Mississippi Activities and Attractions to Explore with Kids

Located in the architecturally significant Mississippi City Elementary School in Gulfport, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is a 15,000-square-foot exhibition space that features interactive displays and presentations that encourage exploration and discovery through play.

Built in 1915, the Elementary School is one of the architectural gems of the state and an architectural exhibition itself.

The center features a spacious theatre, six acres of outdoor play space, a Viking kitchen, and exhibits include To Market, To Market Grocery Store, Bear Camp Bayou for Little Discoverers, The History Hotel Old-Time Adventure, Dolan Avenue Depot, WLMDC TV Studio, and On the Green.

246 Dolan Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39507, Phone: 228-897-6039

Located near the Mississippi-Alabama state line, just south of Meridian, Clarkco State Park is an 815-acre state park that offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities, including camping, hiking, mountain biking, and water sports.

Featuring gently rolling woodlands, the peaceful park is ideal for a weekend getaway and tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the city with log cabins for overnight stays.

Ivy Lake and MooreMill Creek offer water-based activities such as fishing, swimming, leisure boating, and bird-watching, and several trails around the park offer excellent hiking for all skill levels.

386 Clarkco Road, Quitman, MS 39355, Phone: 601-776-6651

Located in Picayune, Mississippi, the Crosby Arboretum is a 700-acre botanical garden and flora sanctuary that protects over 300 species of indigenous trees and shrubs. The Arboretum features a 104-acre Native Plant Center that includes the award-winning architect Fay Jones-designed Pinecote Pavilion, one of the architectural jewels of Mississippi, and the Piney Woods Lake, which offers a variety of outdoor activities. The gardens also provide several walking trails through savanna exhibits, dense woodlands and human-made waterways, and habitats within the gardens include a Hillside Bog, Dead Tiger Creek Hammock, Dead Tiger Creek Savanna, Red Bluff, Talowah, Mill Creek, and Steep Hollow. Self-guided tours of the arboretum are available Wednesday through Sunday.

370 Ridge Rd, Picayune, MS 39466, Phone: 601-799-2311

Located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the Delta Blues Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, inspiring, and encouraging awareness and appreciation of blues music. Clarksdale has been at the core of the blues culture and a center for the music since the 1920s, and this is highlighted in the works at the museum. The museum features a significant collection of blues-related memorabilia, artworks, and documents, which are showcased in a variety of exhibitions, including works by photographer Birney Imes, and sculptor Floyd Shaman. Built in 1926, the Museum is located in the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Passenger Depot, which is also known as the Clarksdale Passenger Depot and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1 Blues Alley, Clarksdale, MS 38614, Phone: 662-627-6820

Set within Kamper Park in Hattiesburg, the Hattiesburg Zoo is a small animal sanctuary that is home to around 55 species of animals.

Nestled among a grove of oak and pine trees, the zoo, which is also known as the Kamper Park Zoo, features several sections and different habitats, including Africa, Americas and Asia, Wallaby Walkabout, and the Asbury Discovery Center. Animals at the zoo include porcupines, ostriches, Grant’s zebras, Blue duikers, DeBrazza guenon monkeys, Bennett’s wallabies, emus, New Zealand-native kunekune pigs, and kookaburras.

Other attractions at the zoo range from a train ride around the zoo, a vintage carousel, a splash pad, a mining sluice, an African drum station, and a petting zoo.

Several concession stands provide food and drinks, and the zoo runs a variety of educational programs for children of all ages.

107 S 17th Ave, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, Phone: 601-545-4576

Situated within the historic 110-acre Livingston Park, the Jackson Zoo is an animal sanctuary that is home to almost 380 animals across 200 different species from around the world that reside in a variety of habitats around the park.

Established 90 years ago, the zoo features several areas dedicated to specific regions on the planet, such as the African Savannah and Rainforest, Froggy Bottom, Jewels of South America Aviary, Wilderness Mississippi, and the Discovery Zoo.

Other attractions in the park include the Elephant House Café, which serves light fare and coffee, train rides around the park and shady picnic areas, an Endangered Species Carousel and a splash pad for kids, and the Jackson Zoo Trading Company, offering educational toys and souvenirs.

2918 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39209, Phone: 601-352-2580

The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi explores the maritime history and heritage of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Established in 1986, the museum aims to interpret, protect, and preserve the rich maritime history of the region through informative and interesting exhibits, objects, artifacts, and a fascinating collection of historical photographs.

The museum’s exhibits span from the time of the first Indian settlement and following immigrant settlement to the development of the melting-pot culture of the Gulf Coast today, showcasing industries like shrimping and oystering, net-making, wooden boat building, and marine blacksmithing.

The 1,400 square foot Wade Guice Hurricane Museum within the museum features a state-of-the-art theatre and replicas of two 65-ft twin-masted Biloxi Schooners. The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum is open Monday through Sunday.

115 1st Street, Biloxi, MS 39530, Phone: 228-435-6320

Located in LeFleur's Bluff State Park, Mississippi Children’s Museum is a fun, educational environment in which children are inspired to learn through play.

The museum features a variety of interactive exhibits that focus on the arts, history, health, and science and are designed to encourage a hands-on approach to learning and stimulate young minds in a safe, engaging atmosphere.

Exhibits include Pollinator’s Playground, The Literacy Garden, Journey to the North Pole, The Wild About Reading Gallery, and Healthy Fun Gallery. The museum also offers educational field trips and group visits for all ages.

2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39202, Phone: 601-981-5469

Based on an architecturally significant building designed by Glavé & Holmes Architecture, the Mississippi Museum of Art is a public museum in Jackson, Mississippi, and the largest museum in the state. Established to engage the community in and through the visual arts, the museum on South Lamar Street features a variety of diverse exhibits that feature everything from ceramics and sculptures to paintings and prints from artists spanning all periods. Other attractions at the museum include a beautiful 1.2-acre sculpture garden, a studio school offering classes and workshops, jazz programs, performances, and presentations, and a casual café that serves light fare and freshly brewed coffee throughout the day.

380 S Lamar St, Jackson, MS 39201, Phone: 601-960-1515