Natchez Trace Parkway and Ridgeland, MS Trip Report! We spent a few days exploring this great area!
Natchez Trace Parkway & Ridgeland, MS Trip Report
We are so excited to share our road trip exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway and Ridgeland, Mississippi. This was our first time visiting Ridgeland, MS, but definitely not the last.
Explore Ridgeland invited us to come visit and spend time using the city as a hub for exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway and nearby parks.
When we started planning the trip, we quickly realized that Ridgeland, MS, is the perfect base for exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Day 1 - Gulf Shores, AL to Ridgeland, MS
We headed out early from Gulf Shores, Alabama, so we had time to really enjoy the four-and-a-half-hour drive to Ridgeland, MS.
The drive was super easy! We love driving along the causeway heading to Mobile, Alabama soaking in the views of Mobile Bay.
Along the way, we saw some super cute small towns and stopped in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for a snack and break.
After a quick stop we are already talking about planning a return trip to Hattiesburg. The city had such a fun vibe and looked really fun.
Our first stop in Ridgeland was the Ridgeland Visitor Center at Renaissance at Colony Park. We picked up Natchez Trace Parkway brochures and maps of the area and asked questions about driving the parkway.
One really cool thing we learned is they have a great new bike share program. You can borrow a great bike to explore the Chisha Foka Multi-Use Trail along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
The multi-use trail is 10 miles of paved path, perfect for exploring the area. The visitor center has maps detailing what you can see along the multi-use trail and the surrounding area.
After leaving the Ridgeland Visitor Center, we drove around the Renaissance shopping area to see what was there.
As we were exploring we saw Aplos Simple Mediterranean Restaurant and knew we had to stop in for a snack. It had been way too long since we enjoyed Mediterranean Food, and Ridgeland has multiple great Greek restaurants.
The food at Aplos was unbelievable! My wife Tammilee is already talking about trying to recreate their whipped feta dip with pita bread. I had a gyro plate with lamb and beef, which was delicious.
The Renaissance shopping complex has so many restaurants and stores I am pretty sure we could spend an entire day exploring just this area.
As we were leaving, we saw a really funny parking sign for Whimsy Cookie Company and had to pull in and use it.
Whimsy Cookie Company had a ton of shaped cookies, along with epic oatmeal cream pie sandwich cookies, which I had to try! YUM!
The perfect sweet treats to bring with us for exploring.
We stayed at the Springhill Suites, which was perfect for our home base in Ridgeland. After a bit of rest and unpacking, we headed to Krilakis.
Yes, another Greek restaurant. LOL! I am getting as much Greek food as we can during this trip.
Dinner at Krilakis was delicious. They have an amazing Gyro menu with so many choices. Tammilee was super excited to get a vegetarian falafel gyro.
One of the main reasons we are exploring Ridgeland, Mississippi, is to check out the Snappy Sync Firefly Festival.
Did you know that Ridgeland has synchronous fireflies? We attended the Snappy Sync Soiree at the Bill Waller Craft Center. The craft center is right next to the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Unfortunately, it rained during the event, so we didn't see any fireflies, but we are going back each night in hopes of seeing them.
The Bill Waller Craft Center offers adult and children's art classes and presentations throughout the year. One of the center's big highlights is the Craftsman Guild of Mississippi Gallery.
We found so many amazing art pieces and were honestly in awe of the variety of art that is available to purchase in the gallery.
There is everything from textile-based arts to paintings, glasswork, and so much more. This would be a great place to buy truly one-of-a-kind gifts for family and friends.
We ended the night with a delicious oatmeal cream pie cookie from Whimsy Cookie Company while plotting our adventures on the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Day 2 - Natchez Trace Parkway
We started the morning with a hot cup of coffee from Fusion Coffeehouse near the Springhill Suites. As we were driving to the coffee shop we had to stop multiple times for all of the amazing birds we kept seeing.
You know we had to stop and photograph a Canada Goose family with multiple goslings. One thing we have really enjoyed in Ridgeland is all of the urban birdwatching. There are so many parks and green spaces that we constantly see birds everywhere we go.
We headed north on the Natchez Trace Parkway with the goal of seeing the Cypress Swamp and other historical sites along the way.
The Reservoir Overlook was unbelievable. As soon as we stopped, all we could hear was tons of bird calls. We ended up birdwatching for a while as the Merlin app kept updating with new birds to look for.
We finally dragged ourselves away from the gorgeous view and continued north on the parkway. I am so glad we kept exploring!
The Cypress Swamp at milepost 122 near Canton, Mississippi, absolutely blew our minds. We kept looking at each other, shaking our heads in awe of its beauty.
As we walked down a set of stairs to a boardwalk across the cypress swamp, it felt like we had stepped into another world.
This area was such an unexpected surprise. To make it even more amazing, a Prothonotary Warbler flew into a tree a few feet from us. A total dream bird up close and showing off its bright yellow colors.
Plus, a super cute little alligator spent time hanging out with us, showing off how easily they are camouflaged in the water.
After taking 9 million photos of the gator and birds we headed south on the Natchez Trace Parkway so we could enjoy lunch at the Pelican Cove Grill right on Barnett Reservoir.
Pelican Cove Grill is right on the water and has epic views across the reservoir. The fried shrimp po'boy was delicious. Make sure to try the comeback sauce which we heard may have been invented in Jackson, Mississippi.
After enjoying a great lunch on the water, we continued to head south on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We stopped in Ridgeland for gas at Costco, so we knew we had a full tank and could explore to our hearts' content.
The drive along the Parkway is so relaxing. We kept talking about how it feels like your brain gets a break since there are no billboards, commercial trucks, or restaurants along the parkway.
The only signs are informational or park designated signs telling that a historic site is approaching. The views along the parkway are amazing going between forested areas to farmlands and back again.
There are great pull-offs for the designated historic sites with large wooden information signs describing why the area is important.
One thing we learned is bathrooms are scarce along the parkway, so make sure to plan to stop in Clinton or other towns along the way.
We drove down to the Rock Springs Campground, which ended up being a birder's dream spot. At one point, a Summer Tanager sat on a limb right above our car. We were able to take tons of photos as one of our dream birds just chilled above us.
A Hooded Warbler almost flew right into the car with us. We were sitting with the windows down and doors open, looking in all directions for birds, when all of a sudden, this little black and yellow bird had to veer away from joining us.
It was a shock for all of us. I can't wait to count how many birds we saw, along with how many birds the Merlin app picked up by their calls. We didn't have cell service in the campground, so we were very happy we had the Merlin App downloaded and updated.
After a quick stop at Owens Creek Waterfall, we headed back north to Ridgeland. The drive back was gorgeous and gave us time to really enjoy the scenery and how calm the drive was.
We grabbed dinner at Amerigo Italian Restaurant, which has been a staple in the area since 1987.
After dinner, we headed back to the Bill Waller Craft Center for a Snappy Sync Firefly Tour. We were really excited to have another opportunity to look for fireflies.
As soon as we got to the start of the boardwalk, we saw a snappy sync firefly. We learned that the number of fireflies that survived this year due to the drought in central Mississippi was low.
The firefly larvae need moist ground to survive. We also learned that there is 1 female firefly for every 50 males who are trying to get her attention.
The synchronous lighting of the fireflies is how they signal to attract a mate. We sadly did not see a group in sync but we did at least see a few of the Snappy Sync Fireflies during the tour.
A naturalist led us over the boardwalk and up to one of the stops along the Natchez Trace Parkway, showing us the different areas where fireflies can be seen and sharing information about their lifecycle.
It was a fascinating tour. Hopefully, we can return next year to see how the population has recovered from the drought.
Day 3 - Ridgeland & Jackson, Mississippi
We started the morning with breakfast at a local restaurant before stopping by the Ridgeland Coffee Co. drive-thru coffee for a lovely hot cup of coffee.
After loading up on caffeine, we made the quick drive to the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument.
This was a new Mississippi National Park for us, and we were so excited that it was open for tours while we were in Ridgeland.
I am going to write a complete blog post about this historic Civil Rights site soon. If you are anywhere near this area, you must visit.
It was a reminder of the impact one person can have in making the world a better place. The ladies who were working were amazing, and I could have chatted with them all day.
This Mississippi National Monument includes the home of Medgar and Myrlie Evers, along with Myrlie's Garden at the end of the street.
After an amazing visit to the park, we headed back to Ridgeland to visit the Buenos Aires Bakery.
One thing we have loved is all of the amazing options for restaurants and bakeries in Ridgeland. There is a really diverse spectrum of dining options.
The Buenos Aires Bakery was the perfect stop for a quick lunch and to pick up treats for the hotel. Their bakery cases were filled with options, including apple empanadas, pineapple empanadas, Pastelitos filled with guava jelly and cream cheese, layered and rolled cakes, macarons, cake pops, and so much more.
My wife said everyone needs to go and get a Lemon Alfajores, an Argentine lemon cookie filled with creamy lemon frosting and covered in white chocolate. She wished she had bought a few extras to bring home.
The hardest part of our entire trip was deciding what to do for our afternoon. Ridgeland is the perfect base hub for exploring so many of the Mississippi National Park Sites.
We realized that the brand-new Emmet Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument is only 2 hours away, Vicksburg National Military Park is only 45 minutes away, and Natchez National Historical Park is only 2 hours south of Ridgeland.
Heading towards Louisiana, Poverty Point National Monument is only a little over an hour and a half away from Ridgeland.
We were tempted to visit one of these parks, but in the end, the Natchez Trace Parkway pulled us back in.
After exploring a bit more of Ridgeland's Renaissance at Colony Park shopping center we headed back north on the parkway.
The cypress swamp was calling to us, along with all of the epic birdwatching along the way. I am so glad we headed back to the Cypress Swamp. The Prothonotary Warbler greeted us on the same tree it was on yesterday.
We heard a ton of birds but were only able to identify a few of them by site. After spending time exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway, we headed back down to Ridgeland for dinner.
Did you know there is an amazing Ridgeland wildflower field that is curated by the city? We were a little early to see the field filled with wildflowers, but we were able to walk the grounds and see some of the early flowers.
For dinner we headed to Local 463 Urban Kitchen which is located in the Renaissance at Colony Park shopping center, making it really easy to visit.
The bone-in ribeye steak that I enjoyed for dinner was one of the best steaks I have had anywhere in the world. Served with fresh asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes, I would visit Local 463 Urban Kitchen any night to have it again.
My wife had a pink guava margarita and said it was unbelievable. I am pretty sure she is now trying to figure out how she can make one at home.
We finished the night with more urban birding exploring the green spaces surrounding the Renaissance shopping area and city.
Day 4 - Ridgeland, New Orleans, and back to Gulf Shores, Al
We started the day packing to head home and exploring the green spaces near our hotel in Ridgeland, MS.
I am going to admit that the Natchez Trace Parkway called us back again. We had an hour or so before our brunch reservations so we headed back to the Reservoir Overlook for more birdwatching.
It was so relaxing watching the water and listening to the birds all around us. The perfect way to start a travel day.
It was hard not making a trip back to the Cypress Swamp but we knew we wanted to get brunch before heading out to drive home.
I am so glad we made brunch a priority and visited Anjou in Ridgeland. This upscale French and Southern classics restaurant exceeded any and all expectations we might have had.
The brunch menu at Anjou was filled with so many amazing choices we had a hard time choosing. They had unbelievably delicious Escargot De Bourgogne in Pernod-Garlic Butter.
It has been a while since I had escargot and I have to admit it isn't a dish I thought I would find in central Mississippi.
The food scene in Ridgeland was an amazing surprise. We also had savory zucchini beignets served with a creamy feta dip. YUM! This was our first time having savory beignets and I am so ready to try them again.
The Parisienne Waffle was served with shaved ham, asparagus, poached egg, and Mornay sauce over the top....yum!
Paired with a cup of French Onion Soup with melted Gruyere over the top....I will be dreaming of this soup for a while. It was so good.
Tammilee said her Raspberry Sour cocktail was one of the best balanced cocktails she has had in a long time. She is now on a mission to try to remake it at home it was that good.
After brunch we did a bit more birdwatching on the pond right next to Anjou. There were Canada Geese goslings and Mallard ducklings which were super cute.
We finally dragged ourselves back to the car and headed home. We decided to drive home via New Orleans so we could get a Trader Joe's shopping trip in and enjoy a new area of Mississippi on the drive.
Ridgeland, Mississippi Trip Wrap Up
Ridgeland, Mississippi surprised us in so many ways. We went into the trip knowing that there were National Park Sites within an easy drive from the city.
What we didn't expect was to find ourselves immersed in an upscale city with an incredible food scene. Moving from the Pacific Northwest we didn't really know a lot about Mississippi other than the random things we would hear on the news.
One of the biggest takeaways we had from this trip is how much natural green space there is in Mississippi. We were in awe of how easy it is to spend time outdoors. Whether that is using the multi-use trail in Ridgeland or exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway.
While we were at brunch at Anjou one of the servers told us about Red Bluff which is called the Little Grand Canyon of Mississippi. Who knew there was red rock and hiking trails in Mississippi.
This trip really made us want to plan return trips to explore Ridgeland and the surrounding areas. Mississippi continues to surprise us in so many great ways.
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