learn more by visiting Columbus' Tennessee Williams Welcome Center, located at 300 Main St. in downtown Columbus. It's located in the yellow Victorian home that was the boyhood home of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tennessee Williams, who was born in Columbus in the early 1900s. But it's Civil War history that dominates Columbus. The town has more than 600 structures on the National Register of Historic Places. You can spend many an afternoon touring antebellum mansions, built during Columbus' golden age when cotton was king, then spend the evening surrounded by the sights and sounds of entertainment complexes in town or a short drive away. Visit Friendship Cemetery, "where flowers healed a nation" and where the first Memorial Day was observed. Visit one of the nearby Civil War battlefields or ancient Native American mounds where history was made, or spend hours in antique shops and find a piece of history to take home. Museums and collections can be found in virtually every town, each one giving a personal account of Mississippi. Modern resorts, water parks and fine dining are nearby, too, with the evolving Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, Mississippi. You'll probably taste more than a hint of Mississippi's rich history in the flavor of dishes ranging from fried catfish to cornbread, and that old Southern leisure ethic is sure to prevail wherever you decide to unwind. And if you think there's nothing "major league" about Mississippi, only hours away are the Atlanta Braves, Falcons and Hawks; Saints and Hornets in New Orleans, Memphis and Birmingham; the Mississippi and Alabama coasts; and the Florida Panhandle are all popular weekend getaways.

The varied natural environments found in Mississippi provide for a wide array of outdoor fun. The state offers 17 million acres of woodlands filled with wildlife. Mississippi's wilderness is perfect for hiking, bird watching and hunting, with first-class campgrounds throughout the state. You're never very far from a body of water in Mississippi. The safe and scenic Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway is a boon to water sports and recreation, and the 9,000-acre lake it created at Columbus is one of the top 20 bass fishing spots in the country. Lake Lowndes State Park offers water sports, fishing, cabins, campgrounds and an indoor sports center. The Gulf Coast, a five hour drive away, is the setting for sunning, swimming, sailing and fishing. Mississippi is a wealthy source of Southern culture. Creativity is the foundation of Mississippi's heritage. Columbus' cultural affairs include an active arts council, two private theaters, community theater, an art association, year-round festivals and ongoing events at local universities and churches. Columbus has several Top 20 Tourism Events in the Southeast: the annual spring "Pilgrimage" tours of antebellum homes, the annual Market Street Festival in downtown Columbus and Christmas on the Tenn-Tom, and a flotilla of lighted boats cruising the waterway to name a few.

Even though they vary greatly, all aspects of Mississippi life somehow seem to have something in common. Whether you're admiring handmade quilts on the side of the road or zipping up your sleeping bag in a national forest, you know you're in Mississippi. No matter what you do, you'll feel you own the wide-open spaces and you'll feel the warm welcome. For more information about Mississippi, call (800) 927-6378 or visit the South's Warmest Welcome at http://www.visitmississippi.org. For local information call (800) 327-2686 or visit http://www.columbus-ms.org. History lovers can call the Columbus Historic Foundation directly at (800) 920-3533.