Meridian, MS

 

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: a swimming pool, duck pond, tennis courts and sports fields, playground and restrooms. Four shelters are available for rentals.

 

Velma Young Park, measuring 15 acres, includes a playground, baseball fields, basketball courts, swimming pool and more. A community center and picnic shelters are positioned on the grounds to serve visitors.

 

Northeast Park serves the sports enthusiast with its lighted softball and soccer fields, 10 lighted tennis courts, and a walking and running track. Some other amenities are a clubhouse with showers, buildings for concessions and facilities, and more.

 

Planet Playground is also located at the Northeast Park. This volunteer-built, 10,000-square-foot park is open 24 hours a day and is free.

 

Clarko State Park – with white sands and tall oaks – is located just south of Meridian. A rest area has been developed on an island formed by a fast-moving creek.

 

 

Sammie Davidson Softball Complex is the place to be if softball is your game. Positioned near Meridian Community College, this complex is complete with four lighted fields and locker rooms, and hosts national softball tournaments. Sykes Park, home to the Meridian Wildcats baseball team, is one of the newer parks in the area. Three fields, batting cages and other amenities make this field one of the most play-friendly areas for baseball. Phil Hardin Park offers baseball players four lighted fenced-in fields and is used for boys' major and minor league play for adolescents. The park is complete with facilities and measures 13 acres. The Meridian Jaycee Soccer Complex has 10 fields and offers leagues for children 4-19 years of age.

 

 

Okatibbee Lake features a 4,100-acre lake and seven parks for visitors. Areas for camping and fishing, a marina, water slide, and swimming beaches are included. Splashdown Country Waterpark is located on 350 acres of the 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. Activities offered are horseback riding, nature trails, a walking track, mountain bike trails, fishing and boating.

 

 

Golf in East Mississippi is easy to come by. There are five 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 Course, all 18 holes. Lakeview Golf Course, nine or 18 holes, and Okatibbee Creek Golf Center, nine holes, both include driving ranges and are open to the public.