Hattiesburg at night (Image: Getty)
If you want a holiday with a difference then, America needs to be on your list.
There’s so much to do in this massive country and so much to explore it can be hard to choose – of course you have the classics like or Florida, but why not try somewhere a little more offbeat?
Mississippi, known as the birthplace of blues music, has some incredible cities to explore and one of these is Hattiesburg, famed for its incredible military history museums and thriving food scene.
Hattiesburg is located in a subtropical climate where winters are short and mild and summers are hot and humid.
Brits seeking an off-the-beaten path American holiday can enjoy Hattiesburg’s sunny 24C weather in February.
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City Hall in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Image: Getty)
Hattiesburg is home to 200 locally owned restaurants, giving it more local dining options per capita than anywhere else in the state.
Southern Living reports that this is largely thanks to two restaurateurs: Robert St. John and Nelson Haskin.
St. John’s restaurants have been Hattiesburg institutions for over 30 years. His eateries include the Tex-Mex restaurant El Rayo; The Midtowner, Crescent City Grill; Tabella; and Ed’s Burger Joint – all with something different on offer but equally delicious.
Nelson Haskin’s five restaurants are downtown with varying specialties. For a nice steak or seafood dinner, Bourbon on Front – the city’s only rooftop bar – is the place to go.
Casual dining spots include Hattiesburgers and Blues, Nellie’s Chicken and Daquiris, and breakfast at Southbound Bagels & Coffee.
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Late evening sunset in the city of Hattiesburg, Mississippi (Image: Getty)
Hattiesburg has a rich history. In addition to the African American Military History Museum, Hattiesburg is also home to the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum.
While wandering through the exhibits, visitors can learn wartime history and admire a variety of artefacts. Multiple educational activities are also available for school children and teenagers.
There’s also the , a civil rights museum that’s housed in the second brick school building for Black students in Mississippi. Here, you can learn all about the role this city played in the Civil Rights Movement.
If you want to see more, you could travel to Tupelo, the birthplace of the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ himself, .
Here you can visit a museum full of artifacts from his childhood. The Delta Blues Museum located in Clarksdale presents the history of the blues through photographs, written words and instruments.