11 Amazing Mississippi Day Trips That Are Worth The Drive
Mississippi has deep roots in American history, with a rich cultural heritage shaped by Native American traditions, the Civil War, the blues, and Southern hospitality, making it a state known for resilience, creativity, and a profound sense of place. Its location along the Mississippi River, one of the longest and most significant rivers in North America, not only inspired the state’s name but also played a central role in its history, shaping its economy and culture. Mississippi borders the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana and Arkansas to the west, Tennessee to the north, and Alabama to the east.
The Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) in Jackson is the starting point for exploring a variety of landmarks, museums, galleries, attractions, and parks within a three-hour drive. So buckle up, and let’s take a road trip through the Magnolia State and experience its Southern charm and natural beauty firsthand.
Mississippi Museum of Art - Jackson
The Mississippi Museum of Art, in the state capital of Jackson (a 20-minute drive from the airport), is a premier art museum established in 1911 by the Mississippi Art Association. It became the Mississippi Museum of Art in 1978. Its collection includes over 6,000 artworks, featuring a broad collection of American art from the 19th and 20th centuries, with works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and Robert Henri.
The museum is on a 1.2-acre public garden in the heart of downtown Jackson. Art lovers can continue to enjoy visiting MMA through visual seasonal foliage displays, sculpture gardens, and water features. The Art Garden is open to all during daylight hours, and admission is free.
Windsor Ruins - Port Gibson
Put on a true crime podcast and hit the road on a 90-minute journey from Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport to explore the hauntingly beautiful remains of one of Mississippi's largest antebellum mansions in the state—Window Ruins, built from 1859-1861 on a 2,600-acre plantation. The 23-room, three-story mansion was likely Mississippi's largest Greek Revival home. The house burned down in 1890, leaving only 23 columns, railings, and cast-iron staircases.
In the early 1990s, historians came across a drawing of the home made by a Union soldier in 1863 and learned more about its history. During the U.S. Civil War, troops led by General S. Ulysses Grant took Windsor and used it as a hospital and lookout. Today, the eerie site is owned by the State of Mississippi and the ruins are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a popular spot for photographers, and Hollywood has used the location in several films, including “Ghosts of Mississippi.”
Vicksburg National Military Park - Vicksburg
Many military history buffs, war history enthusiasts, and battlefield tourists are drawn to sites all over the world during the month of remembrance, November, and the Vicksburg National Military Park is no different. An hour from the airport, the park commemorates the Siege of Vicksburg from May 18 to July 4, 1863, a pivotal turning point in the American Civil War. The 1,800-acre park is home to over 1,400 memorial monuments, tablets, and markers honoring soldiers who served on both sides of the battle, as well as historic fortifications, cannons, and bridges. The park also features 20 miles of trenches and preserved earthworks.
From private guided tours to a 16-mile self-guided road tour, there are many ways to discover the park’s many attractions firsthand and the significant role Vicksburg played throughout the Civil War. For visitors who prefer to explore the park on foot, the 12.5-mile Al Scheller Hiking Trail features rugged terrain, breathtaking views, and open fields. The Visitor Center is a good starting point.
Elvis Presley Birthplace - Tupelo
Elvis devotees from all over the world don’t hesitate to make the three-hour journey from Jackson Airport to Tupelo to see the Elvis Presley Birthplace. Designated as a historic landmark by the state of Mississippi, Elvis Presley’s birthplace is a modest two-room house built by his father for $180 in 1934. Part of the 15-acre Elvis Presley Park, fans of the King of Rock ‘n Roll can also see the Elvis Presley Museum chronicling his life, the Assembly of God Chapel, where a young Elvis first heard the southern gospel songs that inspired his music.
See the famous bronze "Elvis at 13" statue commissioned by the Elvis Presley Foundation at the suggestion of a fan in Ireland before following the "Walk of Life" trail tracing his career and personal life, and the Elvis Story Wall and Fountain of Life, representing the 13 years that Elvis lived in Tupelo before moving to Memphis with his family.
Mississippi Petrified Forest - Flora
Nature lovers can discover a unique journey in the Mississippi Petrified Forest, where the trees have turned to stone over millions of years. The forests are rare, and few petrified forests are left in the world, with notable sites in Argentina, Egypt, Greece, and the U.S., like the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona and this one in Mississippi.
Visitors to the forest can follow a self-guided Natural Trail along a shaded, paved path amid the ancient trees, where markers on the Trail Guide provide insight into this other-worldly prehistoric forest's history and natural beauty. One highlight is the "Caveman’s Bench," a large petrified log nestled along the trail where visitors can stop for photo ops. The Mississippi Petrified Forest is in the small town of Flora, forty minutes from the airport.
B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center - Indianola
Crank up the blues and hit the road for the two-hour drive from JAN to explore the life and legacy of blues legend B.B. King at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola. The museum traces the life of Riley B. King from his upbringing in the Mississippi Delta through interactive exhibits in a state-of-the-art theater, artifacts including his beloved guitar, Lucille, and insights into the man who became synonymous with blues music, B.B. King.
Other significant artifacts on display in the museum include a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow and a custom-painted Chevy El Camino, his personal cars. The largest item is King’s tour bus, which served as his home on the road. Fans can pay tribute to the much-loved King of Blues in the nearby B.B. King Memorial Garden, his final resting place.
Natchez
Natchez, founded in 1716, is one of the oldest European settlements on the Mississippi River. It is known for its antebellum homes, such as Longwood, the most notable example of Octagon style design in the U.S. that started construction in 1859 but was never completed due to the Civil War; Stanton Hall, a Greek Revival style mansion that served as a hospital for wounded soldiers during the Civil War; and the Natchez National Historical Park home to historic Natchez Cemetery, Fort Rosalie, and the Melrose Estate.
After the two-hour drive from JAN, visitors can stretch their legs walking along one of many walking trails, like the Natchez Bluff Walking Trail, or head across the Natchez-Vidalia Bridge to Vidalia, Louisiana, to enjoy Vidalia Landing and Riverview Park and trail on the Mississippi River.
Eudora Welty House and Garden - Jackson
Admirers of Southern literature and culture, readers, and writers are drawn to the home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty in Jackson, a twenty-minute drive from JAN. The house is preserved as it was during her lifetime and showcases her literary legacy. Tours of the house and museum start in the Visitor Center with a short film, after which visitors can type on the same kind of typewriters used. Enjoy a guided tour of the house, then step outside for a self-guided tour of her garden.
Garden enthusiasts will enjoy spending time in her beautifully restored garden, which the author helped design and maintain with her mother. Eudora Welty moved to the house at 16 and lived there for over 75 years until her death at 92 in 2001.
Two Mississippi Museums - Jackson
That Mississippi played a pivotal role in American history is an understatement. It has two distinct museums that pay tribute to its deep roots in the same building complex in the capital of Jackson, a short twenty-minute drive from the airport. The Mississippi Museum of History focuses on the theme “One Mississippi, Many Stories” in different themed galleries that explore 15,000 years of history from Mississippi’s First Peoples to the present day.
The American Civil Rights Movement is the theme of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, where a timeline highlights slavery, the Jim Crow era, the tragic history of lynching, and the fight for equal rights that took place throughout the state. Visitors will also learn about the Freedom Rider movement and hear stories about people not mentioned as often in history books, like Fannie Lou Hamer and Medgar Evers. This two-for-one museum trip is an important and fascinating day for history buffs and anyone interested in the civil rights movement.
Tombigbee National Forest - Tupelo
Day trippers yearning to stretch their legs after a three-hour drive from Jackson Airport can look no further than the 66,000-acre Tombigbee National Forest near Tupelo. A popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, the forest has plenty of hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing opportunities. For hikers who enjoy the destination more than the journey, the Owl Creek Mounds is an interesting one.
Accessible from the Natchez Trace, a historic travel route that spans approximately 440 miles through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, the Owl Creek Mounds site is an important Native American ceremonial complex three miles west of the Natchez Trace Parkway in the Forest. The archaeological site was initially composed of five Indian mounds, a central plaza, a village area, and other key features. Today, only two mounds are preserved in a park with walkways, interpretive panels, and a picnic area.
Grammy Museum Mississippi - Cleveland
Music lovers will need more than a day to see all the legendary music landmarks in Mississippi. Still, another amazing day trip is a two-and-one-half hour drive from the airport to Cleveland, which is only one of three towns outside of Los Angeles to have a Grammy Museum. Visit the museum for hands-on experiences like playing instruments and mixing music tracks, learn about the history of the Grammy Awards, iconic moments, and memorabilia, listen to great performances, and play with the Mississippi Music Table. This state-of-the-art interactive exhibit reveals photos, songs, awards, and more when a fan selects a musician on the table.
Current exhibits at the Grammy Museum include “Taylor Swift: Through the Eras” (until February 2025) and “Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History” (until April 2025), which includes iconic items from Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston, and others.
These day trips offer a variety of experiences, from history and music to natural beauty and cultural exploration, all within a three-hour drive from Jackson's International Airport. Elvis fans can visit his humble birthplace in Tupelo while nature lovers explore the Mississippi Petrified Forest in Flora. The B.B. King Museum in Indianola celebrates the blues legend's legacy. Jackson's Eudora Welty House and the Two Mississippi Museums offer literary and historical insights, while the Grammy Museum in Cleveland provides an interactive music experience. The Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson showcases over 6,000 American artworks, while the Windsor Ruins mesmerize visitors with haunting remnants of a grand antebellum mansion. Mississippi offers a variety of amazing day trips for art lovers, history buffs, and outdoor enthusiasts.
