If you all like civil war battle sites, you'll love Vicksburg.It is second only to Gettysburg in the number of monuments in the park. Virtually all militias from all the states involved have impressive monuments. There is a nice drive throughout the park. There is also the ruins of a river gunboat, the Cairo, that has been lifted out and preserved under roof. The Natchez Trace, which does not go through Vicksburg but is near by, is worth seeing from the northern end near Nashville to the southern terminus in Natchez. There are well marked things to see all along the Trace. Just north of Natchez are two of my favorites, Emerald Mound, the second largest pre-Columbian monument, and Mount Locust, a wayside inn on the old Trace. There are many things to see and a couple of campgrounds on the Trace plus several others near by. There is a great visitor's center around Tupelo that sometimes has handicraft or music demonstrations. Also in Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis. The speed limit is lower than other roads, but it is soooo beautiful and relaxing, so you won't feel a need to hurry. One other town you might want to stop at on the Trace is Port Gibson, MS, which was alledgedly "too pretty to burn" according to Sherman. It has a number of gorgeous older churches, but my favorite is one with a very tall steeple topped with a giant hand pointing upward.
Hope you enjoy your trip.
Jerry
