A Southern town for architecture and blues lovers alike – an expert guide to Natchez
Why go?
Peppered with pre-Civil War structures (668 of them), Natchez is a rewarding pit-stop for architecture buffs. Poke about the city’s antebellum mansions, take in a performance of the Delta blues at the legendary Smoots, and sink a mimosa as the sun sets over the mighty Mississippi…
Cruise port location
Two cruise lines dock at Natchez. American Cruise Lines docks on the opposite side of the river from the city (in Vidalia, Louisiana), where a bus shuttles cruise-goers into town. American Queen’s smaller paddlewheelers dock at an area called Natchez Under the Hill, on the Natchez bluff, where there are restaurants and gift shops and an atmospheric old saloon bar.
Can I walk to any places of interest?
The Silver Street Gallery and gift store at Natchez Under the Hill sells pretty silverware. You’re also a short walk (12 minutes) from Natchez Under the Hill to downtown Natchez’s many museums and restaurants. From the dock at Vidalia, you’re a 40-minute walk to downtown Natchez (get the shuttle), although there’s a nice riverside walk (along Front Street) in Vidalia.
Getting around
Shuttle buses run from Vidalia to Natchez city centre every 10 to 15 minutes when American cruise lines ships are docked (stopping at Rosalie House, the Natchez Visitors Center, and the downtown shopping district; around 10 minutes to downtown). Rock n Roll taxis offer a friendly, pre-bookable service (00 1 601 446 3200). Enterprise is the only car rental company in Natchez (00 1 601 442 4600); car hire costs from £31 a day. There is no local bus system.
What can I do in four hours or less?
American Cruise Lines’ river cruises offer a complimentary two-hour excursion to Lockwood, an 18th-century plantation home, as well as premium half-day excursions to Frogmore, a working 1,800-acre cotton plantation ($30 [£25]), and Stone House, an antebellum mansion where you’ll be treated to a classical piano concert ($52 [£44]); both worth a visit. American Queen offers complimentary two-hour excursions to Rosalie, the grandest of the city’s period-fitted 18th-century mansions; William Johnson House Museum, dedicated to the life of the eponymous slave-turned-society barber; Greek revival mansion Magnolia Hall; and a two-and-a-half hour tour of Charboneau Distillery.
American Queen’s premium excursions include a champagne-soaked Southern hospitality excursion to Ginger and James’ antebellum mansion The Towers ($42 [£36], two and a half hours); and a two-hour cookery class and food-tasting at Twin Oaks, the antebellum home of local celebrity chef Regina Charbonneau (also of the distillery fame).
Going it alone is easy if you’re docked at Natchez Under the Hill. Explore the handsome downtown on foot, spending an hour or so at Rosalie Mansion (entry £13); and another at the moving Natchez Museum of African American Culture (£6); before dropping in at Smoot's Grocery, the birthplace of the Delta blues, where free concerts kick off at 4pm Wed-Sat. Or pick up a map for the self-guided downtown architecture walking tour from the Natchez Visitors Center (640 S Canal St).
What can I do in eight hours or less?
Cruises typically dock for half a day. If you’re in town for longer, head to Grand Village of the Natchez, a 120-acre site, complete with historic village and earthwork mounds, devoted to the Native Americans who gave the city its name. It’s a 14-minute cab ride from Natchez Under the Hill. If you’re feeling energetic, the 400-mile Natchez Trace Parkway follows the ancient trail route used by the Natchez, with the picturesque stretch from downtown Natchez being a favourite with local hikers and cyclists.
Eat and drink
Your on-board menu will include Mississippi classics such as pork belly pot pie; peppered oysters on toast and red fish Creole. Peckish on-shore? Pop into star chef Regina Charbonneau Epicerie on Main Street, which serves local cheeses and small plate snacks such as oven-warm biscuits (savoury scones).
Don’t leave the city without...
Darby’s homemade vanilla and peanut butter fudge is notoriously moreish and on sale at their Main Street store.
Need to know
Safety
Natchez has a high crime rate compared to similar small American cities (top one per cent), although rates of robbery, the most common crime that tourists face, are falling. Secure monies in a money-belt and leave valuables such as passports in your stateroom safe.
Best time to go
Natchez is muggy and hot from June to August (94 per cent relative humidity). March to June and October to December are the best times to visit, with reliable sunshine and cool evenings.
Opening times
Some museums and historic houses close on Sundays. Check visitnatchez.org for listings.
