SP0

I am rethinking a planned trip for April following some great advice from this forum. I'd welcome any advice on this rough route. Goal is a mix of music (listening being more important than "hall of fame" tourist sites), Southern architecture and culture, and some self-education on Civil War, civil rights etc. A few key places which are very different, rather than trying to see lots and lots. (And rockets, because ... rockets.). It is fairly compressed but we generally travel/explore in a fairly intense way rather than lingering for long lunches etc on most days.

- Wed fly into Nashville
- Thu & Fri Nashville, including the Grand Ole Opry one evening
- Sat, early drive over to Huntsville, visit Rocket & Space Center. Drive to Memphis.
- Sun, day in Memphis - blues at brunch and dinner
- Mon, Graceland, then drive to Tunica
- Tue, Tunica - Clarksdale (briefly) - Vicksburg
- Wed, Vicksburg - Natchez
- Thu, drive to New Orleans - start of 4-day JazzFest.

How does that sound?

aww3583

Graceland, Tunica, and Clarksdale are underwhelming.

Maybe take backroads from Huntsville through Muscle Shoals and Tupelo on your way to Memphis. Birthplace of Elvis, Natchez Trace parkway, etc.

That whole west half of MS is sparse.

Blumie

If you have time on your way to Natchez, consider a quick visit to Rodney, Mississippi, one of Mississippi's "ghost towns," towns that were once thriving but have long since been largely abandoned when the Mississippi River changed course. While there still are a very small number of residents and a handful of hunting cabins in Rodney, it's interesting to see the two churches and other old buildings have been abandoned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney,_Mississippi

Blumie

One other thought: JazzFest beings on Thursday, at 11am, this year, so if you're planning to attend that day, plan your drive accordingly. Also, if time permits consider arriving in New Orleans several days before Fest begins. It will be less crowded and still as fun (more fun, many of us believe, notwithstanding how great JazzFest is) than when JazzFest begins.

djp98374

Slight modifications….

Wednesday. Fly in, night in Nashville
Thursday day trip to huntsville , evening nashville
Friday Nashville, night out in nashville
Saturday drivevto see Shiloh civil war battlefield and historic Natchez trace thrn to mrmphis
sunday day in Memphis
Monday drive to Vicksburg with stop in clarksdale
tuesday Vicksburg civil war battlefield to Natchez
wednesdayto New Orleans

SP0

Yes, that tightens things up quite a bit thank you.

I’ve been wondering whether the rocket centre is worth the trip. Apparently their “rocket park” is closed for refurbishment; the shuttle has been away for refurbishment but is coming back. A Saturn V is always fabulous to see but it is quite a long drive. Thoughts?

djp98374

going that way you have Jack daniels HQ plant you can tour.

you can just hold off doing it until it is re-opened. Iirc New Orleans has a NASA plant I think you can tour.

travelmad478

The Stennis Space Center is about an hour from New Orleans, just over the MS line in Pearlington. It's open 9-4 on Thursdays through Sundays.

Clarksdale is worth a midday stop, certainly. I'd stay overnight to catch some live music at night, but that's me. They have a Delta blues museum, open every day except Sunday, and for sure worth visiting. It's a small, poor town, but there is some cool stuff in the historic downtown area. I went there a few years ago for the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival and had a great time. Over the course of four days we hit every place in town more than once but it was a lot of fun.

Natchez is also very scenic. I highly recommend the Natchez City Cemetery as a place to wander around for an hour or so. Super interesting, with some really lovely statues, mausoleums, etc. If you are a fan of this stuff, it's going to wow you.

Be aware that the Natchez Trace Parkway has a speed limit of 50 MPH and they mean it. It is not a fast road, so don't expect to make the kind of time you'd make on an interstate highway. There are a lot of cyclists on it.

If you have specific New Orleans or Jazz Fest questions, ask away! I live here and am a JF regular.

bitterproffit

Definitely add Muscle Shoals and take a tour of the Sound Studio. Several friends have and they really enjoyed it. A lot of rock and roll history there.

On the drive from Huntsville - Muscle Shoals - Memphis (via US 72) you are not very far from Shiloh Civil War battlefield (it is just north of Corinth MS in southern TN). I found it a very moving memorial and well laid out. It was one of the deadliest battles of the Civil War and it is very well preserved. There is also a National Cemetery there.

Tunica is not much but a bunch of casinos. IMO

Nashville is fun and glad you will enjoy the Grand Ole Opry one evening.

Blumie

New Orleans does indeed have a NASA plant, the Michoud Assembly Facility, on Old Gentilly Rd. in New Orleans East, but it is not open to the public.

kale73

The Stennis Visitor Center is now co-located with Infinity Science Center, just off the first Mississippi exit of I-10 East from Slidell. Many years ago there was an "on-site" visitor center and museum as well as bus tours of the test facility. Now all the exhibits are at Infinity.

swag

What is Infinity like? I've driven past it enough times, but never stopped. Looking at the website, my impression is that it's pretty kid-oriented. Is that right, or would it be interesting for grown-ups too?