Mississippi
Trip Ideas

Take This Road Trip To The 5 Most Eye-Popping Sunflower Fields In Mississippi

Discover a scenic road trip through Mississippi's most beautiful sunflower farms, perfect for picking and photography.

Updated Mar 15, 2024

Written by 

Daniella DiRienzo

I go nuts for flower season. Sunflower fields in Mississippi aren’t super plentiful, but they do exist. You just have to know where to look for them – and that’s where this road trip comes in. Spanning the entire length of the state, the route we’ve mapped out will lead you to some of the most bountiful (and beautiful) sunflower farms in Mississippi. Some places will even let you pick them. Take a look:

At 445 miles, the route will take just under eight hours to complete. (Of course, that doesn't include the time you'll spend at each stop.)

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google.com

To alter the route, simply click on the link below the map.

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1. Coastal Ridge Farm

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Jacob Smith/Google

A great way to start off your road trip to sunflower farms near me in Mississippi, Coastal Ridge Farm features acres of beautiful sunflowers, which you can actually pick! The farm opens the sunflower fields to the public on weekends during spring, summer, and fall, so plan your trip accordingly. Learn more about Coastal Ridge Farm.

2. Charlie’s U-Pik

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Charlie’s U-Pick/Facebook

One of the best sunflower farms in Mississippi, in addition to an abundance of fruits and veggies, this farm grows some picture-perfect sunflowers. The sunflowers are pre-picked and ready for purchase. Take advantage of your visit to Charlie’s by stocking up on fresh produce. You can venture out into the fields and pick it yourself, or select from the variety of already-picked fruits and veggies. Read more about Charlie's U-Pik.

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3. Mitchell Farms

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Stephen Reid/Google

One of the best sunflower fields in Mississippi, this farm is open by appointment only for most of the year – but that changes in the fall when it opens to the public and offers a slew of seasonal activities, including a sunflower field. While at the farm, you can simply walk through the picturesque field of flowers or purchase a few. Get more details on visiting Mitchell Farms.

4. Wise Family Farm

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Kristin Gravatt Belvin/Google

There’s a lot to see and do at this flower field near me in Mississippi – and that includes exploring beautiful sunflower fields. Open each fall, the fields are the perfect family photo opportunity. They’re also perfect for pickin’. The u-pick fields include two options – the sunflower and zinnia field, where flowers can be picked for free, and the specialty field, where flowers can be picked for a fee. Read further on about Wise Family Farm.

5. Cedar Hill Farm

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Cedar Hill Farm/Facebook

This sunflower farm in Mississippi is a great visit any time of the year, but it’s even better around October when the sunflowers are in full bloom. Though the flowers aren’t available for picking, the fields are open to the public for pictures. Get more details about Cedar Hill Farm.

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Have you ever visited any of these Mississippi flower fields? Did we include your favorite sunflower fields in Mississippi? Tell us in the comments section!

Be sure you have all you need for your trip by consulting our road trip packing essentials list.

Looking for more floral fun? Check out Wister Gardens in Mississippi.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/mississippi/wister-gardens-ms/

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Trip Ideas

Ride a Christmas Train, Then Stay in a Christmas-Themed Airbnb for a Holly Jolly Mississippi Adventure

Make your holiday magic with this Christmas-themed vacation in Mississippi. Enjoy a festive train ride and stay at Thomley’s Christmas Tree Farm in Hattiesburg, MS.

Updated Oct 21, 2024

Written by 

Daniella DiRienzo

I truly believe that Christmas in Mississippi is the most wonderful time of year! But between all the activities, it can also be the most hectic time. However, I am here to assure you that it doesn’t have to be. You can escape the craziness of the season by embarking on an unforgettable Christmas vacation. Of course, I get it, planning a great getaway might seem like a chore during the holiday rush, but that’s where we come in. We’ve planned the perfect Christmas vacation, which begins with a festive train ride and concludes with an overnight stay at Thomley's Christmas Tree Farm in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It’s a holly jolly holiday adventure in Mississippi that’s sure to evolve into a beloved annual tradition.

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Kick off your holly jolly adventure at Hattiesburg Zoo, which, during the holiday season, hosts an annual light show, Lights of the Wild. The unique holiday display has hundreds of glowing lanterns that showcase festive holiday scenes as well as the diverse wildlife and flora found around the globe. Christmas music and children's laughter will fill the air at the joyous family-friendly event. 

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Erik Drost/Flickr

In addition to dazzling light-up displays, Lights of the Wild features lots of fun events and activities, including unlimited rides on the Candy Cane Carousel and the Northern Lights Express Train. Choo choo, hop on board! This Mississippi Christmas train traverses the zoo grounds continually throughout the event, making it a great way to take in the festive sights. The kids will especially love seeing all the twinkling lights and glowing animals. Be sure to have your phone in hand to capture Christmas pictures for your collections. 

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Rob Bixby/Flickr

There will be holiday treat stations, too. Located throughout the zoo, the treat stations make it easy to fill up on the best goodies of the season, including hot cocoa and roasted marshmallows. Of course, the lions, tigers, and bears (OH MY!) will be part of the festivities too. This Mississippi Zoo light attraction is a great holiday adventure for folks of all ages. We guarantee that you’ll love it as much as we do! A past guest describes it as “A wonderful way to start the Holiday Season with family and friends making treasured memories and traditions.”

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Airbnb

After you’re done exploring Lights of the Wild, head to your next stop – a cozy Airbnb on a Christmas tree farm! Also located in Hattiesburg, Thomley’s Christmas Tree Farm has been helping people get into the spirit of the season for more than 50 years! The 10-acre farm is brimming with beautiful Christmas trees, but that’s not all. The grounds also include an Airbnb. Perfect for a family gathering, the 2,600-square-foot rental sleeps up to eight guests.

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Airbnb

You won't be confined to the Airbnb during your stay, though. You can explore the grounds, where you'll find plenty of photo-ops and, possibly, run into some of the resident goats. There's also an on-site shop that carries décor and gifts, which means you can get some shopping done on your Christmas vacation. Not to mention the glassblowing studio, where for an extra fee, you can create a one-of-a-kind gift. Between the Lights of the Wild and a stay at Thomley’s Christmas Tree Farm, your Christmas season will be filled with pure magic.

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Airbnb

Hattiesburg Zoo Address: 107 S 17th Ave, Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Ready to embark on this holly jolly adventure? For more information on the Northern Lights Express Train and Lights of the Wild, visit the Hattiesburg Zoo website. Want to book a stay at Thomley’s Christmas Tree Farm? Learn more about these festive accommodations in Mississippi on Airbnb.

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So, what do you think? Does this sound like the perfect Christmas vacation or what? If you’ve never been to the Lights of the Wild, you’ll want to add this dazzling light display to your list this season. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a night at Thomley’s Christmas Tree Farm. This will be one Christmas you won’t forget. 

This Christmas vacation is just one way to have some holiday fun in the Magnolia State. This holiday home tour in Mississippi is another.

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Trip Ideas|Small Towns

The Remote Destination in Mississippi Where the Drive Is Worth the Final View

This sleepy little town in Mississippi is packed full of history.

Published Sep 29, 2024

Written by 

Jackie Sutherlin

One of the best things about driving through Mississippi is that you’re never short on scenic views. There’s nothing like taking some of our beautiful back roads, with the windows rolled down and the tunes turned up.

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Next time you catch yourself with an urge to jump in the car and chase the sun, head over to this remote destination in Mississippi where the drive is worth the final view. 

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Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr

Tucked away in Claiborne County, Port Gibson is a tiny little town that’s home to fewer than 2,000 residents.

As the third oldest European-American settlement in Mississippi, you can bet that this sleepy little town has a big history. One of my favorite fun facts about Port Gibson is that it was home to the Port Gibson Female College. The college was founded in 1843, and even though it closed in 1908, it played a role in women’s education at a time when women weren’t seen as equals. Most of the buildings are long gone, but City Hall actually resides in one of the original buildings!

Since Port Gibson sits on the shores of the Mighty Mississippi, it was the site of several clashes during the Civil War, including the Battle of Port Gibson in 1863. Since the town was caught in the crosshairs of the war, you would think most of the original buildings would have suffered a fiery fate that was all too common back then. Shockingly, many of Port Gibson’s buildings were spared. Union General Ulysses S. Grant proclaimed the city “too beautiful to burn.”

After the war, Port Gibson established itself as a center of trade and eventually established the first cottonseed oil plants in the United States in 1882. 

On the artistic side of things, Port Gibson was home to one of the largest all-black vaudeville shows in the southern states. The Rabbit’s Foot Company was opened in 1900 and served as a theater space for talented singers, musicians, comedians, and entertainers. A Mississippi Blues Trail marker was installed in the town to honor the theater company’s contribution to Mississippi’s blues history. 

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Wayne Hsieh/Flickr

The most famous landmark in Port Gibson is the Windsor Ruins. Only 23 columns remain of what was once the largest antebellum Greek Revival mansion in Mississippi—and they’re worth checking out. 

The mansion towered over everything in its sight from 1861 to 1890. The mansion was used as a hospital and observation station by Union troops during the Civil War. Even though the mansion miraculously survived the Civil War (most plantations were burned down), Windsor Mansion stood tall after the war. It wasn’t until a guest put out a cigarette (or cigar) that it went up in flames. 

A drive around Port Gibson is a history lover’s paradise. You could easily spend the whole day taking in the historic windshield views and popping out to get a closer look at everything. 

If you’ve ever visited Port Gibson, share your experience with us in the comments below. Read on to check out some of our favorite road trip essentials to make your drive a breeze. 

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