East Mississippi is beautiful on the outside, especially with regard to outdoor recreation activities. Here are examples:

Let Us Play

Highland Park is home to the Jimmie Rodgers Museum, the Dentzel Antique Carousel, Frank Cochran Center and the Kendallwood Craft Center. This park has everything a visitor needs: swimming pool, duck pond, tennis courts, sports fields, playground and four shelters.

Velma Young Park has a playground, baseball fields, basketball courts, swimming pool, a community center and picnic shelters, while Northeast Park serves the sports enthusiast with its lighted softball and soccer fields, lighted tennis courts, and a walking and running track. Planet Playground is also at Northeast Park, spanning 10,000 square feet and open 24 hours a day.

Clarkco State Park – with white sands and tall oaks – is just south of Meridian, complete with a rest area that has been developed on an island formed by a fast-moving creek. And Dunn's Falls is a water park nestled along the Chunky River, featuring swimming and a 65-foot waterfall that provides beauty along with power needed for a nearby grist mill.

Outdoor enthusiasts can also enjoy Binachi Shooting Sports range, which offers shotgun/archery courses for skeet shooting, trap shooting, sporting clays and five-stand shooting opportunities.

Just Add Water

Okatibbee Lake, measuring 4,100 acres, has seven parks for visitors along with areas for camping and fishing, a marina, water slide, and swimming beaches. Splashdown Country water park is on 350 acres of that land, complete with inner-tube river rides, water slides and even a motel on site.

Bonita Lakes is a 3,300-acre park situated on three lakes, with activities such as horseback riding, nature trails, a walking track, mountain bike trails, fishing and boating. Dalewood Shores Lake is a 3,300-acre subdivision with an 1,800-acre main lake and 10 smaller lakes ranging from two to 75 acres.

Have a Ball

Sammie Davidson Softball Complex is a good place to be if softball is your game. Positioned near Meridian Community College, this complex is complete with four lighted fields and hosts national softball tournaments. Sykes Park, home to the Meridian Wildcats baseball team, has three fields and batting cages, while Phil Hardin Park offers baseball players four lighted fenced-in fields and is used for boys' major and minor league play. Meanwhile, Meridian Jaycee Soccer Complex has 10 fields and hosts leagues for children 4-19 years of age.

The Club Scene

Golf in East Mississippi is easy to come by. There are four courses in the area, for everyone from experts looking for a challenge to amateurs just wanting to have fun. Private courses are Briarwood Country Club, Northwood Country Club and Ponta Creek Golf Club, all 18 holes. Lakeview Golf Course in a public venue, featuring nine or 18 holes.

Tennis, Everyone?

Tennis enthusiasts also have several places to serve and volley throughout East Mississippi. They include Meridian Community College, Northeast Park, Northwood Country Club and Sammy Davidson Complex.