10 Amazing Mississippi Day Trips That Are Worth The Drive
Mississippi's best day trips split naturally between two parts of the state. Around Jackson, you can walk through Civil War history at Vicksburg, explore 15,000 years of the state's past at two side-by-side museums, or drive a stretch of the Natchez Trace Parkway to one of the largest ceremonial mounds in the country. Along the Gulf Coast near Gulfport, the options shift toward barrier islands, waterfront parks, and family-friendly attractions like the Mississippi Aquarium. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, these ten trips cover a lot of ground without asking you to go very far.
Jackson
Museum of Mississippi History/ Mississippi Civil Rights Museum (within the city)
The Southern United States has had a long struggle for racial equality, from the days of slavery to Jim Crow and beyond. This struggle for Civil Rights can be seen at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, which is housed right next to the Museum of Mississippi History. Together, these museums tell Mississippi's story of both triumph and tragedy. At the Civil Rights museum, you can learn about Emmett Till, Fannie Lou Hamer, and many others who suffered and struggled for equal rights under the law.
The Museum of Mississippi History, meanwhile, dives deeper into the 15,000 years of human history here, from ancient Native American basketmakers to the divided society during Prohibition. You can spend a whole day at these two museums alone.
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
There's one more museum to visit in Jackson, the largest museum in the state, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. Its 73,000-square-foot facility aims to get families excited about science through exhibits on Ice Age giants, dinosaurs, and more.
The museum hosts many types of fossils, including a giant sloth from the Ice Age, and a 1,700-square-foot greenhouse called the Swamp. The museum extends beyond the building, with an outdoor play area, 2.5 miles of nature walk trails, a Dinosaur Trail with eight dinosaur models, and LeFluer's Mining Company Gem Sluice, where visitors can use a vintage sluice to sift for shiny gems and gold pieces.
LeFleur's Bluff State Park (within the city)
Right next to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, LeFleur's Bluff State Park offers a natural escape in Jackson. Sitting on the shores of the Pearl River, it gets its name from a French Canadian explorer who established a trading post here. In fact, Jackson was originally called LeFleur's Bluff in his honor.
The park offers several outdoor activities, including at Mayes Lake. If you have a valid Mississippi fishing license, you can try to catch bass, bream, catfish, or crappie, or you can take out a kayak and paddleboard onto the lake. If you prefer to stay on land, you can try the 18-hole disc golf course or bring a sack lunch to one of the park's five picnic pavilions.
Vicksburg National Military Park (43 minute drive)
Just a short drive from Jackson is the site of one of the most important battles in the American Civil War. While the Battle of Gettysburg was raging in Pennsylvania, General Grant was closing in on Vicksburg. His victory here helped give the Union army complete control of the Mississippi River, cutting the Confederacy in two.
The Vicksburg National Military Park is filled with sites of historic importance. There are more than 1,400 monuments and memorials here honoring individual units, companies, and veterans who fought during this siege, as well as the resting place of more than 17,000 troops buried in Vicksburg National Cemetery. You can drive through the park, hike its trails, or join a staff tour guide for a deeper look at the site.
Natchez Trace Parkway (1 hour, 40 minute drive)
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile road that runs from Mississippi north to Nashville, Tennessee. It was originally used by Native Americans, but today it is a scenic drive with hiking trails, historic sites, and overlooks along the route.
A good way to begin this day trip is to drive 1 hour and 40 minutes to Natchez, where one of the nearest parkway access points leads to Emerald Mound. The closest site of interest on the parkway from Natchez is the Emerald Mound. This mound was built in 1200 A.D. by the ancestors of the Natchez Indians. At 35 feet high, it's the second-largest ceremonial mound in the U.S., other than Monk's Mound in Illinois.
Gulfport
Lynn Meadows Discovery Center (within the city)
If you're traveling with children to the Gulf Coast city of Gulfport, you'll want to visit the first children's museum in Mississippi, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Today, it educates and entertains children with 15,000 square feet of exhibits and 7.5 acres of outdoor play area.
The museum is built to encourage play, with the Super Colossal Climbing Structure allowing children, and even some adults, to move up and down every floor. There are many exhibits to see throughout the museum, from one on the railroad at The Dolan Avenue Depot to The Port, which offers hands-on play related to maritime activities, such as fishing for shrimp or loading a crane.
Mississippi Aquarium (within the city)
Families can continue their day in Gulfport with a stop at the Mississippi Aquarium. Home to more than 300 species of fish and more than 200 species of animals, the aquarium has a diverse selection of creatures that call these waters home. As you enter the aquarium, you'll see the Alligator Habitat, which features one of the state's most recognizable native predators.
The aquarium features multiple ecosystems, from a freshwater river with catfish and paddlefish to a pool with four Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Families homeschooling their children can attend a special Homeschool Days + Learning Lab in April, while folks traveling alone can check out the aquarium's monthly fitness event, Fin & Zen Yoga. This event takes place in the middle of the Aquatic Wonders exhibit with sharks, stingrays, and reef fish as a serene backdrop to your exercise.
Jefferson Davis Presidential Library (16 minute drive)
During the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln led the Union while Jefferson Davis served as president of the Confederacy. His library today is in Biloxi, at his historic last home, Beauvoir. Visitors interested in Civil War history can tour the site and its exhibits on Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy.
The facility is open for tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, along with an exhibit on the life of Jefferson Davis, who, before joining the Confederacy,y served as Secretary of War for President Franklin Pierce. Visitors can learn about the Confederacy at the Confederate Museum or visit the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier.
Buccaneer State Park (38 minute drive)
Sitting right on the Gulf of Mexico, the Buccaneer State Park is an ideal summer trip spot. During Hurricane Katrina, the park’s buildings and contents were destroyed, but it was later rebuilt with a waterpark, an 18-hole disc golf course, and more.
Its water rides feature a fun pirate theme, including the Pirates' Plank, a 340-foot enclosed slide, and the Pirates' Plunge, a 400-foot body slide. Toddlers can run around the safe Lil' Smuggler's Cove. After time on the slides or in the wave pool, you can slow things down with a walk on one of the park's nature trails. The park also offers camping if you plan to stay longer in the area, along with the Sea Dog Gallery for supplies and food.
Gulf Islands National Seashore (1 hour, 2 minute drive)
These islands sit in the Gulf of Mexico within the borders of Mississippi and Florida, providing scenic beaches, untouched wilderness, marshlands, and historic sites. On the Mississippi side, you can find several islands worth visiting,
For backcountry campers, take a boat out to West Petit Bois Island or Horn Island. These are wilderness areas with no facilities, so plan ahead if you want to come here, but it'll be worth it for the peace and quiet! For a more visitor-friendly stop, go to Ship Island, which includes beaches, a concession store, and Fort Massachusetts, whose construction began just before the Civil War and which was occupied by Confederate forces early in the war before coming under Union control. It’s one of the seashore’s best-known historic sites.
A closer look at Mississippi in one-day drives
As a Southern state, Mississippi is known for its hospitality, but that isn't the whole story. At times, the state has had dark moments, such as the American Civil War or the mistreatment of African Americans. These day trips show a wider view of Mississippi, from the barrier islands of Gulf Islands National Seashore to Emerald Mound along the Natchez Trace Parkway. You can pick the day trip that best fits your interests and your family.
