LeFleur East

Named after explorer Louis LeFleur, LeFleur East is located where the city of Jackson originated.

Now a flourishing community, it encompasses a wide variety of neighborhoods that each have a distinctive personality and style. Coupled with some of Jackson's best dining and retail options, it is a haven for discovering the roots of the city in a new and exciting way.

With over 25+ businesses walking distance from each other, Canton Mart Square and its surrounding area offer a diverse mix of tenants that serve up dining, retail, and more. Latitudes Furniture is a staple for creative gifts and home goods. The Book Rack is the perfect place to grab a coffee and discover your new literary favorite. VIEW Gallery showcases some of the best and brightest artists across the region, and House Studio is a female-owned dance space that offers lessons and cardio classes. Make sure to grab lunch at Crazy Cat Eat Up, home to Southern-inspired plates and baked goods. And nearby, check out interior and exterior plantscape and design at Green Oak Florist and Garden Center.

The meatloaf panini is a popular choice at Crazy Eat Up.

Credit: Ben Hon

Just up the street is Highland Village, where sipping and shopping go hand-in-hand with its collection of local and national retailers. After perusing hotspots like EK Home, Maison Weiss, and Buffalo Peak Outfitters, be sure to check out the buzzed-about Tuk Tuk Boom for Thai and sushi, as well as Aplos Simple Mediterranean for fresh Greek fare. Across the street, Wolfe Fine Art Studio churns out unique, whimsical glazed figurines that are sold nationally, while James Beard Award-nominated Sambous' African Kitchen, now at Maywood Mart, offers authentic Gambian cuisine.

Finish up your day at The District at Eastover, Jackson's premier mixed-used development. Be sure to stay up-to-date on their social media to find out about events like District Thursdays, where local music acts perform on the green alongside seasonal cocktail stations and local vendors. To cap everything off, grab a pizza or sweet treat at Sal & Mookie's (we recommend the boozy milkshakes or an ice cream sundae).

Reconnect with nature in the middle of the city at LeFleur's Bluff State Park. Image: McMurtray Photography

Jackson's thriving and award-winning LeFleur Museum District is the perfect family-friendly spot to explore everything that Mississippi has to offer. Featuring four main museums, the district is close to some of Jackson's best restaurants and shops for when your day of adventuring is finished.

At the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum, discover the state's agricultural legacy as you explore Small Town, Mississippi. Sites like the General Store and Children's Barnyard give kids and adults alike an engaging, hands-on experience of farm life, including feeding live barn animals. The Agicultural Display Gardens provide teachable moments of Mississippi’s fertile landscape, from specialty crops to award-winning roses and medicinal plants.

Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum showcases Mississippians that have won Olympic Gold, Super Bowl MVPs, World Series, and more. With one of the richest sports histories in the nation, the Magnolia State's sports legacies live on forever in a space that can be enjoyed by all.

The Museum of Natural Science is tucked within the historic LeFleur's Bluff State Park, an outdoor oasis in the heart of the city. Overlook 300-acres of the natural landscape, including an open-air amphitheater and 2.5 miles of nature trails. Inside the museum, over 200 living species are on display in the 100,000-gallon aquarium network alongside permanent and temporary exhibits which include deer, waterfowl, fossils, and Mississippi's endangered species.

Kids will love discovering new things and dreaming big at the Mississippi Children's Museum, where they can cast a line for a catfish in the Mississippi River, captain a shrimp boat, 3D print artwork - even crawl through the digestive system and get flushed! Full of opportunities for learning and laughing, the museum has stations and exhibits for a vast range of ages and abilities. Don't miss the brand new state-of-the-art playground at the LeFleur’s Bluff Education and Tourism Complex for hours of fun, with 73 features that are inclusive to children with accessibility needs.