Staff here were lovely, it was clean and had good amenities, and we enjoyed the breakfast and the onsite bar (it used to be a brothel!) but overall, it's a bit more run-down than the photos suggest. We found that it had a lot of character, but it was not as cushy as we had expected from a "boutique hotel." However, given that it's right in the French Quarter I think it might be normal for the area. Very close to Bourbon street, and if you're in a courtyard room you will hear some street noise.
Although this is ultimately just a big man-made hill, it's pretty fascinating if you use your imagination. Having been to Mayan and Inca ruins, I found it easy to envision what this might have been in its heyday.. definitely worth a quick stop on a drive on the Great River Road, and important to remember who lived in these lands before Europeans arrived.
Tasty, greasy tamales and decent po boys.
Impressive and melancholy place. If, like us, you're not very familiar with the area's history, check out the video in the visitor's centre to get an understanding of the siege before you drive around the grounds. Pretty amazing to see how the landscape was physically altered by the war. The iron-clad river gunboat USS Cairo, which was raised from the Yazoo River in recent decades and reconstructed in the park, is a particularly dramatic sight.
We stayed here for a night in the Wilson Room. It was beautiful, comfortable, and easily the best and most unique B&B we've stayed at anywhere. Vicksburg is a bit off the beaten path, but I was glad we went here. Unfortunately, the restaurant was not open for dinner when we arrived, but Chris, one of the owners, gave us some great suggestions within walking distance. The breakfast in the morning was delicious (thanks for introducing us Canadians to cheese grits!), and the history of the house is fascinating. I'm glad I found out it was haunted *after* our stay... ;)
Impressive and a must-see - but expensive and kind of run-down at the same time. Elvis was a sad man-child that has become a kitschy symbol, but seeing his rooms full of gold records and awards reminded us that he really was a cultural force in his day.
The caves are pretty amazing - definitely book your tours ahead of time! We did the Star Chamber tour, which was a lantern-lit evening tour. I loved it - this tour focused a lot on the history of human use of/tourism in the caves. We also did the Domes & Dripstones tour the following day, which was really dramatic and cool. We camped here as well, for two nights at the Mammoth Cave campground - it was clean, well set-up, and pleasant, though the above-ground scenery is certainly not as dramatic as what's underground.