Vicksburg is where the Civil War turned. The 47-day siege of 1863, ending with the city's surrender on the Fourth of July, gave the Union control of the Mississippi River and cut the Confederacy in two. The city has never forgotten it — and neither should you, because the Vicksburg National Military Park is one of the most moving historical sites in the American South.
The park stretches across 1,800 acres of battlefield, with a 16-mile tour road winding past more than 1,300 monuments, markers, and cannon positions. You can drive it, bike it, or walk sections of it. The restored USS Cairo, an ironclad gunboat raised from the Yazoo River, sits in its own museum near the park's entrance. Allow at least half a day.
Beyond the battlefield, Vicksburg is a pleasant river city built into the bluffs above the Mississippi. The historic downtown has been renovated with antique shops, local restaurants, and a walkable district of 19th-century commercial buildings. Several antebellum homes are open for tours, including Anchuca and McRaven House. The Old Warren County Courthouse Museum, from which Grant raised the Union flag, offers a good overview of the city's layered history. Vicksburg sits at the intersection of I-20 and the Natchez Trace, making it an easy stop on a road trip through Mississippi.