Hattiesburg, Mississippi, affectionately often known as the “Hub Metropolis,” is an exuberant Southern vacation spot overflowing with civil rights historical past, legendary music tradition, a growing artwork scene and out of doors journey.
From the second I arrived in Hattiesburg within the Magnolia State, it was clear this metropolis had one thing particular. Their forward-thinking spirit immediately resonated with me and I regretted not having greater than 2 days in Hattiesburg to soak all of it in.
When you’re questioning what to do in Hattiesburg, this information will enable you to navigate its eclectic sights, together with the full of life downtown and scenic out of doors areas. Benefit from your go to and uncover the Hub Metropolis’s must-see highlights, even on a fast journey.
Discover the Nice Outdoor in Hattiesburg
Cycle down Longleaf Hint
Certainly one of Hattiesburg’s crown jewels is the Longleaf Hint, a 44-mile-long rail-trail that stretches by the Pine Belt area. Preferrred for biking, strolling, and jogging, this scenic path winds by loblolly forests and farmlands and the candy odor of Southern Magnolia. Deliver a motorbike or lease one domestically and absorb the great thing about Mississippi’s countryside.
Extra Out of doors Actions in Hattiesburg
- Stroll by the All American Rose Backyard on the campus of the College of Southern Mississippi.
- Spend the day in Paul B. Johnson State Park stress-free with a picnic by lakeside or kayaking.
- Go on the one official geocaching tour in Mississippi. The Hattiesburg GeoTour has greater than 40 hides to find.
Uncover the Artistic Aspect Of Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg Avenue Artwork
Hattiesburg is house to a powerful out of doors gallery that salutes the neighborhood’s artistic spirit. Uncover the eye-catching artworks by native and regional artists on the Hattiesburg Public Artwork Path – a self-guided journey by town’s placing murals and installations. With a imaginative and prescient to turn out to be the Metropolis of 100 Murals within the coming years, spearheaded by the Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Artwork (HAPA), this initiative brings highly effective narratives of happiness, historical past, range, and inclusion to on a regular basis life.
Hattiesburg Pocket Museum
Once you learn in regards to the Hattiesburg Pocket Museum, it doesn’t do it justice. This quirky attraction began life in lockdown to encourage folks to get out of the home and have a bit enjoyable and has since turn out to be Mississippi’s tiniest museum.
Tucked away in a downtown alley behind the Saenger Theatre, the house showcases eye-catching murals and immersive 3D flooring work, like an Abbey Street crosswalk, however the actual magic lies in its ever-changing micro-exhibits of nostalgic memorabilia and avant-garde curiosities. Preserve your eyes peeled for little lego males hidden in crumbling brickwork, cats perched on doorframes, and mysterious figures peeking from pipes.
When you’re planning what to do in Hattiesburg, don’t miss strolling down Pocket Alley. It’s a playful expertise that proves massive creativity thrives in small areas.
Extra Artwork and Tradition Spots in Hattiesburg
- Go to the Sarah Gillespie Museum of Arts, which has over 600 items from artists from Mississippi.
- Hattiesburg Saenger Theater, an Artwork-Deco in downtown, hosts a blended bag of performances from ballets and movie screenings to magic and Off-Broadway reveals.
- Expertise a full of life live performance or exhibition on the College of Southern Mississippi (USM).
Immerse Your self In The Historical past Of Hattiesburg
Drive the Hattiesburg Freedom Path
The Hattiesburg Freedom Path honours town’s pivotal function within the Civil Rights Motion, marking key websites the place activists fought for justice within the Nineteen Sixties. A big cease on Mississippi’s Freedom Path, it consists of places like Mount Zion Baptist Church, a gathering place for organisers, and the historic Eureka College, now a civil rights museum. Hattiesburg performed an important function within the Freedom Day 1964, when a whole lot risked intimidation to register to vote.
The Vernon Dahmer statue stands as a strong tribute to his combat for voting rights, bearing his iconic phrases: “When you don’t vote, you don’t rely.” In 1966, he made a courageous radio announcement providing to pay the ballot tax for many who couldn’t afford to register. The subsequent day, the Ku Klux Klan retaliated with a violent assault on his house, and he subsequently died.
Extra Historic Actions in Hattiesburg
- Go to the African American Army Historical past Museum, which highlights the contributions of Black troopers from the Civil Conflict to trendy conflicts.
- Positioned at Camp Shelby, the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum is devoted to preserving Mississippi’s army historical past.
Get pleasure from The Quirky Outlets In Hattiesburg
Discover Your Treasure in The Fortunate Rabbit
The Fortunate Rabbit, a self-proclaimed junk store, is a treasure trove of classic finds, quirky house décor, and native artisan creations. Whereas it’s a favourite amongst guests in search of one-of-a-kind souvenirs, the ever-changing shows hold locals coming again for extra. There’s additionally an outside café space, and this eclectic spot even incorporates a recreated Stranger Issues set — how might I resist the enjoyable photograph alternative? It’s solely open on weekends, so plan your journey effectively; this quirky store is an expertise in itself.
T-Bones Information & Café
T-Bones Information & Café is a ceremony of passage for any music lover visiting Hattiesburg, with its giant vinyl retailer stocking Deep South favourites, jazz legends and modern-day artists.
First opened in 1999 by producer Tim Ramenofsky as an unbiased document retailer, T-Bones was purchased by Harry, who labored for the founder. He has added a restaurant serving sandwiches, house-made desserts and its personal model of chilly brewed espresso. T-Bones Information & Café has turn out to be a beloved Hattiesburg establishment, being a neighborhood hub for regulars and a much-recognised model. And, after all, the mural “Hattiesburg: Birthplace of Rock n Roll” exterior is an enormous drawcard for all that come to town!
Extra Outlets To Go to In Hattiesburg
- Most important Avenue Farmers Market is a incredible place to assist native distributors whereas selecting up contemporary produce, selfmade items, and artisan crafts.
- 49 Vintage and Flea Market provides retro furnishings, pre-loved clothes, and quirky nick-nacks.
- The Writer Shoppe is all about books, drinks and neighborhood.
Dine in Hattiesburg’s Native Eating places
Hattiesburg is house to 200 domestically owned eating places, giving it extra native eating choices per capita than wherever else within the state. So, with fewer quick meals massive chains and extra independently-run eateries and craft breweries, there’s extra creativity and neighborhood vibes. Listed here are some spots I attempted and liked, however there are a lot extra wonderful eating places and cafes in Hattiesburg to strive!
Breakfast at The Midtowner
For a style of basic Southern consolation meals, head to The Midtowner, the place hearty breakfast plates, biscuits, and grits draw within the queues. Their home-style cooking and heat hospitality guarantees a memorable eating expertise. I debated between the Catfish and Grits or the Southern Sampler, however the Avocado Toast with roasted corn and feta gained me over—and it bursting with flavour!
Opened by restaurateur Robert St. John, this spot pays homage to the normal American diner whereas incorporating contemporary, domestically sourced components. Designed to evoke a way of neighborhood,
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Avocado Toast with roasted corn and feta
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The Midtowner in Hattiesburg
Eat Wholesome at Birdies
Proprietor and Chef Katie Dixon is an actual ball of happiness and power and had me smiling for the remainder of the day. The Birdhouse Café was opened in 2017 at one facet of a kitchen equipment retailer, making a homely front room with an open-plan kitchen type inside. She serves wholesome breakfasts and lunches with a Southern twist, and every dish is known as in honour of somebody who has had an affect on Katie’s life.
Katie, a finalist on Masterchef season 7 and Meals Community Star season 14, additionally provides meal prep, candy treats, non-public eating, catering, and cooking courses. As a spokesperson for the MS UProot Marketing campaign and a companion with Walmart, Katie advocates for more healthy communities by inexpensive recipes.
After being fed Deep South consolation dishes on my highway journey, I used to be prepared for a inexperienced detox juice and a nutritious salad, and Katie delivered simply that and extra.
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Wholesome Salad at Birdies
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Chef Katie & The Group
Dine at Huge Bother
Huge Bother is the brainchild of three mates on the Hattiesburg hospitality scene. Chef Jeremy Nofke started his culinary profession beneath the steerage of Robert St. John and has turn out to be recognized for his experiential method to Asian “atypical” dishes with a splattering of Southern tastes. Are you able to think about shrimp fried rice topped with crispy pork rinds and a deconstructed bacon cheeseburger bowl?
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Expertise Festivals and Occasions
Sadly, my journey dates didn’t align with any festivals in Hattiesburg. Given how exuberant and welcoming town is, I’d extremely suggest planning your go to round one. Listed here are some nice choices I got here throughout whereas researching The Hub Metropolis.
- Mardi Gras is the massive annual carnival celebration with exuberant parades and loopy events.
- Further Desk Occasions: Based by Restaurateur Robert St. John, they elevate funds to finish starvation in Mississippi.
- HubFest: Certainly one of Hattiesburg’s largest annual occasions celebrating neighborhood and creativity, HubFest brings collectively meals distributors, artists, and musicians for a full of life road pageant downtown.
- Downtown Crawfish Jam: A real Southern expertise, the Downtown Crawfish Jam combines dwell music with heaps of freshly boiled crawfish.
- Pageant South: Spanning a number of weeks, Pageant South is a multidisciplinary arts pageant that includes performances in music, theatre, and dance.
- Hattiesburg Craft Beer Pageant: Annual occasion with greater than 100 craft beers to select from.
The place to Keep in Hattiesburg
From elegant bed-and-breakfasts to boutique accommodations, Hattiesburg provides a wide range of lodging that cater to completely different journey types. Discover your good keep!
Sustainability in Hattiesburg MS
On my travels, I like to discover how cities are stepping up in sustainability. Hattiesburg is a part of the Mississippi Local weather Motion Plan, which emphasises agriculture, renewable power, and clear air. Nevertheless, the actual driving power appears to be the residents who champion sustainability by training, conservation, and community-led initiatives.
Hattiesburg is house to the College of Southern Mississippi (USM), which provides an undergraduate Sustainability Research program, equipping college students with the data to handle environmental challenges. As a part of the Workplace of Sustainability’s Local weather Motion Plan, the USM is working towards local weather neutrality by 2050 from campus operations.
Nature conservation additionally performs a key function within the metropolis’s sustainability efforts. The Pine Woods Audubon Society actively restores native chicken habitats and promotes environmental consciousness and conservation packages. Whereas recycling stays voluntary, initiatives just like the Christmas tree recycling mission spotlight town’s ongoing dedication to lowering waste.
What I like about Hattiesburg from a sustainable tourism viewpoint is how the Longleaf Hint encourages out of doors journey, its sturdy dedication to cultural range by city artwork and freedom trails, and the booming neighborhood of domestically owned companies and eating places.
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