Venture into these three distinct, alluring states, and you may just fall in love. Arkansas flaunts granite bluffs, scenic rivers, quirky mountain towns and narrow trails that lead to the edge of heaven. In sultry Mississippi, juke joints hum until the wee hours, historic Oxford is the kind of fun-yet-refined college town that reels you in, and the Natchez Trace Parkway is simply the most beautiful highway in the South. Then let Louisiana satiate you with the naughty flavor, period architecture and addictive soundtrack of New Orleans. Outside the Crescent City limits explore a fertile maze of plantations, misty bayous and swamps, and tasty Cajun towns. The complex, tortured, musical, joyful Southern soul will be laid bare here, and you’ll leave inspired.
The journey south from Nashville stuns with natural beauty and American history.
Southern Gothic Literary Tour 7 Days
Trace the backstories of the South’s most revered literary legends.
Historical Mississippi 3 Days
Mississippi’s complex history is on display from Oxford to Vicksburg to Natchez.
The Blues Highway 3 Days
A soulful ramble to the roots of American popular music.
Cajun Country 4 Days
Explore bayous, dance halls, crawfish boils and folk ways in Louisiana’s idiosyncratic Acadiana region.
Gulf Coast 4 Days
Glimpse the Gulf from Louisiana wetlands, Mississippi beaches and industrial Alabama ports.
Back Roads Arkansas 4 Days
Hike, paddle, zip and drive through Arkansas’ soul-stirring countryside.
DON’T MISS
French Quarter
Wrought-iron balconies, ivy creeping over brick, Creole, Spanish and Caribbean architecture; the French Quarter is timeless. Explore on Trips
Rowan Oak
William Faulkner lived here, on this peaceful Oxford estate, for most of his literary career. See it on Trips
Clarksdale
The hub of the Mississippi Delta, with a spectacular juke joint and comfortable digs from where you explore the blues. Visit on Trips
Natchez
An antebellum time capsule? A laid-back river town? A charming respite for a few days of strolling and contemplation? Yes. All of it. Experience on Trips
Buffalo River
Scenic and protected, the crystalline Buffalo winds along majestic bluffs yet is mellow enough for beginners. Paddle it on Trip
With emerald mounds, opulent mansions and layers of American history, the Natchez Trace Parkway winds 444 gorgeously wooded miles from Nashville all the way to southern Mississippi.
