10 Incredible Hidden Gems In Mississippi You’ll Want To Discover This Year

Mynelle Gardens is a beautiful seven-acre garden in Jackson, Mississippi that looks like it’s ripped straight from the pages of a fairy tale. The gardens are open year-round, but this is one special spot you may want to save for the Spring when you can experience the gardens when everything is in full bloom.

Tucked away in the tiny town of Iuka, Chalk Mine Hollow is an abandoned chalk mine that’s an outdoor adventurer’s dream. The mine is larger than you’d think and includes three long tunnels that you can explore. Be sure to bring a flashlight and be safe when exploring this abandoned site.

Most Mississippians know that Jim Henson hails from the Magnolia State, but did you know that Kermit was too? America’s favorite amphibian was born in Leland, Mississippi and you can visit the Kermit the Frog Museum to learn all about the history of both.

We all know that summer in Mississippi can be brutal, and finding ways to beat the heat can be a full-time job. Spending a summer day at Merit Water Park is exactly what you need! The 25-acre park in Mendenhall boasts an old-fashioned swimming hole where you can swim in Rials Creek. There are picnic tables peppered around, so feel free to pack a picnic and spend the afternoon here.

Nicknamed the “Little Grand Canyon of Mississippi,” Red Bluff is certainly a sight to be seen. The red clay is absolutely beautiful, but please bring an extra pair of shoes to keep in the car so you don’t bring that clay into your car... it can be a pain to clean!

Shady Acres Village is a little bit of everything all rolled into one. First, there’s the retail store where you can pick up souvenirs, locally made items, and more. Then, there’s a restaurant serving up Southern dishes usually only found at your mama’s house. Third, there’s a bakery, which will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. Italian cream cakes are their specialty, and a visit to this charming general store isn’t complete without picking up one of them.

While Tishomingo State Park may get all the glory, Leroy Percy State Park is a hidden gem that’s equally as beautiful, plus you’ll beat all the crowds. Mississippi’s oldest state park offers fishing, plenty of wildlife, a disc golf course, and two nature trails to explore. There are also a few cabins you can rent if you’d like to extend your stay!

Another warm weather activity in Mississippi is an adventure to Ship Island, one of the cleanest beaches in Mississippi. You can easily get to the island by taking a ferry from Ship Island Excursions or you can head over yourself if you have your own boat. The island is about 11 miles from the Mississippi coast, so it’ll take you about an hour boat ride. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas on the island or bring your own... just make sure you have some type of shade because the island does not have any other shade and no one wants a Ship Island sunburn!

You’d think a 48,000-acre wildlife refuge would be hard to keep hidden, but think again! Sprawling across three counties, the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge is a fantastic spot to do a little birdwatching. Both Bluff Lake and Loakfoma Lake offer a great opportunity to do a little fishing, and the hiking trails are a great escape for those days when you just need to get away from it all for a bit.