Distance from Jackson: 44 miles
Drive time: Approximately 45 minutes

Begin your day at the Vicksburg National Military Park, a crucial Civil War battlefield with over 1,400 monuments and markers. Tour the USS Cairo Museum featuring a restored Civil War gunboat. Visit the Old Court House Museum for local history exhibitions. Dine at Walnut Hills Restaurant for authentic Southern cooking or 10 South Rooftop Bar & Grill for river views. Don't miss the Riverfront Murals depicting the city's history along Levee Street.

Distance from Jackson: 90 miles
Drive time: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes

Start your day at the African American Military History Museum, housed in the only remaining USO club built exclusively for African American soldiers. Explore the 41-mile Longleaf Trace, Mississippi's premier rails-to-trails conversion for biking, hiking, and running. Visit Southern Prohibition Brewing for craft beer tastings and brewery tours in downtown Hattiesburg. Browse the eclectic Lucky Rabbit, a vintage and antique market that's always alive with events. Discover the whimsical and always-evolving Hattiesburg Pocket Museum and Art Alley. Visit the Hattiesburg Zoo and Serengeti Springs Waterpark. Dine at Crescent City Grill for seafood, Keg and Barrel for pub fare and local brews, or the Coney Island Cafe for a taste of history. And, take the short drive to Laurel to see the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art and the revitalization of downtown, thanks in part to "Hometown" stars Ben and Erin Napier.

Distance from Jackson: 102 miles
Drive time: Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes

Begin at the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center. Tour antebellum homes like Longwood, the largest octagonal house in America, and Stanton Hall. Visit the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians to learn about indigenous history. Enjoy southern cuisine at Restaurant 1818 inside Monmouth Historic Inn or casual fare at The Camp overlooking the Mississippi River. Don't miss Natchez Under-the-Hill, a historic riverfront district.

Distance from Jackson: 109 miles
Drive time: Approximately 2 hours

Begin your journey at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, which chronicles the life of the blues legend and the rich musical heritage of the Delta. Stop by the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland to explore the only Grammy Museum outside Los Angeles. End your day with dinner at Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, famous for its steaks and hot tamales, or Airport Grocery in Cleveland for classic meat-and-three favorites. Consider a detour to Leland's Highway 61 Blues Museum and the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale to learn more about Delta blues pioneers or the Museum of the Mississippi Delta in Greenwood.

Distance from Jackson: 150 miles
Drive time: Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes

Visit the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum, The Mississippi Aquarium, and the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art. Enjoy fresh seafood at Mary Mahoney's Old French House or Half Shell Oyster House. Walk the white sand beaches, take a shrimping trip with the Biloxi Shrimping Trip, or visit the Biloxi Lighthouse. The Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs is worth a visit.

Distance from Jackson: 167 miles
Drive time: Approximately 3 hours

Tour William Faulkner's Rowan Oak. Explore the historic Oxford Square and visit Square Books, one of America's best independent bookstores. See the University of Mississippi campus and its Civil Rights Monument. Enjoy fine dining at City Grocery or casual fare at Ajax Diner. Visit the University of Mississippi Museum for art and historical collections.

Distance from Jackson: 175 miles
Drive time: Approximately 3 hours 15 minutes

Visit Elvis Presley's Birthplace and Museum. Explore the Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo and tour the Tupelo National Battlefield. Enjoy the classic Connie's (did someone say fried chicken AND blueberry donuts?!) or upscale southern cuisine at Park Heights Restaurant. Stop by the Tupelo Hardware Store where Elvis got his first guitar.