Many locals say that the entire American South is underappreciated, but big cities like New Orleans, Austin, Atlanta, and Jacksonville certainly get their due. This list is about small Southern communities that plenty of Americans, including some Southerners, have not even heard about. And yet, these places are percolating with beaches, parks, caves, springs, museums, restaurants, sea turtles, and spaceships. Here are seven such gems hidden deep in the Deep South.

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

The forgotten coastal state of Mississippi has more than 60 miles of Gulf of Mexico coastline stuffed with scenic communities. The best of these is Bay St. Louis. Named for the adjoining Bay of St. Louis, this 9,000ish-person “city” has one of the state’s highest-rated beaches and many associated activities. Beachgoers who do not skip Mississippi in favor of Texas or Florida can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, boating, fishing, and beachcombing on the gorgeous Bay St. Louis waterfront. Then, they can head downtown for sights at the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum and bites at The Blind Tiger. Lastly, if you thought Bay St. Louis could not be any less Mississippi-like, it sits about 20 minutes away from NASA’s Stennis Space Center. This astronomically amazing facility can be toured on certain days.

Port Royal, South Carolina

Considered the most underrated town in South Carolina, Port Royal makes Beaufort seem like Charleston. Though Port Royal and Beaufort have similar populations and sit side by side on the SC coast, the former gets less attention and respect, according to Port Royal town manager Van Willis. It also gets less respect than other Beaufort County neighbors like Hilton Head and Bluffton. This is despite Port Royal having a mix of aesthetic homes, excellent amenities, and beautiful nature. Visitors can tour the Old Village, dine at Fishcamp, glimpse birds and gators at the Port Royal Cypress Wetlands and Rookery, and then crash at Cabana Madrid. Port Royal’s downtown streets are elegantly named Madrid Avenue, Paris Avenue, and London Avenue.

Magnolia Springs, Alabama

Is there anything quainter than receiving your mail by motorboat? Magnolia Springs, a riverside town in Alabama, is the only residential community in America with year-round USPS water delivery. Between mailboxes lining the Magnolia River and sprawling oaks lining Magnolia Springs’ streets are lots of attractions for a town of approximately 800 people. Delectable eateries include The Mag: Dive Bar & Grill and Jesse’s Restaurant, while comforting inns comprise the Magnolia Springs Bed and Breakfast. That cozy retreat sits inside the Tunnel Of Trees, where the aforementioned oaks are so immense as to wrap their limbs around multi-story buildings. Appropriately, the tunnel is on Oak Street.

St. Francisville, Louisiana

Another Southern town enmeshed in Spanish moss-draped oak trees, St. Francisville, has some of Louisiana’s prettiest buildings in its verdant clutches. This 1,500ish-person community thrived during the Antebellum era, so when slavery ended, its prosperous plantations were preserved as historic sites or turned into bed & breakfasts. Visitors can tour the Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site and then stay at The Myrtles, an expansive 18th-century estate with a hotel, restaurant, cafe, and even a lake. Although underrated to most Americans, The Myrtles is perhaps overrated to ghost hunters since it has been named the most haunted house in America.

After a hauntingly scenic survey of St. Francisville, you can cleanse your mind at numerous nearby refuges like the Afton Villa Gardens, Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area, Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Clark Creek Natural Area, the last of which is in Mississippi.

Wimberley, Texas

A true Texas oasis, Wimberley is home to the Blue Hole, a natural spring-fed swimming pool centering the scenic cypress forest of Blue Hole Regional Park. In addition to swimming, visitors can go hiking, biking, picnicking, sunbathing, and swinging from a rope to plunge into the blue-tinged water. But that is not the only colorful lagoon in the Wimberley area. Just north of town sits Jacob’s Well, another blue, spring-fed hole connected to an enormous underwater cave system. It, too, has its own nature preserve for recreation and sightseeing, but the well is closed for swimming.

Colorful in a much different way, Wimberley proper has around 2,800 residents, who join smatterings of tourists at the EmilyAnn Theatre, Pioneer Town, Creekside Vintage, and Lodge at Cypress Falls, all of which pay homage to different American eras.

Juno Beach, Florida

Still serene despite constant encroachment from its Krameresque neighbors, Juno Beach has roughly 4,000 residents and arguably the most pristine beach in Palm Beach County. The Loggerhead Marinelife Center is partly responsible for keeping West Palm Beach bums at bay since it protects a large portion of the waterfront for sea turtles, especially during the nesting season from March to October. Turtle walks and beach cleanups are available for environmentally conscious tourists, as are private hikes in the Juno Dunes Natural Area at the north end of town. For commercially inclined visitors, Juno Beach offers delicious restaurants like Captain Charlie’s Reef Grill and Cathy’s Beach Connection, plus recreation at Seminole Golf Club and Bert Winters Park.

Cave Spring, Georgia

Sure enough, Cave Spring has both a cave and a spring. Yet neither of those breathtaking attractions, which are located in Rolater Park, have turned the “city” into a tourist trap. Instead, Cave Spring is called “A Hidden Gem Off The Beaten Path.”

After spelunking in the 57-degree cave and collecting mineral-rich spring water, travelers who were lucky enough to find Cave Spring can mine more of its gems downtown. There, they can dine at Linde Marie’s Steakhouse on the Square, A&B Creekside Restaurant and Catering, Lee’s Donut Shop or Local Joe’s before they decide to shop at Evergreen on Broad or Cave Spring Market. Lastly, they would be wise to stop at the Vann Cherokee Cabin, which was built in 1810 by Avery Vann of the Cherokee Nation and is located on the Trail of Tears. This place in Georgia will definitely be on your mind.

The American South is a diverse and dynamic region that can be underappreciated, especially outside of urban centers. In those vast areas between cities lie small, scenic haunts perfect for a real deal getaway with real deal Southern charm. Bay St. Louis in Mississippi, Port Royal in South Carolina, Magnolia Springs in Alabama, St. Francisville in Louisiana, Wimberley in Texas, Juno Beach in Florida, and Cave Spring in Georgia can fill the holes in your wannabe Southerner’s heart.

STANFORD, Calif. –  A series of weird and unlucky events put an end to Mississippi State’s season late Saturday night at the hands of Cal State Fullerton.

Facing elimination after losing 2-1 to Stanford earlier Saturday, the Bulldogs had to wait until just before 10 p.m. in Starkville for their fight to stay alive in the Stanford Regional of the NCAA Softball Tournament. Unfortunately for their fans, the Bulldogs lost that fight against Cal State Fullerton 7-0 in a game that ended after midnight in Mississippi.

A little more than 24 hours before Saturday’s game, MSU defeated Cal State Fullerton 1-0 to open the NCAA Regional. It seemed the elimination game would be a repeat of that game. MSU’s Josey Marron and Cal State Fullerton’s Haley Rainey had allowed just five total hits and struck out eight batters prior to the bottom of the fifth inning.

That’s when Cal State Fullerton turned a series of lucky hits and a successful challenge into a seven-run inning.

KK Christie led off for Cal State Fullerton with a ground out to third base, but Megan Delgadillo slap-hit a blooper single to shallow left field, just out of reach of MSU shortstop Kylie Edwards and outfielder Brylie St. Clair.

The next batter, Bailey Wallace, appeared to reach base on bunt, but was called back to the batter’s box. On the very next pitch, Delgadillo was initially called out on a steal attempt, but a coach’s challenge overturned the call. After the challenge, Wallace was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second base.

Cal State Fullerton loaded the bases on a hard hit ground ball to Edwards and a scored the game’s first run on another hard hit ground ball to third baseman Nadia Barbary, who kept the ball in front of her but wasn’t able to record an out.

With the momentum fully on its side, Cal State Fullerton’s offense came to life. Peyton Toto drove in a pair of runs with a single through the left side of MSU’s defense. Aspen Wesley, who had pitched 10 innings in the Stanford Regional already, came in to relive Marron and gave up a single to her first batter, which loaded the bases once again.

Colby McClinton took full advantage of the situation for the Lady Titans and smashed a grand slam home run to left field that put her team up 7-0.

The Bulldogs had their own bases-loaded opportunity in the sixth inning, but it ended on Ella Wesolowski’s first-pitch double play ground out.

Cal State Fullerton advances to face Stanford in the NCAA Regional final at 4 p.m. Sunday.

MADISON, Miss. (WLBT) – History on full display is what you experienced on Saturday if you went to the annual aviation open house hosted by the Mississippi Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.

This event continues its efforts in honoring veterans and bringing more education to the youth.

People made their way to the Bruce Campbell Airfield to see different airplanes throughout history.

Pilots even brought in different World War II war birds, allowing people to learn more about these aircrafts.

Frank Garletts, the Wing Leader of the Mississippi Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, believes this is what aviation open houses are all about.

“We try to educate, I mean, that’s one of our big things is to educate. We do a lot of educational programs. We meet here [on] the third Saturday of every month, and we, like, you know, it’s open to people to come,” he said. “We try to have a program or event like you’re seeing here today, and we’re just out here to share our knowledge and other people’s knowledge of what’s going on in the World War II events.”

Other educational opportunities included a flight simulator for kids to test their skills, plane rides, and multiple World War II veteran speakers.

This allowed those in attendance to honor these veterans, which F4U Corsair owner and pilot Frank Kimmel loved to see.

Kimmel, who has brought his plane to events like this before, recalls one memory that makes these events so special.

“Every time I’m at an event like this, it seems to mean a great amount, a great deal to these veterans. I had the opportunity to meet the family of a veteran who I never got to meet who actually flew Corsairs in this squadron in Korea, but I did get the honor to meet his children [and] his grandchildren. They were able to get into the airplane and sit where their father and grandfather sat, and it was an emotional event for me. It was real cathartic to be able to give that back to that family.”

Their next event will be a car and aviation show on September 7.

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