You’re better off knowing which attractions are worth your hard-earned vacation dollars.
Some places charge admission fees that would make a Broadway theater blush.
Others promise experiences so authentic you’ll feel like you’ve time-traveled, then deliver something closer to a high school drama production.
Your retirement savings deserve better than overpriced disappointment disguised as Southern charm.
1. Elvis Presley Birthplace, Tupelo
The King of Rock and Roll was born in this tiny two-room shotgun house in 1935.
The museum draws thousands of Elvis fans each year hoping to connect with their idol’s humble beginnings.
You’re paying admission to see a small wooden shack that takes about 10 minutes to walk through.
The gift shop is overpriced and filled with generic Elvis merchandise you can find anywhere.
You’re better off visiting Graceland in Memphis if you want a real Elvis experience.
Why It’s On This List: Charging tourists to peek inside a basic two-room house feels like highway robbery, especially when there’s not much to actually see.
2. Vicksburg Battlefield Gift Shops
Vicksburg National Military Park is a legitimate historical site where a crucial Civil War battle took place in 1863.
The battlefield itself tells an important American story.
The surrounding tourist shops prey on visitors with overpriced Civil War trinkets and mass-produced “historical” items made in China.
These stores charge premium prices for cheap souvenirs that have nothing to do with actual history.
The real battlefield is worth seeing, but skip the tourist trap shops completely.
Why It’s On This List: Exploiting a sacred historical site with tacky gift shops selling fake artifacts dishonors the soldiers who fought there.
3. Biloxi Lighthouse Souvenir Stands
This 1848 lighthouse survived Hurricane Katrina and stands as a symbol of resilience on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The lighthouse itself is genuinely historic and photogenic.
The area around it is cluttered with overpriced souvenir stands selling generic beach junk.
Vendors charge tourist prices for items you can buy cheaper at any dollar store.
The lighthouse is free to view from the outside, so there’s no need to buy anything from these tourist traps.
Why It’s On This List: Paying $15 for a plastic lighthouse keychain that costs $2 to make is the definition of a tourist trap.
4. Natchez Riverboat Casino Tours
Natchez sits beautifully on the Mississippi River with genuine antebellum architecture and rich history. The city has real cultural significance worth exploring.
Many of the “historic” riverboat tours are actually floating casinos designed to separate tourists from their money.
These boats spend more time encouraging gambling than sharing actual history.
You’re better off taking a walking tour of the historic district instead of these casino boats disguised as cultural experiences.
Why It’s On This List: Calling a gambling boat a “historic tour” misleads visitors who want to learn about Mississippi River culture.
5. Gulf Coast Alligator “Sanctuaries”
Mississippi’s Gulf Coast has several roadside attractions claiming to be alligator sanctuaries or educational centers.
Signs along Highway 90 promise up-close encounters with these prehistoric creatures.
Most are just small concrete pens with a few sad alligators and overpriced admission fees.
The “educational” aspect usually consists of a bored teenager reading from a laminated card.
Real wildlife viewing happens at legitimate state parks and nature preserves, not these roadside money grabs.
Why It’s On This List: Charging $12 per person to see three alligators in a concrete pit isn’t education – it’s exploitation.
6. Clarksdale “Blues Trail” Gift Shops
Clarksdale is the legitimate birthplace of Delta blues music, where legends like Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson got their start.
The musical history here is authentic and important.
Tourist shops along the “blues trail” sell mass-produced merchandise with zero connection to actual blues history.
Overpriced t-shirts and fake vintage records prey on music lovers’ emotions.
The real blues experience happens at local juke joints and the Delta Blues Museum, not in these tourist trap stores.
Why It’s On This List: Selling fake “vintage” blues records for $25 each dishonors the authentic musical heritage of the Delta.
7. Jackson Zoo
Once a respectable zoo, this facility has fallen into serious decline over the past decade. Many exhibits are empty or poorly maintained, and the infrastructure is crumbling.
They still charge full admission prices despite having fewer animals and deteriorating conditions.
Visitors often leave disappointed after paying to see mostly empty enclosures.
You’re better off visiting the Hattiesburg Zoo or driving to Memphis for a quality zoo experience.
Why It’s On This List: Charging $15 for adults to see a handful of animals in run-down exhibits feels like false advertising.
8. Tupelo Buffalo Park
This roadside attraction promises visitors a chance to see American bison roaming in Mississippi.
The concept sounds appealing for families wanting to see these majestic animals.
The “park” is really just a small fenced area with a few buffalo visible from the road.
The gift shop pushes expensive buffalo-themed merchandise on every visitor.
Most of the buffalo are usually sleeping or hidden, leaving tourists with little to see for their money.
Why It’s On This List: Paying admission to maybe glimpse a few buffalo from a distance isn’t worth the drive or the cost.
9. Meridian Carousel Rides
Meridian’s restored 1896 Dentzel Carousel is actually a beautiful piece of history housed in a lovely pavilion. The craftsmanship on this antique carousel is genuinely impressive.
The surrounding area has been turned into a tourist trap with overpriced carnival games and concession stands.
What should be a simple historical attraction becomes an expensive carnival experience.
The carousel itself is worth seeing, but avoid the add-on attractions that inflate your visit cost.
Why It’s On This List: Turning a historic carousel into a mini-carnival with inflated prices ruins the authentic historical experience.
10. Pascagoula River “Swamp Tours”
The Pascagoula River system is Mississippi’s last free-flowing river and supports diverse wildlife. Legitimate eco-tours can provide educational experiences about this unique ecosystem.
Many operators run overpriced “swamp tours” that promise alligator sightings and rarely deliver.
These boats often disturb wildlife while charging premium prices for disappointing experiences.
You’re better off visiting state parks along the river where you can see wildlife naturally without the tourist trap markup.
Why It’s On This List: Paying $35 per person for a boat ride that scares away the wildlife it promises to show defeats the purpose entirely.
11. Ocean Springs Shrimp Festival Vendors
Ocean Springs hosts an annual shrimp festival that celebrates the Gulf Coast’s fishing heritage. The town itself is charming with genuine art galleries and local seafood restaurants.
Festival vendors charge outrageous prices for basic carnival food while claiming it’s “authentic Gulf shrimp.” A small shrimp po-boy that costs $8 at local restaurants suddenly becomes $18 at festival booths.
You’re better off eating at the town’s actual restaurants before or after walking through the festival.
Why It’s On This List: Paying triple the normal price for mediocre festival food isn’t celebrating local culture – it’s tourist exploitation.
12. Greenwood Cotton Museum Gift Shop
The Mississippi Delta’s cotton history is genuinely important to understanding American agriculture and economics. Greenwood sits in the heart of this cotton-growing region.
The museum gift shop sells overpriced cotton-themed merchandise that has nothing to do with actual history.
Decorative cotton bolls made in factories cost $25 when real ones grow in fields nearby.
The historical exhibits are educational, but skip the gift shop completely.
Why It’s On This List: Selling fake cotton decorations for premium prices in the middle of actual cotton country is absurd.
13. Hattiesburg Zoo Train Ride
Hattiesburg Zoo is actually a decent small zoo with well-maintained exhibits and happy animals. The zoo itself provides good value for families visiting the Pine Belt region.
The miniature train ride charges an additional $5 per person for a 3-minute loop around a small track. The “scenic route” shows you the zoo parking lot and dumpsters.
The zoo admission is reasonable, but avoid the overpriced train ride add-on.
Why It’s On This List: Charging extra for a train ride that shows you nothing special feels like nickel-and-diming families.
14. Starkville Antique Tractor Shows
Mississippi State University’s agricultural heritage makes Starkville a natural location for farm equipment displays.
Genuine antique tractors tell the story of Southern farming evolution.
Vendors at these shows often sell mass-produced “vintage” farm signs and fake antique tools at premium prices.
Items claiming to be “authentic farmhouse decor” are actually new products aged artificially.
Real antique farm equipment is interesting, but avoid the fake vintage merchandise booths.
Why It’s On This List: Selling new items disguised as antique farm tools misleads collectors and history enthusiasts.
15. Columbus Pilgrimage Home Tours
Columbus has beautiful antebellum homes with genuine historical significance.
The architecture and preservation efforts in this town are legitimately impressive.
Some tour operators charge premium prices while rushing visitors through homes in 15-minute speed tours.
You pay $25 per house to barely glimpse the interiors before being hustled to the gift shop.
Self-guided walking tours of the exteriors provide better value than these rushed interior tours.
Why It’s On This List: Speed-walking tourists through historic homes for maximum profit ruins the educational experience.
16. Gulf Islands Dolphin Watch Boats
The Mississippi Sound does have dolphins, and seeing these marine mammals in their natural habitat can be magical.
Legitimate eco-tours provide educational experiences about Gulf Coast wildlife.
Many operators promise guaranteed dolphin sightings they can’t deliver. When dolphins don’t appear, disappointed tourists still pay full price for expensive boat rides.
You’re better off taking ferry rides to the barrier islands where dolphin sightings happen naturally.
Why It’s On This List: Promising guaranteed wildlife sightings sets unrealistic expectations and leads to disappointed customers.
17. Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center Bookstore
Corinth played a crucial role in Civil War railroad strategy, and the interpretive center tells this story well.
The historical exhibits provide genuine educational value about military logistics.
The bookstore sells overpriced Civil War novels and mass-produced battlefield maps that aren’t specific to Corinth.
Generic Civil War merchandise costs twice what you’d pay online.
The free exhibits are excellent, but skip the overpriced bookstore entirely.
Why It’s On This List: Charging premium prices for generic Civil War books that aren’t even about Corinth specifically feels opportunistic.
18. Meridian Jimmie Rodgers Museum Gift Shop
Jimmie Rodgers, the “Father of Country Music,” was born in Meridian, and his musical contributions are historically significant. The museum honors a genuine American music pioneer.
The gift shop sells expensive “vintage” country music memorabilia that’s actually new merchandise made to look old.
Fake signed photos and reproduction records cost collector prices.
The museum exhibits are worthwhile, but avoid the overpriced fake memorabilia in the gift shop.
Why It’s On This List: Selling reproduction items as if they’re authentic vintage memorabilia deceives music fans and collectors.
19. Yazoo City Catfish Festival Vendors
Mississippi’s catfish industry is legitimate, and Yazoo City sits in prime catfish farming territory. The festival celebrates an important local agricultural product.
Festival vendors charge restaurant prices for basic fried catfish served on paper plates with no sides. A $15 catfish plate gives you less food than a $10 meal at local restaurants.
Visit local catfish restaurants instead of paying inflated festival prices for smaller portions.
Why It’s On This List: Festival food should be a good value, not an excuse to charge premium prices for basic catfish and chips.
20. Natchez Trace Parkway Souvenir Shops
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a beautiful scenic drive with genuine historical significance. This ancient trail connected Nashville to Natchez for centuries.
Roadside souvenir shops along the route sell generic “Native American” items and fake historical artifacts with no connection to the actual Trace history. Overpriced dream catchers and plastic tomahawks exploit the trail’s cultural significance.
The parkway itself is free and beautiful – there’s no need to buy anything from these tourist trap shops.
Why It’s On This List: Selling fake Native American souvenirs along a historic trail disrespects both tourists and indigenous culture.
- businessinsider.com – The worst tourist trap in every state
- bestlifeonline.com – The Biggest Tourist Trap in Every State
- themanual.com – The worst tourist trap in every U.S. state, according to new data
- stacker.com – Tourist Traps to Avoid in Every State
- farandwide.com – The Most Boring Tourist Trap in Every U.S. State
- mentalfloss.com – The World’s Worst Tourist Traps in 2025, According to Visitor Reviews
- tripadvisor.com – THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Mississippi – Must-See Attractions
- listverse.com – Ten Hilariously Bizarre Small-Town Tourist Traps