Natchez Fall Pilgrimage
Fall festival · Natchez · Mississippi
Since 1932, Natchez has opened its antebellum mansions (Longwood, Stanton Hall, and Melrose among them) for guided tours each fall, when hostesses in hoop skirts lead visitors through homes that survived the Civil War essentially untouched.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Home tours 9am-5pm; two garden clubs run overlapping windows
Dates from the official announcement — always confirm before you go.
Color nearby peaks: November 24–November 28
Color builds from November 11 · mostly bare by December 20
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Natchez Fall Pilgrimage’s own coordinates and elevation (50 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Natchez Fall Pilgrimage on the map
More things to do in Mississippi
Cedar Hill's Haunted Farm
Haunted attractionColor nearby peaks November 13
Five night attractions on a working farm south of Memphis: a haunted hayride, a quarter-mile Trail of Terror through dark woods, the Sensturbia barn, a 2.5-acre flashlight corn maze and mounted-gun zombie paintball.
Don’t miss: Quarter-mile Trail of Terror in dark woods · 2.5-acre flashlight corn maze · Zombie paintball target shoot
Mississippi State Fair
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks November 20
Eleven days every October, the Mississippi Fairgrounds in downtown Jackson fill with carnival rides, livestock barns and fair food, plus a concert lineup that changes every year. It is the state's biggest fall gathering, an easy walk from the Capitol for anyone staying downtown.
Don’t miss: Eleven days of rides and livestock · Downtown Jackson fairgrounds · Live concerts and fair food
McRaven Tour Home
Ghost tourColor nearby peaks November 22
McRaven calls itself Mississippi's most haunted house, a claim built on three families' worth of history packed into one Vicksburg home raised in stages from 1797 to 1849. A costumed guide walks you room by room, working ghost stories into the architecture and the Civil War damage still visible on the walls.
Don’t miss: Costumed 75-minute haunted tour · Built in three stages, 1797 to 1849 · Civil War damage still visible inside
Columbus, Mississippi
Historic townColor nearby peaks November 15
Columbus was laid out in 1821 and never lost its antebellum core, blocks of columned homes that survived the Civil War because the town became a hospital city instead of a battlefield. Its spring pilgrimage gets the publicity, but the porches and gardens hold up just as well on a quiet fall afternoon.
Don’t miss: Antebellum homes throughout downtown · Founded 1821, spared by the war · Bed and breakfasts in historic houses
Frequently asked
- When is Natchez Fall Pilgrimage open in 2026?
- The 2026 season runs Sep 17 – Oct 17. Home tours 9am-5pm; two garden clubs run overlapping windows. Dates can shift, so check the official site before you go.
- When does Natchez Fall Pilgrimage peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for November 24–November 28 (best estimate November 26). Color starts around November 11 and is mostly bare by December 20.
- What is Natchez Fall Pilgrimage best for?
- Historic home tours.
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