Until last weekend, I had four states left to visit to complete all 50. Now I will also say that my rules for counting a state as one I’ve visited are maybe a little on the strict side: I have to spend at least one night there, and eat a meal or two and see some sites. So changing planes wouldn’t count, nor would driving a few miles in and then turning around.Biloxi was lovely, and of course the ocean is my happy place so that made it even better. The temps were warm but not crazy hot. We stayed at the Hard Rock, purely for the view from the room.
I was surprised by two, well three, things:
- Biloxi has a lot of casinos. I think maybe that’s the big tourist draw. I’m not a gambler, I find gambling a colossal bore so we never even ventured on to the casino floor.
- Smoking is apparently a lot more widespread there, maybe it’s a deep South thing, I don’t know. But all but one of our Ubers smelled strongly of smoke and pretty clearly all the drivers smoked. The Hard Rock also smelled strongly of smoke (thankfully not our room, it was truly a non-smoker room), but interestingly not the Beau Rivage (a more upscale casino/hotel next to the Hard Rock but without the amazing view).
- The Sons of the Confederacy are alive and well. We went to an art museum (which was really cool) and then thought it would be interesting to see Beauvoir, where Jefferson Davis lived the last 10 years of his life. Only a honking big Confederate flag was flying there. In looking online at their website, there’s a whole program to “adopt a Confederate soldier” with the stated goal of buying and keeping Confederate flags flying all year round. We didn’t bother going in.
But mostly this trip was a change to relax and check off a state. I have three more to see: North Dakota, South Dakota and Alaska. Kent needs one of the Dakotas (I forget which), Alaska, Vermont, West Virginia and New Mexico.
3 comments:
That's an awesome reason to go! Makes me think that maybe I should be writing down states for the kids so they can also reach the goal of getting to all 50. Is your next trip to Alaska???
I wish! That one will probably need to wait until summer, and I'd like to get someplace special for my significant birthday in Feb. Thinking maybe we can hit New Mexico, maybe go to some posh resort.
I want to visit Mississippi too. I am enamored with the south. But you are right--the confederacy is alive and well. There's still a Robert E Lee high school in Montgomery! The confederate flag flies high...
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