Mary Ellis and Evelyn at the historic Iuka Drive-In.

Colin Grodsky learns why Pickwick is Pickwick!

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Iuka Drive-In Theater
Another treasure we have in our area is the state’s only drive-in movie theater. When we saw that a kid-friendly movie was playing, we knew it was the perfect way to spend a Friday night.
We arrived early to get settled with lawn chairs and blankets and had enough time to even play in the grassy area in front of the big screen. The concession stand had a large selection of snacks and drinks and of course popcorn. We loved sitting outside to watch the movie. Luckily, it cooled off a little bit when the sun went down and we didn’t even get bit by any bugs during the movie.
Pickwick Landing State Park, Island Loop Trail
Just over the Mississippi state line in Tennessee is another state park that we love to visit, Pickwick Landing State Park. When we found out our friends were in town and had never been to the hiking trail there, we knew we had to take them.
The Island Loop Trail is 2.8 miles long, with nice views of the lake on the side trails you can take. It is an out and back trail with many interesting things to see, including great views of Pickwick Dam across the way. There is plenty of shade on the trail and we saw lots of frogs hopping along the well-maintained path. The walk was easy and suitable for every skill level, even dogs, but was very tiring in the heat. We got to see and read about an abandoned cistern. We even learned where the name “Pickwick” came from, but you’ll have to check out the trail yourself to find out!