Bay Saint Louis
We spent five nights in Bay Saint Louis, a charming, low key coastal town with a surprisingly nice beach.
Mississippi
Old Houses in Natchez
Natchez has loads of interesting old houses and is a nice town to wander around.
Natchez
Natchez is the southern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. It has lots of old houses and B&Bs and is great for walking. We spent two nights here so we had time to explore the town.
Vicksburg Day Trip
I’ve always been a bit of a Civil War buff and jumped at the chance to visit Vicksburg while we were nearby. We didn’t make it to town. The military park was absorbing.
Jackson
Stops on the Natchez Trace Parkway between Tupelo and Jackson are mostly historical. Cole Creek has a nice walk through a tupelo/cypress swamp. We spent two nights in Jackson so we could take a side trip to Vicksburg.
Oxford Day Trip
The key draw for us in Oxford was the walk through Bailey’s Woods to Rowan Oak, where William Faulkner lived. We understand the hype. It’s a bit of wilderness in the city.
Tupelo
The Natchez Trace from Florence to Tupelo includes a couple of interesting nature walks. A short detour to a state park nets you a restroom and a swinging bridge. We spent two nights here so we could take a side trip to Oxford.