The state of Mississippi is a southern state in the United States bordering the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. It gets its name from the Mississippi River on its western boundary, and is heavily forested except for the Mississippi Delta area which was cleared in the 19th century when cotton was cultivated. The city of Jackson is the largest metropolitan area in Mississippi, and is the State capital.

Mississippi is bordered by Tennessee on the North and Alabama on the east. The western side of Mississippi is bordered by Louisiana and Arkansas. It has long summers and mild winters that are short. While temperatures average around 95 degrees in the summer, winter months average 48 degrees and are even warmer towards the Mississippi Sound. This makes Mississippi a place that is attractive to tourists for most of the year. Summer and late fall is the season of hurricanes moving along the Gulf of Mexico.

Mississippi is comprised of lowlands with the highest point only 806 feet above sea level at the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains. Along the coastline are the large bays of Biloxi and Pascagoula, part of the East Gulf Coastal Plains. The more populated Mississippi Delta is in the northwest part of Mississippi.

Mississippi is a beautiful state with attractions that range from the historical to the many adventures on the Gulf Coast. It is known for the abundance of events and festivals throughout the year.

•World Catfish Festival – this event attracts people from all over the world, and has received awards as one of the Top 100 Events in North America, and the Top 20 Events of the Southeast. More than 20,000 people attend this event in the Belzoni-Humphreys area each year in April.

•USA International Ballet Competition – every four years the most talented dancers come from around the world to compete in this prestigious competition.

The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library is a popular tourist attraction for history buffs, as is the Delta Blues Museum and Grand Village of Natchez Indians. Near the Delta Blues Museum is a blues club and restaurant called Madidi that the actor Morgan Freeman co-owns. The Geyser Falls Water Park is a fun destination for children. The columns at Windsor Ruins are all that is left of the largest antebellum plantation home in Mississippi, and people drive to see the stately columns and imagine the lives lived in the 1800s.

A major attraction of Mississippi is the 62 miles of shoreline of the Gulf Coast. The world’s longest man-made beach is the 26-mile stretch in Mississippi where a person can go jet skiing or rent a Catamaran. There are historical museums along the Gulf Coast, as well as world-class golfing and 24-hour casinos.

Along the Mississippi West Coast in Hancock County travelers will find beautiful beaches and entertainment for the whole family along the Mississippi River. The area is popular for people looking for second homes or retirement homes, as well as for having great sporting activities, casinos and some of the best beaches in the world.