Tucked in between Louisiana to the west and Alabama to the east, Mississippi's image could be that of just another southern state with a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico. But, people who have vacationed there tell us that it has its own distinct personality, as do its neighbors on each side. As a representative of small-town America, Mississippi resembles other states as far flung as Oregon in the West and some New England states in the Northeast. From border to border, travelers can visit one small town after another, each with its own brand of southern hospitality, moss-covered oaks, historic homes and battlefield sites — and beaches when the towns are on the Gulf.

Famous sons and daughters of Mississippi are remembered in such hometowns. They include literary stalwarts like William Faulkner, Eudora Welty; talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey, and music giants like B.B. King, Elvis Presley and Leontyne Price.

Who goes there? It's popular mostly with people from nearby states, with a sprinkling of visitors from the West and Midwest. When do they go? Families without children can visit the warm Gulf Coast at the best time -- winter — when crowds are smaller. Otherwise, Mississippi is a year-round vacation destination, thanks to temperate weather.

Take a bike trip along the river from New Orleans to Memphis on the Mississippi River Trail. There are several other route choices, and you can participate in bike rides with local bicycle clubs.

Rent a canoe or kayak, and paddle your way through the waters of the Black Creek Wilderness Trail or a number of other scenic water routes.

Go deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. If you are feeling lucky, enter the Mississippi Deep-Sea Fishing Rodeo on the Gulf Coast in July. The annual saltwater/freshwater event includes competitions for all ages.

Jump out of an airplane over Biloxi or Gulfport — after taking skydiving instructions.

Do some hiking and rock climbing in the Tishomingo State Park in northeastern Mississippi.

Attend one of the Thursday night bluegrass and country music sessions, called Pickin’ on Courthouse Square, in Corinth. It is one of several such opportunities to hear bluegrass, country and gospel music. In some towns, the sessions are monthly.

Attend Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast or in Natchez.

If you have the brawn — and are willing to wear a kilt — compete in the Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival on the Gulf. The competitions include the hammer toss and caber throw (the latter essentially involves tossing a telephone pole around). If that idea leaves you winded, concentrate on the festival part: reenactments, arts and crafts, bagpipe players and the like.

Go bird-watching at the Gulf Islands National Seashore or Sandhill Crane National Refuge, two among many wildlife management areas and refuges in the state. A number of festivals have birding themes, such as the Stork and Cork Birding Festival at Tara Wildlife Management near Vicksburg.

Pack your gear, get a license and fish Mississippi’s lakes and rivers for bass, catfish and a number of other fish. Or, show up at the April World Catfish Festival in Belzoni, which is called the Catfish Capital of the World.

Go horseback riding along the Shockaloe Horse Trail in the Bienville National Forest, or take the Natchez Trace Scenic Trail. There are several horse shows you can attend, too.

Attend the midsummer Choctaw Indian Fair at the Choctaw Indian Reservation and see a demonstration of stickball, the oldest field game in America. The event features traditional tribal arts, crafts and dancing, plus modern elements like country and rock entertainers.

Take a Mississippi riverboat cruise. Or, charter a boat for some exploring of your own.

Attend the Delta Bear Affair Festival in Rolling Fork, and participate in nature-focused activities, including birding and equestrian trail rides. The fest celebrates a famous Teddy Roosevelt bear hunt (that led to the creation of the teddy bear) and supports restoration of the black bear to the Delta.

Hear blues at clubs along Highway 61, called the Blues Highway. Add some daytime sightseeing with a music theme. See the home, in Meridian, of Jimmie Rodgers, called the Father of Country Music, and visit the boyhood home in Tupelo and last home, Graceland, in Memphis of Elvis Presley. Then, overnight at the Heartbreak Hotel.

Attend Biloxi’s Shrimp Festival which marks the opening of the shrimp-fishing season. One feature of the May event is the blessing of the shrimp fleet.

Choose from any of a list of casinos found along the Gulf Coast, then gamble and take in some of the live entertainment on offer.

Visit the world’s only cactus plantation in Edwards. Buy a few plants to take home.

Time your trip to Natchez to coincide with the spring or fall pilgrimages, meaning tours that let you see the insides of historic homes and churches. The city has more antebellum structures (600) than any other American city. More than 1,000 of its buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Visit the homes of the famous, such as Rowan Oak, the Oxford home of writer William Faulkner, and Rosemont, the boyhood home in historic Woodville of the Confederate President Jefferson Davis. (Davis’ last home, Beauvoir in Biloxi, is undergoing major repairs due to heavy damage by Hurricane Katrina.)

Tour Civil War battlefields at Shiloh National Military Park and Vicksburg National Military Park. If you can time it right, see Civil War reenactments in Vicksburg.

Play golf. There are more than 145 courses to choose from.

For more information, consult the Mississippi Division of Tourism at www.visitmississippi.org To find a Mississippi Specialist, go to www.visitmississippi.org/TravelCourse/agentsearch.aspx.

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