Laurel is the perfect destination for a girls getaway! If you’re a fan of Ben and Erin Napier’s home renovations on HGTV’s Home Town, then get ready to unwind and unplug on your next girls’ trip. Gather up your girlfriends because there’s plenty to see and do – both what you’ve seen featured on the small screen and beyond!
Road Trip-Worthy City
When you and your girlfriends are ready for a weekend-long, quiet getaway, Laurel and Jones County offer the perfect respite from crowded city scenes and beach towns. With plenty of cozy B&Bs, name brand hotels, and Airbnbs to rest your head, Jones County is an ideal girlfriend getaway destination. While you’re here you and your girls can shop, explore history, discover the beauty of Southern architecture, and eat to your heart’s (and tummy’s) content!
Beach-loving pals find Jones County to be the perfect stop en route to the shores of the Gulf Coast! If you’re only joining us for a quick stop, be sure to check out our Guide for a Day Trip to Laurel, MS. Fans of HGTV’s Home Town will want to check out our Ultimate Home Town Experiences in these two guides.
Experience the Filming Location of HGTV’s Home Town
Home Town Fans: Your Second Visit Itinerary
25+ Stops That Have Been Featured on HGTV’s Home Town
These guides will help to ensure you don’t miss any of the as seen on TV fun! This includes stops like the Laurel Mercantile Co., Scotsman General Store, and The Scent Library, plus Ben and Erin Napier’s favorite spots to eat and play in Laurel and Jones County.
Where to Eat
Our coffee shops make more than just a good cup of joe, offering quick grab and go or sit and stay breakfasts. When you’re ready for that perfect latte, scone, smoothie, or full breakfast, check out this full list of coffee shops and breakfast spots.
For lunch, soups, sandwiches, BBQ, burgers, and International cuisine are on the menus of local restaurants. Southern cuisine as seen on TV? Head to Pearl’s Diner. For sandwiches, check out this great list, and don’t miss out on The 5000 Food Truck or Papa Dough’s, both located on the lawn at Scotsman General Store. For inexpensive eats, check out our budget-friendly guide, which features $10 and under lunch ideas.
Dinner after a long day of exploring, quench your thirst with a glass of wine and delicious cuisine at Café La Fleur, Blue Crab Grill, Mimmo’s, or The Loft. For a full list of restaurants and places to eat, head here.
Where to Play
If you take a girls trip and don’t Instagram it, did it even really happen? The murals throughout Jones County are definitely Insta-worthy photo spots. Take a self-guided mural tour and nab pictures with each of these 13 murals.
Also on the photo-op list: Jones County Blues Marker #127 (a stop of the Mississippi Blues Trail), as well as historic buildings such as the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art or iconic landmarks of Jones County like the Laurel Little Theatre. Be sure to share your photos with us using #VisitLaurelandJonesCounty! Bonus points if you take in a show at the theater or check out traveling and permanent exhibits at the always-free museum.
If you and the girls have Lady Luck on your side, a stop at Bok Homa Casino is a definite must! Located in Sandersville, this casino features nearly 800 themed slots, plus classics such as blackjack, poker, craps, and roulette. Get ready to place your bets! Find out more at BokHomaCasino.com.
Shop your Heart Out
Shopping is plentiful here! From Historic Downtown Ellisville and Historic Downtown Laurel to more shopping on 16th Avenue and at
Sawmill Mall, you’re sure to find unique home décor, trendy boutique clothing and accessories, eclectic collectibles, vintage and antique finds, and so much more! Whether you’re after antiques, Southern art, or unique souvenirs, our shops and boutiques have something for you.
- Looking for a souvenir to bring back to the little ones or the guys you left at home? Try grabbing something Distinctly Masculine at Guild and Gentry on Magnolia Street in Laurel for your significant other or swing by Hellfighters USA for unique gifts for him (plus kids, women, and home décor items, too)!
- Be sure to swing by Bella Bella and The Cotton Boll for toys, clothes, and other items that are guaranteed to put a smile on your kids’ faces!
- For unique books, visit The Bookstore in the Window for new and used novels, coffee table books, kids’ books, and more!
- Holiday décor on your list? Seasonal decorations abound in our shops. Check out Holi-Daze Décor & More, plus local boutiques like Southern Antiques, Be Amazing Paper Company
- Say hello to gorgeous furniture and home items at Rubies Home Furnishings, Front Street Market, Napier Frames, and Caron Gallery South.
- Don’t forget trendy and classic clothing, shoes, and accessories for yourself! Stop by Two A Tee & Co, Hill’s In-House Jewelers, Touch of Grace, Funky Shoes Laurel, Allie’s on Magnolia,
- Antique and collectible shopping abounds in Jones County! Swing by Peddlers’ Junktion, The Rusty Chandelier, Carpenter Bros. Emporium of Wonderful Whatnots, and more!
Visit our guide for a full list of places to shop in Ellisville, Downtown Laurel,16th Avenue, Sawmill Mall, and more.
Laurel Historic District
There’s never really a bad time to visit Jones County. The mild winters of Mississippi mean wandering the great outdoors and through historic downtowns is an option year-round. If outdoor recreation is on your girls getaway agenda, then be sure to explore our top ways to enjoy the great outdoors in Jones County.
If taking a stroll through Laurel’s history sounds more your outdoor speed, then there’s no escaping the draw of the picturesque, Southern scene of Laurel’s Historic District. Known for its HGTV fame, this area is also the largest in-tact contiguous collection of turn-of-the-century craftsman & bungalow style housing. Go ahead and do as the locals do: mosey, wander, and stroll through this beautiful area! Get information on a guided or self-guided walking tour at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art.
Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway from the working world or you’re celebrating a special weekend, a girls’ trip to Jones County is the perfect respite. For more ideas on what to do during your girls-only getaway to Laurel and Jones County, MS, be sure to visit VisitJones.com/blog.
