Do you ever think of Mississippi as a destination that you'd plan to visit? We've driven through plenty of times, but apparently Mississippi is so much more than what you see from the highway. Okay, I knew there was more to it. From Ocean Springs, MS to Jackson, you'll find all kinds of towns and natural spaces to explore.

In this episode we've got our friend, Tammilee Tillison of TammileeTips.com / GulfCoastJourneys.com sharing about one of the places in Mississippi that surprised her the most: Ridgeland, Mississippi. Initially, the plan for being based in Ridgeland was to explore the Natchez Trace Parkway (a National Park Service greenway) and then to pop over to Jackson to visit the Medgar and Myrlie Evers National Monument, but Ridgeland turned out to be the land of fine dining and classy relaxation and green spaces.

Having Ridgeland as a home base, you can plan a 3-day getaway that's a mix of history, southern swamp nature, and beautiful food. The Natchez Trace Parkway stretches from Natches in southern Mississippi up into Tennessee, crossing through a little corner of Alabama. This is the natural beauty of the South that's often overlooked or forgotten. This is also a birdwatching dream, being a part of the Mississippi Flyway, a major bird migration route from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico up into Canada and Alaska.

Ideas for when to head to Ridgeland MS and the Natches Trace:

• Spring for the Mississippi Flyway birdwatching
• Late spring for synchronus fireflies
• Fall for fall colors along the Natches Trace from TN through AL and MS

Listen to more episodes with Tammilee in our podcast archives or Making Big Life Decisions to Pursue Joy