Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — Natchez came in number 8 in this year’s “South’s Best Small Town” competition, part of the Southern Living magazine’s The South’s Best 2022 contest.

The online competition asked readers to rank cities and towns in a number of categories, such as best mountain town, best beach town, best college town and the like. Readers voted from July through September 2021.

About Natchez, Southern Living editors said, “It’s one of the best paddling towns in the state, and there are lots of guided tours on offer that will take you through the area’s picturesque swamps, creeks and lakes.”

Nearby St. Francisville, Louisiana, came in No. 17. 

“We are thrilled to be named one of the top small towns in the South by Southern Living readers and we hope to continue to grow as a sought-after destination,” said Executive Director of Visit Natchez, Devin Heath. “This honor is a testament to our community, its scenic beauty and our visitor experience.”