Neighborhood highlights
There's a lot to do in and around the area but it takes asking around and looking for the hidden gems. I’m mentioning quite a bit here just to give you some ideas.
First our close-knit community of “Big Level”, outside of Wiggins, is very friendly & typical of country living in the Magnolia State. Within a couple miles is Big Level Grocery where they make the absolute best homemade sandwiches and you can garb a Barq's Root Beer in a bottle, which was first bottled in Biloxi MS in the late 1890s. They also serve a great breakfast most every morning. Right across the road from them is the locally famous Snow Boogers, a unique snow cone/ice cream stand known far and wide for their sweet concoctions. Hours vary depending on the season.
Another unique general store a little farther away is the Ramsey Springs Grocery which also has some fine sandwiches, but also an on-site restaurant w/a varied menu. Ramsey Springs once had an approximate 30-room, 3-story, hotel in the late 1890s that boasted of a healing spring where people came from all over the world to swim in the pool and drink the therapeutic spring water.
Red Creek at City Bridge Landing is a local cooling off spot during the summer where you can wade or swim in the shallow cool waters, or grab a lawn chair, and soak up some rays on the beautiful white sandbars.
In Wiggins we have Historic Pine Ave (locally known as Pine Hill) lined with specialty shops and old town buildings. One of those shops is Southern Turnings, a wood turning shop, inside The Coffee Shop/gift store. It’s is a quiet place to sit back, relax, and unwind with a cup of Joe or shop for that specialty gift, most made by local artisans. Handmade wood bowls & other items turned on-site are also sold there and are unlike any you will find elsewhere. Wiggins also boasts plenty of other local places to shop like White House Gifts, The Attic, Southbound Overstock, Two Fat Friends, Island Dreams, Southern Pearls, The Butcher Block, Kloze Klozet, several ladies boutiques, and at least two old-fashioned hardware/general stores, as well as all the latest entities like dollar stores and even Walmart. At the bottom of Pine Avenue is Blaylock Park with a nice walking track, pavilions, Telling Trees Project of stone murals, as well as seating under the towering pines reflective of the area which was once well known as the "Piney Woods".
If bicycling is your thing, there is another walking track along Wire Road East, that provides several miles of paved paths to walk, jog, and cycle.
For foodies and neat places to eat, there’s the Frosty Mug, home of the "Lot-O-Burger" and was first opened in the late 50's or early 60's which has an old-fashioned walk-up window. The Whistle Stop Cafe which is on the same street through town, serves up the best fried catfish, daily meal specials, seafood, steaks, and great desserts. There’s also Miss Julie's Market, Perico's and Rio Grande Mexican Restaurants, Bill's Catfish & Steak House, McAlisters, Buku Seafood, as well as several fast-food restaurants that round out the selection.
For more fun, fishing, or just relaxing, Flint Creek Water Park is a couple miles out of town. It's perfect for day trips to picnic or just enjoy a low key laid back atmosphere. Horse back riding and Water Town water slides, which is a water lover's paradise during the summer months, are also other options.
Within 20+ miles up Highway 49N, Paul B Johnson State Park is a beautiful alternative for fishing, picnicking, paddle boating, along with a hiking trail and other activities depending on the time of year.
If you're more inclined to pamper yourself, The Retreat Salon and Day Spa is where you can get a massage, hair care, facial, sauna, float tank therapy session, or even body waxing.
A few miles south on Highway 49 is McDaniels' General Store, The Pecan House, Fat Daddy’s Fine Dining, and the beautiful campus of MS Gulf Coast Community College, founded in 1912 as an agricultural high school. In that same area is a relativity new and exciting adventure, Wild Acres Hands on Animal Experience in McHenry, where you can interact with all types of exotic animals.
About 30 miles north of Wiggins is Hattiesburg which also has many fun things to do as well as shopping and dining. It is also home of the Hattiesburg Zoo at Kamper Park which has been around since the early 1900s.
In addition, the beautiful MS Gulf Coast is only about 35 miles south and full of great food, fun, shopping, beautiful sunsets, and hopefully profitable gains if casinos are your thing.
New Orleans, better known as The Big Easy, is a little over an hour away providing the perfect opportunity for day trips to explore all the history there, maybe delve into voodoo culture, eat famous beignets or gumbo, go to the Audubon Zoo, stroll around the French Quarter, or take a cruise on the paddle wheel down the Mighty Mississippi River.
There’s so much to do in and around our little community. Included are quite a few pictures of places to visit and things to do. We hope you come stay with us soon!
