Ocean Springs and Oxford were the only two Mississippi towns included in Southern Living magazine’s June 29 list of the “15 Most Adorable Small Towns for a Summer Getaway, as selected by Southern Living editors.

The magazine’s intro to the list states, in part:

“To be a truly adorable small town, several boxes must be checked. A walkable and charming main street or downtown are requirements. An old-fashioned ice cream parlor or candy shop is a nice touch. And finally, excellent community and friendly locals are a must. Each of the following Southern small towns has all of the above – and so much more – rendering it an ideal place to visit this summer … or maybe even move to one day (retirement ideas, anyone?). From sunny beach towns to nostalgic mountain communities, keep reading for our list of adorable small towns that are ideal for a dreamy weekend getaway.”

Ocean Springs

Southern Living’s description of Ocean Springs states: “The arts are alive and well in this coastal Mississippi town that was once the home of famed painter and writer Walter Anderson. You can see his nature-inspired works at the Walter Anderson Museum downtown, then spend the rest of your afternoon getting to know the town’s current roster of talented artists at places like Shearwater Pottery and Hillyer House. Well-designed boutique properties like The Beatnik, The Roost, and The Hemingway further make the case for Ocean Springs as the cutest town you’ll ever meet.”

Oxford

Southern Living’s description of Oxford states: “If you want to discover the heart of Oxford, head to the Square. The historic center of town is home to a bevy of must-visit local businesses, from bookstores and museums to art galleries and restaurants. Notable spots include Square Books (one of the South’s favorite bookstores), Neilsen’s (the South’s oldest department store), and City Grocery (a landmark restaurant in Oxford’s surprisingly wonderful dining scene). There’s a reason so many Ole Miss students make Oxford their permanent home after graduation, and it’s because the beloved college town has that special something.”

More: Kevin Hart reschedules Jackson shows for later this year. See new date here

Other towns included on the magazine’s list:

• Boone, North Carolina
• Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida
• Ellijay, Georgia
• St. Michaels, Maryland
• Seaside, Florida
• Beaufort, South Carolina
• Dripping Springs, Texas
• Black Mountain, North Carolina
• Fairhope, Alabama
• Mount Airy, North Carolina
• Eureka Springs, Arkansas
• Brevard, North Carolina
• Abingdon, Virginia

Know an event coming up or have a good story idea? Reporter Kiara Fleming can be reached via email KDFleming@jackson.gannett.com and on X @Ki_dajournalist 

DALLAS ― First-year Mississippi State football coach and offensive guru Jeff Lebby inherited one of the SEC’s worst offenses.

No SEC team recorded fewer points or first downs than the Bulldogs in 2023. Mississippi State finished 13th out of 14 programs in passing yards per game, ninth in rushing yards and 12th in total offense.

He brought in 19 total transfers, including 11 on the offensive side of the ball, headlined by veteran Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen.

“I think the confidence comes in the preparation and the guys that we have from the standpoint of having Blake being our QB,” Lebby said at SEC Media Days on Wednesday. “A guy that has great experience, he’s a Big 12 champion. He knows what it’s supposed to look like. So that piece of the puzzle was huge for me and for us being in Year 1. That gives us the chance to get off the ground the way we want to.”

Not long ago, a coach bringing in an experienced quarterback like Shapen for the first year of his tenure would have marked a truly rare occurrence. The transfer portal changed that.

Now, Lebby can turn to a player who threw for 5,574 yards and 36 touchdowns in 27 games at Baylor right from the jump.

There’s still a learning curve for Shapen. At Baylor, he played in a pro-style offense, under center roughly 50% of the time. Lebby’s offense will operate almost exclusively out of the shotgun.

“It’s (taken) a lot of time, for sure,” Shapen said. “… Now coming to a more spread-out offense, wider splits, things like that. Getting the ball out quick and throwing the ball down the field.”

Lebby’s offense at Oklahoma last year ripped off 82 plays of 20 yards or more to rank eighth nationally. Mississippi State’s offense produced 42 such plays.

If the Bulldogs can get this right, they should be a much more fun watch in 2024.

LEBBY ON KIFFIN: Jeff Lebby calls Lane Kiffin ‘childish’ for social media posts but respects Ole Miss coach

“I think the fans and the people, they kind of understand coach Lebby’s history and what he’s done offensively,” Shapen said. “So I don’t think it’s going to be a huge surprise, but I think when we’re able to put up some points and change the outcome of some games, I think that’ll be a big surprise.”

Walking the path toward that goal, the Bulldogs are prioritizing having some fun of their own.

“I truly think when you walk in the double doors every single day, if you enjoy who you do it with and how you do it, then you’ve got a chance to pour into it just a little bit more,” Lebby said. “So maybe you stay for 20 more minutes, 20 get elite recovery because of what’s going on in the training room and what’s going on in the weight room. That culture to me matters. People want to be inside the building when they enjoy being inside the building.”

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.