Vicksburg has been named by AAA Southern Traveler and AAA Midwest Traveler as one of the top 13 places to visit in 2013. Other destinations named include Christchurch, New Zealand, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Mexico, Orlando, Panama, San Francisco, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Las Vegas.

This year brings lots of excitement to Vicksburg with Civil War sesquicentennial commemoration events. Events start in April with Tapestry: The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg and the Vicksburg Heritage Fair and continue until July 4, the anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg's surrender.

The Vicksburg National Military Park has also been chosen by the National Park Service as a venue for a Civil War sesquicentennial signature event which has been scheduled for Memorial Day weekend. Activities include: concerts by the U.S. Navy Band, Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, Jackson State University Mass Choir and the 41st U.S. Army Band; commemorations of the first assault on the city and the second assault of Vicksburg's defenses; living history presentations that include cannon demonstrations and interpretation of soldier everyday life during the Civil War; Shadows of the Past; a display of Special Boat Unit 22, part of the Navy's modern river forces; a rededication of the Iowa Memorial; special programs on Civil War engineering and siege tactics and on African- Americans and the Civil War exploring the roles of freeman, U.S. Colored Troops and enslaved peoples;and Soldiers through the Ages where a timeline of the military will be presented through static displays and programs.

Civil War history is simply part of Vicksburg's tapestry and can be found throughout the city at attractions including historic tour homes, the Old Court House Museum, the Lower Mississippi River Museum and the Old Depot Museum. Licensed guides are also available for personal guided tours through the city and the Vicksburg National Military Park.