Going to be in Hattiesburg and Long Beach for a couple of days next week (Southern Miss college visit, both campuses).  Any must see/must visit/must eat at places?  Any must avoid places?? (I already know about Jackson )

Thanks, from The Top of Mississippi.

The Mississippi Military Museum (Camp Shelby, about halfway between) is something worth seeing for anybody coming through the area.  The Aquarium is nice.  I would stay away from  Gulfport between Long Beach and Courthouse Road except for a narrow strip downtown.  In Downtown, Half Shell is a good place to eat for fancy seafood, Murky Waters is good for BBQ, Tony's is good for Pizza. Harbor View Caf  in LB is nice, White Cap is good classic GC seafood on the beach.  The Jefferson Davis home is another nice half day if you're in to old houses and Confederate stuff.

High Caliber Guns if you want to see a gun shop, or Dad's Pawn.

If You want to do a day off with outdoorsy stuff you could kayak the Okatoma (Seminary MS) or go to Ship Island on a ferry (out of GPT harbor.)

Hattiesburg has a lot of good non-chain type places to eat.  I drove through yesterday and ate at Ed's Burger. Crescent City Grill for fancy dinner. Except for University related things I don't got to Hburg much.

Where are you staying in LB and what major is your child interested in?

Good info thanks!  Seafood places are off the table as one of our group has shellfish allergies.  We are staying in Long Beach about 1 block north of the coast campus of USM.  Our “official” tour is at the Hattiesburg campus though so we are self touring Long Beach.

If he goes to USM he wants to study marine biology.

All the seafood places would have non seafood options.

Marine biology you need to check out GCRL.

(my degree is in marine biology from USM)

Went to Radish for dinner last night…..  dayum.  

Traipsed around the Gulf Park campus and went to the aquarium, spent some time on the beach and looking around.  Too damn hot this week to do too much stuff.  Rag chewed with the locals on the 2m a bit when in the car. Did not make it over to GCRL (yet???), leaving tomorrow morning to go back to the Top of Mississippi.  If some serious desire is expressed in attending USM we’ll probably come back down again and make a point to see that.  

Are you putting your marine biology degree to use?

I used it for about 24 years, I'm retired now.  Worked for a couple Universities as a grunt for three years, then started teaching high school marine biology (as well as other random science) for the rest.  I'm retired now and went a completely different direction.

Thanks again for the good info.  We did hit the aquarium.   Really liked Long Beach and Pass Christian quite a bit.

I live in LB, so next time you are down, drop an IM.