Mississippi Road Trip Ideas: 11 Best Road Trips + Itinerary

Mississippi is a state packed with natural beauty, historic Civil War landmarks, mouth-watering Southern and Cajun cuisine, and friendly locals. It’s a wonderful state to explore by car on a road trip along the Gulf Coast, the Delta Blues region, and the charming small towns that are dotted all over the Magnolia State. Driving along its scenic byways and through its state parks will be a truly memorable getaway experience. The heart of the state is the Mississippi Delta with places like the B.B. King Museum, the Delta Blues Museum, and live music at blues clubs where greats like Robert Johnson once played. Here is a compilation of the best road trips in Mississippi for every style and season to get you started on your explorations. Let’s go exploring!

1-Day Road Trip in Mississippi

Melani Babi/Google

• Route: Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum in Gulfport > Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument in Magnolia > Mississippi River Basin Model in Jackson > Mississippi Petrified Forest in Flora > Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City > Oren Dunn City Museum in Tupelo > Corinth Coca-Cola Museum in Corinth
• Distance: 504 miles
• Trip Time: 8.5 hours driving time

This hidden gems road trip will take you to some of the most fun and intriguing museums, models, and sights in Mississippi. The preserved historic city of Oren Dunn, the Mississippi Petrified Forest, and a monument to the state’s most famous band, Lynyrd Skynyrd are just a few of the delightful places you’ll get to visit. There are few better ways to spend a day in Mississippi.

3-Day Weekend Road Trip in Mississippi

David Jones/Google

• Route: The Lourdes Grotto in St. Louis > Coastal Ridge Farm in Picayune > Windsor Ruins in Gibson > The Johnny Knight Treehouse in Mendenhall > Amzi Love Home in Columbus > Chapel of Memories in Starkville > Wister Gardens in Belzoni > McCarty's Pottery in Merigold > Ventress Hall in Oxford > Tishomingo State Park in Tishomingo
• Distance: 834 miles
• Trip Time: 15.25 hours driving time

This is one of the best road trips in Mississippi and a journey that will take you to some of the most magical places in Mississippi. Take a 3-day weekend and see stunning places like the Lourdes Garden inspired by a little girl’s vision, the Windsor Ruins which resemble Roman columns, The Johnny Knight Treehouse which is like a grown-up version of a kid’s fort, the utterly gorgeous Wister Gardens, and so much more.

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Road Trip On The Great River Road

The Great River Road/Facebook

• Route: The Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center and Museum in Tunica > Tunica River Museum > Lower Mississippi River Museum in Vicksburg > Natchez Trace Parkway
• Distance: 284 miles
• Trip Time: 4.75 hours driving time

The Great River Road spans 3,000 miles from all the way up in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. It runs down through Memphis, Tennessee, and it follows the Mississippi River through quaint towns in Mississippi like Cleveland and Clarksdale, and then through Louisiana to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. However, the Mississippi portion will take you to interpretive centers, historical sites like the Gateway to the Blues Museum (the old guitars alone are worth the trip), and gorgeous views at the Natchez Trace Parkway. It’s the perfect day trip to soak in some amazing places.

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Road Trip To The Best Barbecue In Mississippi

Jonathan Guzman/Google

• Route: The Shed Barbecue and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs > Ubon's Restaurant in Yazoo City > Sonny's Smokehouse in Ackerman > The Little Dooey in Starkville > C.H.O.P. Clay's House of Pig in Tupelo
• Distance: 400 miles
• Trip Time: 7 hours driving time

If you like Southern BBQ, then this is the road trip for you! You’ll visit five of the most mouthwatering barbecue joints in the state like The Shed which was actually built from junk, but the food is top-notch. Sonny’s Smokehouse is another iconic restaurant with smoky, scrumptious, and juicy barbecue that will make you never want to leave. Skip breakfast, and get ready to be stuffed with food so good you might cry!

Best Mississippi Road Trip For Spring

Jorge Balderas/Google

• Route: Elvis Presley Lake & Campground in Tupelo > Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Starkville > Bonita Lakes Park in Meridian > McClain Lodge in Brandon > Chautauqua Park in Crystal Springs > Red Bluff in Foxworth > Paradise Ranch and Resort in Tylertown
• Distance: 388 miles
• Trip Time: 7 hours driving time

Spring is a wonderful time to drive around and take in the natural beauty of blooming flowers, lush green trees, and shake off the winter doldrums. Along this trip, you’ll see verdant natural areas like Chautauqua Park, visit a petting zoo at McClain Lodge, and take a refreshing dip at Paradise Ranch and Resort. Red Bluff is like Mississippi’s own small Grand Canyon and Bonita Lakes Park is great for fishing, swimming, and hiking. Spring is the time to get outdoors!

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Best Summer Road Trip In Mississippi

Debra Durante/Google

• Route: Ship Island in Gulfport > Shaggy's > Pop Brothers > Finishline Performance Karting > Ocean Springs
• Distance: 22 miles
• Trip Time: .75 hours driving time

When summertime comes, you know it’s time to hit the beach. You don’t have to go all the way to Florida for must-see beaches. Mississippi has its own stunning beaches, especially in and around Biloxi. Here’s a day for roadtrippers to spend a whole day packed with fun summer activities. Ship Island is not only a beautiful beach area but a historical site with an 1850s fort. Enjoy sunning, swimming, and maybe paddling a kayak around the island. Have a delicious seafood lunch at Shaggy’s in Gulport and save some room for fresh, handcrafted popsicles at Pop Brothers. Then get ready to burn off some of that food with some exciting go-karting at Finishline, and take a sunset stroll through charming Ocean Springs. It might be the best road trip day of your summer.

Best Mississippi Road Trip For Fall

Jeff Archer/Google

• Route: Homochitto National Forest in Meadville > Reservoir Overlook in Natchez Trace Parkway > Holmes County State Park in Durant > Tishomingo State Park in Tishomingo > Sardis Lake in Sardis > Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge in Starkville > Greenway Preserve Natural Area in Lucedale
• Distance: 860 miles
• Trip Time: 14 hours driving time

Seeing vibrant fall foliage is a great excuse to get out of the house and see the multicolored landscape that will make you simply stop and stare. Here’s a road trip to some of the best sites in Mississippi to see some striking views. Homochito National Forest is especially stunning with 189,000 acres of natural beauty. The Natchez Trace Parkway may be one of the most locally beloved places for fall foliage, especially with its Reservoir Overlook. Holmes County State Park is another idyllic spot with gorgeous hardwood forests. These and more await you on this trip!

Best Winter Road Trip In Mississippi

Larry McVay II/Google

• Route: Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival > Lewis Lights in Purvis > Zoo Lights at Hattiesburg Zoo > Natchez > Richardson Light Display in Madison > The Victorian Festival in Canton > Cain Christmas Lights in Winona
• Distance: 410 miles
• Trip Time: 7.75 hours driving time

Mississippi isn’t known for having a ton of snow in the winter, but it makes up for it by having especially festive holiday events and decking out every town with holiday lights. Take a trip to some of the most dazzling holiday light displays in the state. Small towns and big cities alike come alive with amazing displays like the Zoo Lights at Hattiesburg Zoo where you can see the lights from several rides and enjoy hot cocoa and mulled wine. The Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival is a massive display with much of it right on the beach!

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Family-Friendly Mississippi Road Trip

Lindsey Passenger Wieck/Google

• Route: Jet-A-Way Cafe in Kiln > Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport > LeFleur's Bluff Education and Tourism Complex in Jackson > Brent's Drugs in Jackson > Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum in Meridian > Starkvegas Snowballs in Starkville > Mid-South Ice House in Olive Branch
• Distance: 544 miles
• Trip Time: 9 hours driving time

One of the best ways for a family to connect and strengthen their bond is to pack up the car and go on a road trip to some family-friendly destinations that the kids are sure to love. Start off with a yummy breakfast at the Jet-A-Way Cafe which overlooks an airfield and you’ll see all kinds of planes taking off and landing. The kids will have a blast at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center and LeFleur’s Bluff Education and Tourism Complex. Don’t forget to stop at an old-fashioned soda fountain like Brent’s Drugs. Doesn't this sound like one of the best road trips in Mississippi?

Road Trip To Mississippi Landmarks and Natural Wonders

John Bruynseels/Google

• Route: Windsor Ruins in Port Gibson > Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg > The Mississippi Blues Trail > GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland > Mississippi River at Tunica County River Park > Rown Oak in Oxford > Elvis Presley Center in Tupelo
• Distance: 675 miles
• Trip Time: 11.75 hours driving time

This is an epic road trip to some of the most iconic landmarks and natural wonders in Mississippi. The Vicksburg National Military Park has memorials to U.S. soldiers including people of color who sacrificed their lives so that others might be free. The Mississippi Blues Trail along Highway 61 takes you through the history of the founders of blues music. Perhaps you’ll find the famous crossroads where Robert Johnson was rumored to have sold his soul for his musical talents. Rowan Oak was the gorgeous home of renowned author William Faulkner. The lovely Mississippi River views you’ll find at Tunica County River Park will astound you.

Road Trip to Best Small Towns in Mississippi

Criss Greene/Google

• Route: Tunica > Oxford > Clarksdale > Greenville > Vicksburg > Natchez
• Distance: 366 miles
• Trip Time: 7 hours driving time

Mississippi’s small towns are chock full of Southern charm, deep history, and gorgeous scenery. Take a road trip through towns like Oxford which is known as the cultural Mecca of the South with a fantastic culinary scene. Catch some live music at the venues in Clarksdale and visit the Delta Blues Museum. Greenville is often called the heart and soul of the Delta and you’ll find blues museums and events as well as cypress trees that are centuries old. These terrific towns are just the beginning of what you’ll see on this trip.

These road trip itineraries should get you started on seeing the best that Mississippi has to offer year-round. Besides the trips listed above, be sure to see the Civil Rights Museum in Jackson and stop by some old-fashioned juke joints as well as Elvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo. For road trip planning and packing tips, check out OnlyInYourState’s Ultimate Road Trip Packing List. Whether you’re leaving for a single day or a week-long road trip, you can’t forget the snacks: here are 50 on-the-go snack ideas perfect for traveling. Now hit the road on the best road trips in Mississippi.