Make Your Next Fly-In Destination Historic Natchez, Mississippi

Have you ever considered taking a vacation to Natchez, Mississippi? Natchez is located 200 miles north of New Orleans and 120 miles southwest of Jackson, Mississippi. The town is known for its amazing architecture, specifically, its antebellum mansions. Not to mention, it’s the oldest city on the Mississippi River by two years. It was founded by French colonists in 1716, and New Orleans was founded in 1718. Let’s take a look at why Natchez just might be your next fly-in vacation.

The History of Natchez, Mississippi

Natchez, Mississippi, was colonized by Frenchmen in 1716. At that time, they named it Fort Rosalie. The settlement grew and eventually housed English and Spanish colonists, as well as the French. In 1798, the area became known as the Mississippi Territory and joined the United States.

In 1817, Natchez was chosen as the first capital of the state of Mississippi. However, they never got around to building a capital building. Instead, the elected officials had to meet in people’s homes. After the Republicans won the election over the Federalists in 1802, the capital was moved to the city of Washington, but that only lasted until 1817, when the capital was moved back to Natchez. After a couple more moves, the state capital officially landed in Jackson in 1832.

Today, Natchez is known for its impressive historic buildings. Residents and visitors can view various styles of architecture, including Federal, Antebellum, Victorian, Greek Revival, and Italianate. This is because Natchez wasn’t a battleground in the Civil War. By 1861, Natchez was no longer the capital and held no strategic advantage. For that reason, many of Natchez’s historic buildings remain intact today.

Flying Into Natchez-Adams County Airport (HEZ)

Natchez-Adams County Airport (HEZ) is located six miles northeast of Natchez, Mississippi. It was first activated in 1944 and is owned and operated by Adams County. The airport has two runways. Runway 14/32 is 6,500 feet long and 150 feet wide and is purported to be in excellent condition, with the markings considered to be in good condition. Runway 18/36 is 5,000 feet long and 150 feet wide. The asphalt is considered to be in poor condition with widespread cracking, and the markings are faded.

HEZ has 100LL and Jet-A available, and it offers minor powerplant and airframe services. Bottled and bulk oxygen are not available. Pilots can tie down their airplanes on the tarmac or rent a hangar.

Natchez Offers Lots of Ways to Stay, from Motels to Historic B&Bs

Natchez offers a variety of hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts to choose from. If you’re looking for a familiar experience, you might choose the Hampton Inn and Suites, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, or the Days Inn.

If you’re looking for something more local, you might choose the Natchez Grand Hotel, the Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel, or one of the many plantation house B&Bs, like Brandon Hall Plantation Bed & Breakfast.

Natchez Grand Hotel

The Natchez Grand Hotel is located in downtown Natchez at 111 Broadway Street. It’s conveniently located across the street from the Natchez Convention Center and boasts 100 regular rooms and 19 suites. Guests can choose a river view or a historic view of downtown Natchez. Balcony rooms, jacuzzi rooms, and ADA-compliant rooms are also available.

Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel

Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel is located just a couple of blocks from the Mississippi River. The hotel is newly renovated and boasts 141 rooms. Guests can enjoy the hotel’s complimentary breakfast, outdoor pool, lobby bar, and shuttle service that operates seven days a week.

The casino is located on the Mississippi River and is easily accessible via the hotel’s shuttle rides. Guests can enjoy a variety of games, including poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, slots, and sportsbook.

Brandon Hall Plantation Bed & Breakfast

If you’re looking for historic accommodations, you might stay at Brandon Hall Plantation Bed & Breakfast. This home’s construction was completed in 1856. The B&B is located just northeast of downtown Natchez and can accommodate up to 20 guests a night. The plantation house boasts five bedrooms and two cottages. The rooms can sleep between two and three guests. One cottage can sleep up to six guests, and the other cottage can sleep two guests. Stays include breakfast.

Take in the Historic Sites

Natchez has more than 300 years of history, and that history can be viewed all over town. Some favorite historical places include Fort Rosalie, First Presbyterian Church, Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, and Longwood.

Fort Rosalie

Fort Rosalie is located at 528 South Canal Street. The fort was constructed in 1716 as a bulkhead. Today, it’s a green space with picnic tables where visitors and residents of Natchez can enjoy views of the Mississippi River while learning about the fort via the signs.

First Presbyterian Church

The First Presbyterian Church of Natchez was one of the first churches in the area. It was completed in 1829 and is revered for its Federal style architecture. It also contains a photographic record of Natchez’s early years. The photograph exhibit and the historic church can be toured from 9 AM until 4:30 PM daily.

Grand Village of the Natchez Indians

The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians encompasses 128 acres. It’s located at 400 Jefferson Davis Boulevard. The entrance can be identified by the signs and the standing wood-log fence. The site includes a museum that explains who the Natchez Indians were, a Natchez Indian house, three mounds, and a nature trail. Guests are encouraged to explore the site at their own pace and bring their own picnic lunch.

Longwood

Longwood offers year-round tours. It is one of the premier historic buildings in Natchez because the home is an octagon with a Byzantine-style dome. The design of the home was created by Samual Sloan for Haller Nutt, a cotton planter. Construction on the home began in 1860 but had to be abruptly halted due to the Civil War in 1861. The original plans called for 32 rooms, but Nutt died in 1864, and the home sat abandoned and decaying for decades. It’s now owned by the Pilgrimage Garden Club and operated as a museum home.

Natchez State Park

Natchez State Park is located 10 miles north of the city and encompasses 48,000 acres. Visitors can enjoy disc golf, boating, hiking the nature trail, picnicking, and fishing. However, if you plan to fish, remember to get a Mississippi fishing license. The park also has plenty of camping opportunities. It’s home to 50 RV sites, eight tent camping sites, and 10 cabins.

Beau Pre’ Country Club

Beau Pre’ Country Club is an 18-hole golf course. You can bring your own clubs or rent some clubs, and the fee includes the entire 18 holes plus a golf cart. Caddies are also available to be hired, and there is bar-type food available for purchase.

Natchez Dining Establishments

After exploring the historic city or golfing, you’ll probably be hungry. Thankfully, there are lots of eateries in Natchez, including the Castle Restaurant and Pub, Camp Restaurant, and Moo’s Barn and Grill. Of course, there are also ice cream parlors, shake shops, and doughnut shops.

Castle Restaurant and Pub

The Castle Restaurant and Pub began life as a carriage house and stable. The original owners had the building constructed out of stone to resemble a castle. This eatery is open for dinner, starting at 4 PM, Monday through Saturday. The restaurant is not open on Sundays. Patrons can choose from an array of dishes, including salads, bacon-crusted broiled oysters, prime filet of beef with mushrooms, grilled pork chops, southern greens, sweet corn grits, and banana cream pie.

Camp Restaurant

The Camp Restaurant is loved for its amazing hamburgers, delicious tacos, decadent sundaes, and fantastic selection of craft beers. Some favorite foods include Cajun onion rings, chips and salsa, fried pickles, warm steak salad, island chicken tacos, steak tacos, fried shrimp sandwiches, catfish plates, chicken tender platters, and hot brownie sundaes. Not to mention their amazing selection of hamburgers, like the Camp Burger, which includes carmelized onions, cheese, mayo, lettuce and tomato, The Slow Burn, which is a spicy burger that includes pepper jack cheese, jalepenos, bacon, Cajun onion rings and a special sauce, and a mushroom burger that includes Swiss cheese, mushrooms, mayo and caramelized onions.

Moo’s Barn and Grill

Moo’s Barn and Grill serves excellent BBQ, burgers, and fries. It’s a family-friendly establishment that serves lunch and dinner. Some customer favorites include bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches, roast beef sandwiches, chicken salads, coleslaw, baked beans, fried catfish and brisket bbq platters.

If you like walking tours, excellent food, and a vacation with a lot of history, you’ll love Natchez, Mississippi. Fly into HAZ, park your plane on the tarmac or in a hangar, enjoy a stay at one of the lovely bed and breakfasts, and explore the city’s antebellum mansions and outdoor recreation areas.