One of my favorite things to do is playing tourist.

It’s good for my perspective when forming opinions and gathering knowledge about our city, and it’s good for meeting new people and gaining new experiences. It’s so easy to get caught up in the three or four streets I travel on any given workday, but I try to make a point of venturing out of the norm as often as possible.

On Sunday afternoon, my family and I had a little outing to check out The Mulberry Vicksburg and its Jackson Street Art Gallery. And I’m pleased to report that it’s utterly fabulous.

Walking in down the stairs, there’s no doubt that The Mulberry is unlike any place in Vicksburg. I instantly felt transported to a posh beachfront resort, with its modern interiors and elegantly bold color choices.

The bright-white main hall is dotted with brightly upholstered furniture and flanked by sitting rooms and a gym, all swathed in a deep navy from floor to ceiling. Each room leans heavily on textures and seems to beckon guests to sit a spell.

A millennial pink alcove serves as the walkway to the soon-to-be-renovated pool area and another seating area with bistro tables for guests.

Then, as one wanders back to the end of the hall, the spacious Jackson Street Gallery looms ahead.

The gallery features thousands of dollars worth of original art pieces, all from Mississippi artists. Ranging from smaller framed floral still-lifes to a particularly stunning work in copper, tucked in the back, the gallery is a magnificent retreat from the typical Vicksburg environment.

With its large skylight at the pinnacle of the rotunda, the gallery space feels like it allows each individual piece to greet you as if you were an old friend. While my absolute favorite painting hangs in the back right of the rotunda (“Iridescence ” by Susan Wellington), I also spotted some stunning black-and-white photographs by Vicksburg’s own, Melody Golding.

As an added bonus, the gallery was an ideal place to “get some culture” for my high-energy toddler, who divided her time equally between pointing out pieces that featured things she recognized — “Orange! Flower! Puppy!” — and running laps in the open space.

While it’s no secret that The Mulberry, née Margaritaville/Harrah’s Casino, is in a location that’s housed businesses that didn’t last very long in the River City, it’s clear that this latest venture at 1310 Mulberry St. is distanced from its failed predecessors.

As Vicksburgers, it’s my hope that we all can take a few minutes to enjoy this latest and most opulent addition to our city’s riverfront and support it however we can. Walk through the gallery, house guests in one of its 40-plus hotel rooms, or even take a leap and move in. You’ll be glad you stopped by for a spell.