If you’re anything like me, the hot summer weather in Mississippi starts to get old and I long for cooler weather. It makes it a lot easier to enjoy the outdoors, especially with my little one (unless we are swimming, of course). So, I have found many enjoyable activities to do in the fall that are fun to do as a family, although I haven’t tried them all yet. Here’s my list, and I hope they help you enjoy this lovely season!
1.Visit a Pumpkin Patch
This one has always been a fun one for us, and my daughter loves going. There are two places in Mississippi that I would suggest going to. First of all, we have visited a pumpkin patch in Hattiesburg, MS, which we keep going back to. Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/sandyrunfarm1/. There’s another one in Collins, MS that I hear great things about it. This is their page: mitchellsfarms.com/.
2.Take a fall foliage road trip
Yes, there are some places in Mississippi you can see some beautiful changes in the colors of the foliage. If you’d like some ideas, check this page out: dreamy fall foliage road trip in ms
This suggested road trip starts on the Natchez Trace Parkway, which does seem to have some beautiful foliage in the fall!
3.Cruisin the Coast
This even started in 1996 “as a festival to celebrate antique, classic and hot rod vehicles, nostalgic music and related events” (About cruisin’ the coast). In 2017 there were 8,308 registered vehicles. There are people that come from all over to cruise the 30 mile stretch of beach-side highway that includes stops in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, and Pascagoula. Each venue includes a mini-festival with live bands, vendors (food and merchandise), as well as parking for spectators and registered vehicles. The schedule for 2020 is here: cruisinthecoast.com/schedule/
This year, the festival starts on Oct. 4th and ends on Oct. 11th.
4.Visit a local Fair
The Mississippi state fair is being held from Oct. 7th- Oct. 18th in Jackson, MS. They are taking extra precautions due to COVID-19, so face masks are required for entry. Gate admission is $5.00, while those who are under age 6 are admitted free. Parking is $5.00 per car. There’s something for everyone at the fair, as there is a kid’s zone, rides, music, a livestock show, etc. If you’d like more information on what’s going to be at the fair, please check out their website here: MS state fair
5. Go Camping
Now that the weather isn’t as hot, it may be time to enjoy some camping. We have been to Paradise Ranch in Tylertown, MS. They do have places for RVs, but there are also cabins and primitive camping that you can enjoy. In October, they have fun weekend activities such as costume contests, trick-or-treating, site decorating contests, as well as a haunted house. If you’d like more information, take a peek at their website: paradiseranchrv.com/
Final Thoughts on Your Fall Bucket List
I hope this list gives you some fun and new ideas for exploring Mississippi. However, if you’d prefer to do some more things locally or even at home (such as crafts) with little ones, check out these ideas: fall activities and crafts for toddlers
References
About cruisin’ the coast. Retrieved from https://cruisinthecoast.com/about-cruisin/