During the month of February, I found myself with a spare week for travel. “Where shall I go?”, I kept asking myself. Two things were for certain: My travel destination would need to be warmer than my own state in the Northeastern USA and it would need to be home to several interesting historic or cultural experiences. The location would have to be somewhere in the United States, since last minute airfare abroad can be costly. Mississippi was the winner! The cost-effective flights purchased on Priceline.com landed in New Orleans. A convenient Greyhound bus would take me across the border into Mississippi for approximately $35. My goal was to visit three regions of the state: the southern Gulf Coast, the northwestern Delta, and the central capital of Jackson.
Logan Airport in Boston provided me with a nice option for dinner before my flight. Stephanie’s Restaurant at Terminal B served up a nice veggie burger on vegan oat bread with a side salad.
When my flight arrived in New Orleans, it was around midnight and time to get some sleep at the airbnb, before an early rise the following morning. I was delighted that the New Orleans vegan dining scene had increased since my last visit in 2005. Several vegan restaurants now reside within the city. I took a taxi to Superfood Bar (Superfood Bar) for my morning meal. This juice and smoothie cafe offers some raw meals and breakfast items. My breakfast choice was the Acai Bowl with acai pudding(blueberries, avocados, dates, acai), granola, goji berries, topped with coconut flakes and raisins.
For a refreshing am beverage, I selected the Tropical smoothie with mango, bananas, pineapple, coconut, maca, vitamin C, and coconut oil, topped with coconut flakes.
A few raw desserts can be found in the glass display case. I purchased the raw brownies. They were quite tasty.
This “health-conscious” casual cafe is a great addition to New Orleans’ vegan dining scene.
After breakfast, I headed to the Greyhound Bus terminal to board the bus for the hour and a half ride to Biloxi, Mississippi. This was the heart of the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. I was able to find a few suitable and satisfying vegan meal options in the Gulf.
Happycow.net listed a Greek restaurant “Mr. Greek”(Mr. Greek Restaurant) in Biloxi that may be vegan-friendly. That was my lunch stop upon arrival in Biloxi. My lunch selection was the grape leaves, side salad, and Greek Olives. The owner/chef was kind enough to give me some pita bread that was not grilled with non-vegan food or with butter. The meal was tasty and filling.
The Gulf Coast shores extend for many miles across several towns within the state. Palm trees line its edges.
From Biloxi, a short taxi ride brought me to my destination for the night in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. My airbnb host was very helpful and welcoming. She gave me a ride into town so that I may shop for a while at a vegan-friendly market. Five Seasons Whole Foods Market (Five Seasons Whole Foods Market) offers organic, non-gmo, as well as some vegan food items and snacks. I purchased a ricemilk chocolate bar and a vegan cookie.
My hospitable host then dropped me off at a local beach where I could enjoy some time strolling along the Gulf Coast shores. To my left was a lengthy boardwalk and pier. On my right, the view rendered a not-so-distant city in the background.
As I started walking back into town to peruse the shops, the sky started darkening further and the winds picked up. There was indeed a tornado watch in effect. A lady getting about to get into her auto, noticed me walking in the ominous weather and offered me a ride into town. No sooner had I gotten into the passenger seat, then a torrential downpour had begun. Southern Hospitality had saved me from the clutches of the storm!
Several of the downtown shops displayed vibrantly colored facades. Clothing stores, unique art galleries, candy shops, and gift shops lined the downtown streets. I popped into several boutiques and even found a few vegan handbags available for purchase. Even more southern hospitality greeted me! One of the shop owners and her son offered me a ride to my restaurant of choice, as the rain had still not let up. I welcomed and accepted their gracious offer.
Ocean Springs does have one all vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurant(Good Karma Cafe) in town, but it is closed on Mondays. Hence, I dined at the other vegan-friendly restaurant in town: Mellow Mushroom (Mellow Mushroom). The national chain restaurant also offers vegan pizza and vegan calzones. The chef and staff were very accommodating and took extra special care to make certain that the vegan cheese was baked to perfection. For my dinner selection, I opted for the vegan calzone with broccoli, tomatoes, green peppers, and daiya vegan cheese. My calzone was absolutely delicious! The spacious and lively restaurant makes a great stop for any vegan visiting the Gulf Coast area.
After my flavorful and filling meal, I called a taxi to take me back to my airbnb accommodations there in Ocean Springs. After a restful and comfortable night’s sleep, breakfast time had arrived. I gobbled up the yummy vegan “cranberry orange muffin cookie” that I had purchased the prior day at Five Seasons. A taxi brought me to Biloxi in the early morning hours, for I had a bus to catch.
Once in Biloxi, the Greyhound bus whisked me away for a journey heading further northwest to the Mississippi Delta. Fortunately, the bus driver made a snack stop along the way. The lengthy drive was scenic and enjoyable while munching on some spicy New Orleans-style “Crawtator” chips that I had purchased during the snack break.
The several hour scenic drive was very pleasant as we went past swamps, forests, and vast plains. We arrived in the Mississippi Delta town of Clarksdale eager to see the landmark historic sites! The Mississippi Delta region of northwest Mississippi is known as the “Birthplace of the Blues”. Many blues musicians started their career in this area. The region is also renowned for its cotton industry and vast cotton fields. In fact, some blues musicians started out working the cotton fields before their big break in the music industry.
That Southern Hospitality continued yet again to come to my rescue. Miss Zee, the owner of the Riverside Hotel, picked me up at the bus depot and brought me to my accommodations there. Zee is a really kind, friendly, and welcoming host; in addition to being super helpful. Her grandma was the hotel’s original owner and had actually met and interacted with her famous musician guests back in the 1940s and 50s. I highly recommend spending a night here, if only to hear the stories of the blues performers, told through Zee’s stories from her grandmother. The hotel offers alot of character. Photos and news articles about jazz legends adorn the hallway walls. Many a famous blues musician visited or lived at the hotel in its heydey. Blues greats such as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Ike Turner, and many others called the Riverside their home for a while.
I was fortunate enough to book John Lee Hooker’s room for my accommodations that evening. The historic ambiance is maintained, as the original furniture remains in the room.
Across the hall, Muddy Waters room resides. A photo and description of each blues performer is located outside of their bedroom door.
After I settled into my accommodations, Zee was gracious enough to be my unofficial “tour guide” for the evening. First, she took me to the Delta Blues Museum. Blues musicians original guitars, performance outfits, and documented stories, and awards grace the walls and display cases within the building. Muddy Waters original log cabin home, was brought here from a field right outside of the city limits.
Next on the agenda, we headed to Hopson Plantation. A Blues Marker greets us at the entrance signifying the importance of blues in the cotton fields.
In 1935, this plantation became one of the first fully mechanized cotton operations in the world. The cotton plant operated until about 50 years ago. Some original cotton industry equipment remains on the grounds.
The dark of night had arrived, but we could still catch a glimpse of the sharecropper shacks on the plantation’s property. The authentic shacks were transported here, to be used as accommodations for travelers who want to experience the cotton worker’s life.
As we drove back into town, Zee pointed out several Blues Markers noting musicians that were influential in the Delta.
A local Mexican restaurant in Clarksdale was my best bet for a vegan-friendly dinner. Atzimba Restaurant (Atzimba Mexican Restaurant) is a colorful and lively restaurant offering authentic Mexican cuisine. The waitsaff recommended several sides to create a complete vegan meal. Mexican rice, chips and salsa with guacamole, and a steamed veggie plate of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots provided a tasty dish for me.
After dinner, Zee drove me to the Hambone Art&Music. Clarksdale does not have an evening taxi service. Anyone who decides to have an evening meal or attend a concert should either rent a car or obtain accommodations in the center of town. The music club does double duty as an art gallery. This particular evening a blues duo performed on guitar and keyboards, rendering a variety of superb upbeat and mellow bluesy tunes. I really enjoyed attending a blues concert in the Mississippi Delta blues region!
After the concert, Zee pointed out other blues markers across town and we even drove past a blues club owned by actor Morgan Freeman. You could not ask for a better or more helpful host than Zee!
Early the next morning it was “rise and shine” as I had to head over to the Greyhound Bus station before 7am. Zee showed me the famous Crossroads sign on the edge of town.
As I waved goodbye to my host Zee, I felt appreciative for her hospitality and for the opportunity to visit here.
After a few hours on the road, I arrived in Jackson MS, the state capital. Uber is available here, so I arranged a pickup from the bus terminal. My driver ended up giving me a tour of the significant landmarks in the city. He waited as I got out of the car and took photos of all of the local sites. It was not more expensive than an organized tour.
The first place that I wanted to visit was the home of 1960s civil rights activist Medgar Evers.
We drove through a downtown scouring for Blues Marker signs. The location of the old Alamo Theater which hosted blues greats, displays one of those markers.
In the historic African American business district on Farish Street, we found the Freedom Riders marker, outside of the old Greyhound Bus Station. Civil Rights activists got on the bus from Montgomery, Alabama; with a stop in Jackson in 1961.
Onward we went to make stops at the new State Capitol, followed by the Old State Capitol. The golden-domed new Capitol was erected in 1903.
The Old State Capitol is a Greek Revival style building, listed on the National Historic Register. Many historic legislative decisions were made here, including the drafting of the state’s constitution in 1868.
For my lunchtime meal, I dined at the High Noon Cafe (High Noon Cafe). This all vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurant offers superb menu items. I opted for the vegan paella “special of the day”.
My dessert choice was an apple crumble. A wonderful herbal tea complemented the meal. The entree and dessert were absolutely delicious! The prices were reasonable, as well.
Adjacent to the cafe is a natural foods coop store “Rainbow”(Rainbow Coop) that offers many vegan food, snack, and skincare items. I purchased some fruit and a vegan chocolate cookie for munching during my next bus ride.
When I had completed my snack shopping, we went directly to the bus terminal. My Greyhound Bus had arrived to take me on the final leg of my return journey to New Orleans. During the several hours ride, I was captivated by the ever-changing landscape from forest to muddy marshes.
An evening arrival in New Orleans, Louisiana gave me ample time to pay a visit to the city’s “all vegan” gourmet restaurant. Seed Restaurant (Seed Restaurant) offers comfort food and local New Orleans-inspired dishes.
I started with a gumbo soup,very traditional in New Orleans. The soup consisted of traditional roux , okra, green & red peppers, collard greens, and mushrooms. My main entree was the Eggplant Po’Boy sandwich with pan-fried eggplant, light cornmeal batter, roasted red peppers, and poboy bread. An herbal tea completed my meal. Everything was absolutely delicious and flavorful!
My dessert was the beignets. I was delighted that a vegan version of these oh-so-popular New Orleans doughnuts were now available! I loved the taste. Seed is a bright and spacious place offering superb cuisine. I highly recommend that vegan travelers dine there.
It was time to get some shut eye. For I had to rise early, to head to the airport for my return flight back to Boston.
My connecting flight had a brief layover in Houston. That provided enough time for me to grab a bite to eat at “The Market” cafe in the airport food court. They offer healthy meal options. My lunch was a roll-up sandwich that I had custom-created. The fillings included quinoa, lettuce, peppers, tomato, guacamole, onions, and chickpeas. The sandwich was quite tasty.
I really enjoyed my mini-vacation in Mississippi. The blues music of the Delta region, the civil rights sites in Jackson, the Gulf Coast landscape in Ocean Springs, and the wonderful vegans gave me wonderful lasting impressions.