Meandering Around Meridian
Twenty-four hours in the Central Mississippi city.
Things to Do and See:
Curious little travelers unleash their imaginations at the state-of-the-art Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian. Unique interactive exhibits include the WonderBox—a movie-making studio space where kids channel their favorite stories onto the silver screen—plus life-size recreations of characters from classic children’s literature. MCMM’s newly unveiled Fantastical Backyard provides entertaining—and educational—play all day.
The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (MAX for short) puts the star power of Mississippians into the spotlight. The museum’s Hall of Fame features Meridian natives, country music icon Jimmie Rodgers, and actress Sela Ward. Also worth a visit is the Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum—one of just three steam-powered factories that has kept its original equipment intact.
Tune into Meridian’s musical legacy by following the city’s markers along the Mississippi Country Music Trail and the Mississippi Blues Trail.
Take a ride on the Dentzel Antique Carousel, a vintage carousel housed in Highland Park, then trot along to see Around Town Carousels Abound. Meridian’s outdoor public art project features thirteen fiberglass carousel horse sculptures placed around downtown.
Rose Hill Cemetery is where Meridian’s founders, John Ball and Lewis Ragsdale, are buried, as are the “King and Queen of the Gypsies,” and a Civil War burial mound that is featured on the local Civil War Trail. This trail includes markers indicating significant historic events in Meridian, like the path of General William Sherman’s Meridian Expedition, during which the city was captured by the Union general in 1864.
The perfect spot for an outdoor outing in the Pines is Bonita Lakes Park, a green space encompassing three thousand acres along Meridian’s southeast edge. Here are three lakes and twenty miles of nature trails for horseback riding, hiking, paddling, fishing, and biking. Continue on to Okatibbee Lake for camping and swimming options.
Where to Eat (and Wander):
Indulge in a slice of the famous black bottom pie at Weidmann’s Restaurant, a Meridian institution steeped in tradition as the state’s oldest operating restaurant, and still serving classic Southern meals.
Harvest Grill is a farm-to-table family spot serving what its Mississippi-born owners have dubbed “cross-country cuisine,” thanks to the influences of their culinary experiences in Colorado and Hawaii (we recommend the Grand Marnier citrus beignets).
The Rustler offers seafood, steak, and spirits in a fine dining atmosphere, or for something a little, well, messier, try Squealer’s Bar-B-Que for juicy, flavorful smoked and fried meats, including fried pig, fried mushrooms, and deep fried mac-and-cheese.
Take your pick of craft beers at Brickhaus Brewtique, a relaxed taproom hangout featuring sixty-three varieties, plus bar food bites and live music nights.
Where to Stay:
Spend the night in the picturesque Victorian quarters at Lion and Harp Bed and Breakfast, on ten acres in northwest Meridian.
In downtown Meridian, the historic Century House Bed & Breakfast offers comfortable lodging in six suites.
Meridian is home to multiple campgrounds. Pat Harrison Waterway Motel and Campground at Okatibbee Lake offers a variety of lodging options, including ample RV hookups, three campsites, and four cabins. Chunky River Recreation Campground & Trading Post occupies twenty acres along the Chunky River and offers twenty-seven campsites with access to fishing, paddling, or floating for a laid-back weekend on the water.