Exploring the Deep South

A Birthday Weekend Through New Orleans & Mississippi
January 2016

To celebrate my wife’s birthday, her mom, a friend, and I took a four-day road trip through Louisiana and Mississippi. The journey began in the lively heart of New Orleans and continued up the length of Mississippi, exploring old plantation mansions, forgotten ghost towns, juke joints, and Civil War landmarks.

🛫 Day 1: Arrival in New Orleans

From San Diego to the Soul of the South

• Flight Itinerary:

  • Depart SAN: 06:15 (UA560) → Arrive LAX: 07:19

  • Depart LAX: 08:25 (UA186) → Arrive MSY (New Orleans): 14:05

• Picked up rental car

• Checked in: Airbnb in the 9th Ward 

Activities in New Orleans:

• Wandered the atmospheric streets of the French Quarter

• Visited Preservation Hall for authentic live jazz

• Took a Haunted Historical Ghost Bar Tour

• Explored the National WWII Museum, one of the best war museums in the country

🚗 Day 2: Ghost Towns and Civil War Trails

From Abandoned Churches to Blues in the Delta

• Early Departure: Left New Orleans at 6:00 AM

• Rodney, Mississippi:

  • Explored a forgotten ghost town, stranded inland after the Mississippi River changed course

  • Saw the Presbyterian Church with a Union cannonball still embedded in the wall

• Windsor Ruins:

  • Massive columns are all that remain of Mississippi’s largest antebellum mansion

  • Site famously visited by Mark Twain; destroyed in 1890 by a cigar-induced fire

• Vicksburg National Military Park:

  • Walked the historic Civil War battlefield

• Evening in Clarksdale:

  • Overnight at either Shack Up Inn or room above Ground Zero Blues Club

  • Enjoyed blues music at Red’s Juke Joint, a true Mississippi Delta dive

🏡 Day 3: Antebellum Elegance in Natchez

A Night in a Southern Plantation

• Morning drive to Natchez

• Stayed at: Monmouth Plantation, a restored antebellum estate with two rooms booked

• Tours offered: 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM – a glimpse into the lives of the pre-Civil War elite

🌿 Day 4: Swamps & Farewell

Back to the Bayou Before Flying Home

• Morning drive back to New Orleans

• Honey Island Swamp Tour: 2:00 PM

  • A scenic and wild boat ride through Louisiana’s moss-draped cypress swamps

• Return Flights:

  • Depart MSY: 18:55 (D1090) → Arrive LAX: 21:10

  • Depart LAX: 21:55 → Arrive SAN: 22:46

Return to the French Quarter

Music, Cajun Food, and Haunted Bars

We began our time in New Orleans in the heart of the French Quarter, a place I had visited over a decade earlier with friends—and absolutely loved. The charm, energy, and rhythm of the Quarter hadn’t changed a bit.

We didn’t waste time diving in—grabbing drinks, enjoying incredible Cajun food, and immersing ourselves in the live jazz, spontaneous street performances, and parades that give the city its unmatched character.

A Nightcap with a Ghostly Legend

We ended the night at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar, one of the oldest bars in New Orleans, dimly lit by candles and steeped in legend. Said to be haunted by the ghost of the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, the bar has an atmosphere that blends mystery, history, and bourbon in equal measure.

It was the perfect ending to a classic New Orleans night.

Random Street parade in French Quarter

Staying in the 9th Ward

An Offbeat Airbnb Adventure in Post-Katrina New Orleans

We started our trip in the vibrant city of New Orleans, one of my favorite places in the U.S. thanks to its rich mix of French, Cajun, voodoo, and bayou culture. While I originally wanted to stay in the French Quarter, the prices were steep—so instead, we booked an Airbnb in the 9th Ward.

Why the 9th Ward?

I thought staying in this historically Black, hurricane-ravaged area would:

• Offer a different perspective on New Orleans

• Spread some tourism dollars to an often-overlooked part of the city that was mostly under water during Hurricane Katrina and is still being rebuilt

• Let us experience a new side of town away from tourist crowds

It was adventurous, no doubt—but not everyone in our group saw it that way.

The Airbnb Experience

Eccentric, eerie, and unexpectedly wild

• The house was filled with doll heads—which, at first, seemed creepy

  • We later learned our host was a hair stylist who used them for practice

• The neighborhood still bore deep scars from Hurricane Katrina

  • Many homes were boarded up, unrestored

  • The area had a visible poverty and high crime presence

We shared a porch with the neighboring unit, where things got especially unusual:

• A prostitute worked from the other side of the porch

• At night, we heard the sound of pimps and clients coming and going

• Needless to say, we stood out in the neighborhood

The Flea Incident

A Furry Surprise and a Questionable Explanation

Our listing clearly stated “no pets”, which was important since my mother-in-law is severely allergic. But:

• The next morning, we woke up covered in flea bites

• A cat was inside the house, having come in through a flap in the door

• When I asked the host, she insisted:

  • “The cat’s an outdoor cat,” she said.

  • “He just comes in and out through the flap when he wants.”

Her remedy?
→ A free bottle of flea shampoo.

Final Thoughts

Though our 9th Ward stay turned out to be far more “local” than expected, it definitely added color to the trip—and offered a stark reminder of how New Orleans remains a city of contrasts, where joy, culture, and struggle still live side by side.

One of many hurricane-damaged abandoned houses in 9th Ward

9th Ward

Our flea-infested Airbnb in the 9th Ward with creepy doll heads

Into the Bayou

Honey Island Swamp Tour with a Cajun Twist

In addition to soaking in the city life of New Orleans, we set aside time for one of the area’s most iconic outdoor experiences—a Cajun-led swamp tour through Honey Island Swamp.

Cruising Through the Wild

We boarded a flat-bottom boat and ventured deep into the cypress-draped wetlands:

• Spotted alligators sunning themselves on logs

• Saw herons, turtles, and other native wildlife of the Louisiana bayou

• Learned about the delicate swamp ecosystem and its challenges

A Cajun Guide with Stories to Tell

Our guide was a true Cajun—charismatic, humorous, and full of tales.

• He regaled us with stories of swamp life, folklore, and local legends

• Shared insights into Cajun culture and survival traditions handed down through generations

• Spoke in a thick but melodic Cajun accent that made the experience feel even more authentic

Life on the Water

Along the way, we passed by several swamp homes, only accessible by boat:

• Some were beautifully weathered and surrounded by water

• Others displayed Confederate flags, offering a raw glimpse into the cultural identity still present in parts of Louisiana

Bayou Alligator

Bayou racoons

Paula holding a baby alligator

 Discovering Mississippi

A Journey Into the Heart of America’s Least-Traveled State

I had long wanted to explore Mississippi, one of the lesser-visited and more misunderstood states in the U.S. Known for its painful past—Jim Crow laws, racial segregation, and the Ku Klux Klan—the state also holds deep cultural significance as one of the birthplaces of the Blues and a living museum of fading small-town America.

Why Mississippi?

Despite its complex and often uncomfortable history, I was drawn to:

• The authenticity of small, quiet towns where time seems to have stopped

• Blues heritage embedded in weathered buildings and juke joints

• A desire to understand a region that shaped—and still reflects—America’s racial and cultural tensions

What struck me most was that Mississippi still preserves the old bones of what small-town America used to look like—wooden homes, mom-and-pop stores, humble churches, and streets so quiet they almost echo.

Rodney, Mississippi: A Forgotten Town

Once Important, Now Nearly Erased

One of the most haunting places we visited was Rodney, a ghost town tucked between Natchez and Vicksbur. In the 1800s, Rodney was a thriving river port—until the Mississippi River changed course, stranding the town two miles inland and effectively sealing its fate.

A Town with History—and Ghosts

Rodney wasn’t just lost to geography. It was also the site of one of the few Civil War-era riverboat battles. During the war:

• A Union iron gunship attacked the town from the river

• Cannonballs were fired into buildings—

• One of them is still lodged in the wall of an old Presbyterian church, now abandoned and partially flooded

We reached this church by foot, navigating through muddy trails and flooded streets. The cannonball embedded in the brick wall was like a scar frozen in time, a stark reminder of how close the war came to the heart of town life.

A Creepy Stillness

Rodney had a distinct “Deliverance” kind of feeling—quiet, isolated, and watching.

• The flooded roads and boarded-up structures added to the eerie vibe

• We heard gunshots in the distance, and the tension in the air was hard to ignore

• While walking around the flooded edges of  what looked like an abandoned house, an elderly woman appeared with a rifle, yelling at us from her porch

We realized quickly this was not a place to linger. Although the town sees occasional curious visitors, the remaining residents likely see no benefit—just strangers wandering into their troubled past.

Rodney was beautiful and eerie, with a layer of history soaked into its soil, but it also served as a reminder: not every forgotten place wants to be remembered.

Rodney under water

Rodney old church with a cannonball still lodged in the front facade from a civil war northern gunship

Rodney church underwater

Rodney old graves

Paula looking at the Rodney old graves

Rodney old graves

Old Plantation home where Mark Twain is known to have visited as a guest, which burned down from a rogue cigar at a party

Backroads & Forgotten Towns

Faded Storefronts and Southern Stillness

Driving north from Rodney, we passed through a string of fading Mississippi towns, where boarded-up shops, abandoned buildings, and rusting signs told quiet stories of better days. We took it slow, letting the backroads unfold at their own pace.

These places felt frozen in time, offering a melancholic but beautiful glimpse into a bygone era of small-town America—weathered, quiet, and full of character.

Onward, Mississippi – Where the Teddy Bear Was Born

A Gentle Moment from a Rough-Riding President

One of the most memorable stops was a small Delta town called Onward. It’s here that one of my favorite historical figures, President Theodore Roosevelt, earned the nickname “Teddy” in a moment that would go on to inspire the creation of the teddy bear.

In 1902, during a hunting trip in the local swamps, Roosevelt was offered a tied-up bear by townspeople hoping to gain his favor by making the hunt easier. But Roosevelt refused to shoot the captive animal, declaring it unsportsmanlike. When the press got wind of the story, it spread like wildfire. Cartoons portraying Roosevelt as the gentle bear-sparing president appeared in newspapers nationwide.

Inspired by the story, a toy company created the first teddy bear, and the nickname “Teddy Roosevelt” was born.

Small town Mississippi

Small town Mississippi

Small town Mississippi

Red’s Juke Joint – A Blues Pilgrimage

Clarksville, Mississippi | Where the Blues Still Live

One of my biggest goals on this trip was to experience an authentic juke joint, inspired by an episode of Anthony Bourdain. Historically, these rough shacks were places where African slaves gathered to play music, dance, and momentarily forget their suffering—the birthplace of what became the blues, and eventually, rock ’n’ roll.

Raw, Real, and Unfiltered

We found our way to Red’s in Clarksdale, one of the last true juke joints in the Mississippi Delta. Even in the afternoon, the music was pulsing.

• No photos or videos allowed—out of respect, I kept my camera down

• Cash only, beer from a cooler, and no frills

• The toilets were grim, but that’s part of the charm

A Night to Remember

Local musicians—not there for fame, just the joy of it—played electrifying blues sets. Paula and her mom were invited to dance by a friendly (and very drunk) regular. I sat back, sipping locally brewed pecan beer, fully immersed in the scene.

It was one of the most authentic and soulful experiences of the trip.

Red’s Juke Joint

A Night in a Sharecropper’s Cabin

Clarksdale, Mississippi | History You Can Sleep In

That night, we stayed in a restored sharecropper’s cabin, once home to freed slaves who worked the cotton fields in exchange for a share of the profits.

• The cabin retained its original rustic charm—wood plank walls, tin roof, creaky floors

• Modern touches were minimal but enough: running water, basic electricity, and a warm bed

Sleeping there felt like stepping into history—a humble, powerful reminder of the Delta’s past and the people who shaped its legacy.

Our cabin for the night

A Birthday Stay at a Haunted Antebellum Plantation Mansion

Natchez, Mississippi | Beauty with a Heavy History

For Paula’s birthday, we stayed in one of Natchez’s grand plantation-era mansions—a place of stunning architecture and haunting legacy. The house featured elegant rooms, manicured gardens, and wraparound verandas that seemed pulled straight from another century.

But beneath all that beauty was a deeper truth:

Every brick, every column, every garden path was built on the backs of African slaves.

Enchanting Gardens, Haunting Eyes

The mansion’s grounds were mesmerizing—moss-draped oaks, weeping willows, and stone statues of life-sized figures scattered throughout the garden.

Yet there was something unsettling:

• The statues seemed to stare with wandering eyes, frozen in time

• The gardens held a beauty tinged with mystery and quiet sadness

A Spooky Kind of Luxury

The mansion has since been restored after falling into ruin post-Civil War. Today, it operates as a fine dining restaurant and boutique inn.

• We dressed up and enjoyed a special dinner in the lively restaurant

• But behind the music and energy, the place felt quietly haunted, steeped in the memories of slavery and war

It’s said that famous guests, including the Clintons, once stayed here—even in the same room Paula and I chose.

The Haunted Mirror Room

I didn’t pick the room because of its presidential history, but because of its reputation for being haunted.

• Locals say a ghostly presence still lingers in the room

• Shadowy figures are said to appear in the massive wall mirror

• The ghost of the mansion’s former owner, dressed in his Confederate officer’s uniform, has reportedly been seen standing at the foot of the bed, silently watching the room’s occupants

We didn’t witness anything ourselves, but we slept lightly, one eye open, alert to every creak and shift in the room. While there were no ghostly sightings that night, there was an undeniable heaviness in the air.

Monmouth Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi

Our Room in Monmouth Plantation

Fine Dining at Monmouth Plantation