The College Guide to Downtown

With its rich history, vibrant atmosphere, and countless attractions, restaurants, and events, downtown Hattiesburg is the spot for college students to be. Whether you are looking for a weekday lunch, a night out with friends, or a late-night adventure, downtown has it all, and it’s right in your backyard. So why go home for the weekend when you can experience all that downtown has to offer?

Start your morning off right with a hearty breakfast. Southbound Bagels and Coffee is serving delicious breakfast options on a college budget until 2PM daily. Bagels not your thing? Try the historic Coney Island Cafe. The diner turns 100 this year and is still serving up the same delicious food it has since day one. Still hungry for more? Brunch is served every weekend at Blu Jazz Cafe, where you can sip your mimosa on Front Street and watch the world go by.

After breakfast, we recommend filling your day shopping at our locally owned stores downtown. The Author Shoppe is a trendy bookstore and cafe that is pet friendly, so bring fido along. Next door is Sage Den, with all of your holistic, nature-inspired, and handmade essentials. Need to splurge on some new clothing? fivetwentyfive is the hottest boutique downtown with the cutest clothes. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention The Lucky Rabbit, of course! From television-inspired sets and boutique clothing to antiques and little reminders of your childhood, you’ll find some of what you need (and some of what you don’t) at this trendy two-story store. 

All that shopping is sure to make you hungry for lunch, so make sure to stop by Fairley’s Wings & More for the best wings in town. With fifteen flavors of wings plus burgers and salads, you are sure to find something that you love. GrateFull Soul is a plate-style restaurant serving a different menu for every day of the week in a homey atmosphere that will have you over your homesickness in no time. Catfish Fridays are the crowd favorite. If you are feeling a mid-day slump, try The Depot for a fresh latte and a delicious sandwich. Make sure to keep an eye out for their specials; they are always unique and super tasty. 

Now it’s time to work off all that lunch. Alley Cats Axe Throwing Co. and Category 5 Smash Room are great options for getting out all that finals week frustration. Plus, you might just find out that you are a unicorn in disguise. Stretch your legs by enjoying the HBURG Public Art Trail’s nearly 100 installations, a large number of which are in downtown Hattiesburg. 

When it’s time to get the night going, downtown has countless options for fun, and all of them are locally owned. Thirsty Hippo and SwitchYard are bars that are only open for special occasions. So make sure you keep an eye on our website to see their upcoming events. Wanting to relax with a drink? The Porter and Southern Prohibition are both breweries with full bars and plenty of space for you and all your friends. Plus, both bars have Trivia nights on different nights of the week, so get the team together and get your brainpower flowing.

If you’re not ready for the night to end, downtown has a 24/7 museum to visit, where you can witness whimsical wonders under the twinkling lights. The Pocket Museum keeps the fun going all night. Watch a movie at the Pocket Theatre and keep the time with the Pocket Watch as you wind your perfect day downtown to an end.