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Zoey Washington, 8, left, and her sister, Zamia Washington, 10, play at North Natchez Park Saturday. The girls visited the park while in town for the weekend with their mother, Shanta Matthews. Matthews and her daughters are from Natchez, but now live in Baton Rouge. They return nearly every weekend to visit family and friends.

Zoey Washington, 8, and Zamia Washington, 10, ride down a slide at North Natchez Park during their weekend trip from Baton Rouge.

Zamia Washington, 10, swings at North Natchez Park Saturday in Natchez.

Zamia Washington, 10, swings at North Natchez Park Saturday in Natchez.

Zoey Washington, 8, swings at North Natchez Park Saturday.

NATCHEZ — For two Baton Rouge girls, Natchez will always be home.

When The Dart landed in North Natchez Park Saturday, it found Zamia Washington, 10, and her sister, Zoey Washington, 8, playing on swings and slides on the park’s playground.

The girls were in town for the weekend with their mother, Shanta Matthews, to visit their grandparents.

Matthews and her daughters moved to Baton Rouge approximately four years ago for Matthews’ job as a store manager for Family Dollar.

But they return almost every weekend to visit family and friends.

“(Natchez) is very family-oriented,” she said. “Everybody is family here. When you get to the big city, you have to fend for yourself.”

For Zamia and Zoey, their trips to Natchez feel like “little vacations.”

“It’s not a long trip,” Zamia said. “It’s where all my friends and family live, too.”

“And we get to play every day,” Zoey said.

While the park is fun, the girls say their favorite part of any Natchez trip is visiting their grandparents.

“We eat a lot when we’re there,” Zamia said, smiling.

Matthews, Zamia and Zoey will be taking a real vacation next week as they head to Orange Beach, Ala., for a beach trip. Matthews said she and the girls take one trip as soon as summer vacation starts.

“They get to relax, then we start working on school work and getting them ready for next year,” she said.

Zamia will be starting fifth grade and Zoey third grade next year.

While the girls love Natchez, Matthews said her daughters are city girls at heart.

“I think that’s why they love it so much here,” she said. “We can all just unwind from the city.”

Matthews said it is important for her girls to remain connected to their hometown.

“They know this is where they’re from, and it always will be.”

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