City I Love: Explore Jackson, Mississippi, ‘The City with Soul’
Jackson, Mississippi, is a city with depth and soul. So much so, its official motto is “The City with Soul!” Jack-town is brimming with Southern charm, making it the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Friendly locals, great restaurants, quaint shops, and a rich history — this little city has it all!
Live like a local with Direct Auto while we kick around Mississippi’s capital city. Click play in the videos below to see our favorite spots and things to do in Jackson, MS, and why it’s a city we love.
Things To Do in Jackson, Mississippi
Like what you saw? Learn more about each location we visited in Jackson!
1. Big Apple Inn
Ask any Jacksonian where you should grab a bite to eat, and the Big Apple Inn is one of the first places they’ll name. It’s been a cornerstone of Jackson’s Civil Rights community since it opened in 1939. Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers once had an office upstairs.
The oldest restaurant in Jackson is best known for its one-of-a-kind pig ear sandwiches. Yup, you read that right: pig ear sandwiches! If pig ears aren’t really your thing, try a sausage sandwich, or “smoke.” Both are topped with mustardy Mississippi-style coleslaw. Yum!
2. Brent’s Drugs
Brent’s Drugs opened in Jackson’s Fondren neighborhood in 1946 and quickly became a popular lunch spot and hangout for customers waiting for prescriptions. Although the pharmacy ceased operation in 2009, Brent’s still provides a healthy dose of nostalgia, not to mention out-of-this-world hand-spun milkshakes and other soda fountain classics. Fun fact: Brent’s served as a backdrop for a scene in the 2011 film “The Help.”
3. DEFY Jackson
Defy gravity at DEFY Jackson, an indoor trampoline park where you can have fun, goof off, and burn off those pig ear sandwiches and milkshakes! With over 35 trampolines, including launching decks, angled wall trampolines, and tons of other adrenaline-pumping features, DEFY is a place that’s fun for all ages.
4. Three Mississippi Museums
The Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum are must-sees that document the state’s rich, complex history. Located side by side in downtown Jackson, these two museums explore thousands of years’ worth of state history. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, in particular, allows visitors to discover the story of how Mississippi’s Civil Rights Movement helped change the nation.
The Mississippi Museum of Art is the largest museum in the state. It boasts an impressive permanent collection of works by Mississippi and Southern artists, plus an Art Garden with outdoor sculptures, water fountains, and green spaces where you can find your zen in the middle of downtown Jackson.
5. Mississippi Petrified Forest
You don’t need a time machine to see what a 36 million-year-old tree looks like. You don’t even have to travel very far! The Mississippi Petrified Forest in Flora, Miss., is one of two petrified forests in the eastern United States. The forest is believed to have formed millions of years ago when fir and maple logs washed down an ancient river to their current site, where they became petrified and are still here for our wonderment all these years later.
Enjoy a walk along the shaded nature trail, and be sure to check out the museum’s gem, fossil, and petrified wood collections! Did you know petrified wood is the state rock of Mississippi?
6. LeFleur’s Bluff State Park
Before it became the City of Jackson, it was known as “LeFleur’s Bluff” – named for the French Canadian explorer Louis LeFleur who established a trading post on the Pearl River in the 1700s. Today, LeFleur’s Bluff State Park is a 300+ acre urban oasis home to a lake, campgrounds, picnic areas, walking trails, and a nine-hole golf course and driving range. You can get that “off the grid” feeling without leaving city limits!
7. “Welcome to Jackson” Mural
Of course, no trip to Jack-town is complete without snapping a few pictures in front of the “Welcome to Jackson” mural at the corner of Pearl and State Streets, right next door to Jackson City Hall. Try to get there before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to avoid parked cars blocking your shot!
We’re not just passing through Jack-town; we live here! Stop by one of our local stores to get a free car insurance quote, call 1-877-GO-DIRECT (1-877-463-4732), or visit us online. We’re always a quick call, click, or drive away!
