The City of Jackson in the Central US

1. Jackson, which serves as the capital of Mississippi, is a city that held little familiarity for me before my visit. 😊🗺️🏙️ To be honest, I had absolutely no idea about what this place was like prior to arriving. It was only after looking up some information that I learned it's the seventh most popular city in the whole state. (It might sound quite impressive at first, but then again, it didn't seem like there were that many cities to rank.) I had initially thought it would just be a city I passed through, yet much to my surprise, it boasted a rather interesting downtown area and an art gallery. 😎🌆🖼️ This discovery made me curious to explore further and see what other hidden gems the city had in store. 😃💡✨ 2. I first paid a visit to the art gallery. This place refers to itself as "Soul City" - and indeed, it has lived up to that name as it has produced numerous renowned jazz musicians. Clearly, music is truly the soul of this place. Although the gallery isn't overly large in size, the atmosphere within is really pleasant. You can vividly sense the pride it holds for art and music. 😊🎶🎨 However, the summer in Jackson can be extremely hot. When raindrops hit the ground, they instantly turn into steam! As a result, there are hardly any people on the streets. I randomly searched for a coffee shop on the map, hoping to enjoy some cool air conditioning. Unexpectedly, I stumbled upon an urban renewal project - the Belhaven Town Center, which turned out to be quite fascinating. 😎☕️🌳 3. The Belhaven Town Center was a plan that kicked off in 2010 and finally opened in 2019 after completion. It isn't overly big in scale, but it has been carefully designed. On the ground floor, there are various small restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, and a local beer brewery with a history of 60 years. On the second floor, there are offices and apartments. In terms of style, it's a mix of different elements yet doesn't seem chaotic at all. It has a bit of the look of a traditional small town while also incorporating some industrial vibes, and there's even a small theater tucked away in a corner. It doesn't give the impression of a typical "let's build a new landmark" kind of development but rather blends in naturally with the surrounding neighborhood. 😊🍴🏢 I also casually checked out the apartments upstairs and was quite astonished to find that they were listed on Airbnb for $800 per night! Perhaps there really are people who are willing to pay that price to experience the "local life". 😎💸🏠 4. As for the other parts of Jackson, during the day, they don't really give a particularly special feeling. But I always have this hunch that it might be livelier at night. There's a possibility that one could chance upon an impromptu jazz performance. If there's an opportunity to stay overnight in the city, it would surely be worth taking a stroll along the bar street. 😊🎷🍻 #JacksonMS #CityDiscoveries #LocalExperiences