Take a drive north off the Island- did you know that there is an amazing state park just a 15 minute drive up there? It is called "Shelby Forest" and it encompasses 13,467 acres of bottomland hardwood forests. There are 20 miles of hiking trails, 5 miles of paved bike paths, 8 miles of horse trails, two lakes and the Mississippi River! Tim and I go there regularly to commune with nature. It is fantastic! There is nobody there! On our hike last week we saw two bald eagles circling overhead! The forest is also home to deer, turkey, beaver, foxes, otters and bobcats. Stop by the park nature center and grab a map before you set out.
On the way to the park, stop by the Shelby Forest General Store. It remains unchanged since it was built in the Great Depression! There you can grab a sandwich and a drink- say hello to "Jay-Jay' the rooster- maybe catch a little bluegrass on the patio and chat with the ever cordial owners, Doug and Christin.
They also sell frisbee discs for the neighboring frisbee disc golf course ( the largest one in the southeast!)
After you have had your delicious sandwich and walked off the calories on the trails- drive on up a few more minutes north and visit the Old Millington Winery at 6748 Old Millington Road! You heard my correctly! A WINERY- just north of here! You can pick up a couple of bottles of their award winning red wine and enjoy them in their garden watching some live music (Sundays)!
Need to stock up on some farm fresh produce? Keep driving to Highway 51 and you will find the "Jones Orchard" fruit stand where they sell veggies, homemade cakes, jams and jellies. There is even a small concession stand there.
On the way back home you will pass the ever-so cute Dewitt Spain Airport where, for a small fee, you can be whisked away on an aerial tour of the city! You may even be inspired to take flying lessons!
So those are my suggestions to while away some summer hours....what are yours? Please share!
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