Page 49 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2023

The key to camping is getting people outdoors. That brings families closer together, whether driving to the location or experiencing that location.
– Marques Thomas
park lake.
“Someone just getting started in
camping should go to a place like a state park that has some amenities to get a little experience,” Thomas recommends. “Parks usually have campsites where people can plug in electric devices. One of my favorites is Buccaneer State Park in Waveland right across the street from the beach. It also has a waterpark and other attractions for a family vacation. Another good one is Shepard State Park in Gautier.”
As campers gain experience, they might want to try remote camping. Mississippi national forests, like De
Soto near Hattiesburg or Homochitto near MaComb, usually allow camping
in designated areas. For backcountry camping, people need more gear, such as good hiking shoes, machetes or axes to gather firewood.
“When ‘off the grid,’ people need to bring everything with them,” Thomas says. “They can’t just run down the street
to a store to buy something they need.” As people get more into camping, they might want to invest in a pop-up or trailer camper they can tow behind a vehicle
or buy a motorized recreational vehicle. With these, people can travel all over the country for much less than staying at hotels every night.
“For getting started in RV camping, I recommend something a person can pull behind a car or SUV,” Thomas states. “An RV makes a great way to travel and see the country. The key to camping is getting people outdoors. That brings families closer together, whether driving to the location or experiencing that location.”
For Mississippi state parks, see www.mdwfp.com/ parks-destinations. For national forests, see www.fs.usda.gov.
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