Mississippi doesn’t do Christmas halfway. From million-light displays spanning 40 acres to month-long celebrations in river towns that look charming enough for a Hallmark script, the state transforms into a holiday destination that rivals any other in the South.
The only problem is choosing where to go–these towns pull you in with ice-skating rinks, historic mansions decked out in designer trees, and even choose-and-cut tree farms because the state has a surprising evergreen agricultural history that was news to me, a former resident.
While this guide hits all the festive highlights, holiday travel doesn’t end when the presents are opened. Read to the bottom and you’ll find plenty to do through the end of the year, and beyond.