Things to Do in Vicksburg, Mississippi
The best things to do in Vicksburg, Mississippi, are touring Vicksburg National Military Park, sipping a Coke float where Coca-Cola was first bottled and walking the riverfront murals. Vicksburg is a city of 21,573 people and the seat of Warren County, on a high bluff over the Mississippi.
The Confederate surrender here on July 4, 1863, ended a 47-day siege and gave the Union control of the river. Joined with Gettysburg the day before, it’s seen as the war’s turning point. Thirty-one years later, on March 12, 1894, Joseph Biedenharn bottled Coca-Cola for the first time in a downtown candy store.
Vicksburg National Military Park
The park preserves the siege lines of 1863 on a 16-mile tour road lined with more than 1,300 monuments and markers. The Illinois Memorial has 47 steps, one for each day of the siege. Vicksburg National Cemetery, inside the park, is the resting place of more than 17,000 veterans.
★ Good to know The park is open sunrise to sunset, and the NPS app has an audio tour for the drive.
USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum
The ironclad Cairo sank in the Yazoo River on December 12, 1862, the first U.S. ship ever sunk by a torpedo. It was raised in 1964 and restored inside the military park. The NPS uses it to tell how the Union’s river navy fought for the Mississippi.
★ Good to know It’s inside the military park, so plan it as a stop on your drive rather than a separate trip.
Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum
Joseph Biedenharn and his father built this Washington Street building in 1890 for their candy business. Coca-Cola was first bottled here in 1894, and the Biedenharn family bought it back and restored it in 1979. Exhibits cover the family and a reproduction of the first bottling equipment.
★ Good to know The restored candy counter still serves Coke floats and ice cream.
Vicksburg Riverfront Murals
Louisiana muralist Robert Dafford and his team began painting the downtown floodwall in 2002 and finished in 2009. The 32 lifelike panels on Levee Street cover the siege, the Sultana, the 1927 flood and bluesman Willie Dixon. Catfish Row Children’s Art Park, with a splash fountain, is right nearby.
★ Good to know The murals are outdoors and free to see anytime.
Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum
This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers museum tells the river’s story, from the Great Flood of 1927 to the fish that live in it. It has a 1,515-gallon aquarium, an outdoor flood model and the towboat Mississippi IV to tour. Admission is free.
★ Good to know It’s across the street from the murals, so park once and walk to both.
Old Court House Museum
The Old Warren County Courthouse dates to about 1858-1860 and is now a National Historic Landmark. Its museum holds Civil War relics, 1800s clothing and quilts, and a teddy bear Theodore Roosevelt gave a local child. The 1859 courtroom is on the second floor.
★ Good to know Hours change by season; check before you go.
McRaven Tour Home
McRaven was built in three stages, in 1797, 1836 and 1849, so one house shows three architectural eras. It’s billed as the most haunted house in Mississippi. It’s one of a dozen Vicksburg tour homes open to visitors.
★ Good to know Tours of the historic homes run on their own schedules, so book ahead.
Also in town
Downtown also has the Old Depot Museum with model train layouts, the Vicksburg Civil War Museum and Catfish Row Museum on Washington Street, the Tiffany windows of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Anchuca and Duff Green mansions, and places to eat such as Walnut Hills, Rusty’s Riverfront Grill, 10 South Rooftop Bar & Grill and Key City Brewery.
How long does it take to see Vicksburg National Military Park?
The tour road is 16 miles, with more than 1,300 monuments and markers along the way. Plan at least half a day if you want to stop at the USS Cairo and the national cemetery.
Was Coca-Cola first bottled in Vicksburg?
Yes. Joseph Biedenharn first bottled Coca-Cola in his Vicksburg candy store on March 12, 1894. The building at 1107 Washington Street is now the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum.
What happened at the Siege of Vicksburg?
Grant’s Union army besieged the city for 47 days until Confederate General John Pemberton surrendered on July 4, 1863. The Union then controlled the whole Mississippi River.
What other Mississippi river towns are worth a trip from Vicksburg?
Natchez, farther down the river, is known for its antebellum homes; see things to do in Natchez. For more ideas, browse our small towns in Mississippi.
Where to find them
- Vicksburg National Military Park 3201 Clay St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Website Directions
- USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, MS 39183 Website Directions
- Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum 1107 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Website Directions
- Vicksburg Riverfront Murals 1200 Levee St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Website Directions
- Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum 910 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Website Directions
- Old Court House Museum 1008 Cherry St., Vicksburg, MS 39183 Website Directions
- McRaven Tour Home 1445 Harrison St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Vicksburg, see Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce →
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