Things to Do Within an Hour of Jackson
While Jackson's museums, blues trail and architectural district can keep you busy sightseeing for days on end, don't miss nearby attractions just outside the city limits
You'll discover places tucked into the Jackson Prairie region surrounding the city where you can linger lakeside, meander down an ancient foot path or have a fun day with the kids—all within an hour's drive of the city. Escape the concrete jungle and head to the lake or through an ancient forest to make memories with your loved ones.
1. Spend a day at the lake
Take a picnic lunch to Ross Barnett Reservoir 14 miles northeast of downtown and listen to the breeze whisper through the treetops as you gaze out over the water. Splash with the kids along the grassy shoreline at Lakeshore Park could wind up in the lake! Cap off your day by watching the sunset turn the water shades of pink and orange as the sun disappears over a distant shore. Pelahatchie Park's west-facing shoreline is an ideal place to snap pictures at day's end.
2. Hike An Ancient Forest
When you hike along the nature trail at Mississippi Petrified Forest, reach out and touch trees that have slowly turned to stone over thousands of years. Wander along a stroller-friendly boardwalk enjoying the fragrance of pine and spring flowers and the music of chirping birds. You might see a pair of eyes peering at you from behind a tree and find yourself stalked by the park's unofficial, yet friendly feline mascot. Bring your selfie stick and pose for a group shot on the mammoth Caveman's Bench or snuggled up to a 14,000-pound frog-shaped stump. Stop by the park's gem flume on your way out. A few bucks will buy you a bag of mine muck to wash and sort through. You can keep any gems you find.
3. Follow Ancient Footsteps
Whether you want to spot alligators from a boardwalk in Cypress Swamp or hike along a centuries-old path, you'll find a lot to do and see on the Natchez Trace Parkway near Jackson. If you're an early bird, start north of the city at sunrise where the parkway skips along the western shore of Ross Barnett Reservoir. You'll get dazzling shots of the sunrise over the water from an observation point along the way. Nearby, visit Boyd Mound, an ancient burial site where about 40 Native Americans lie at rest. As you explore along the parkway, you'll find other interesting sites such a Civil War battlefield, ruins of abandoned frontier towns and the ghostly remains of the Windsor plantation's antebellum mansion.
4. Make A Splash
Looking to beat the summer heat? Let the good times roll as you slip through tunnels of tumbling water at Grand Paradise Water Park, an hour's drive southeast of Jackson. You'll shoot through chutes at up to 30 miles an hour and navigate drops at 40 feet per second. Spin around and around in a giant bowl, slip through pitch-dark tubes and plunge into still waters at each slide's end. Dizzy from all the excitement? Relax and float down the lazy river or splash around the water playground for bucket-loads of wet fun. You aren't allowed to bring food or drink into the park, but you can nosh from the snack bar.
5. March Into History
Relive one of the most crucial battles in the Civil War at the Vicksburg National Military Park, 45 miles west of Jackson. You'll get the most out of the experience by stopping at the visitor center to get a handle on the history. Listen to a narrated tour on your smartphone as you pass by 1,340 monuments along a 16-mile loop. Climb aboard the decks of the USS Cairo, once sunk by a Confederate mine. Peer through the explosion hole, examine its steampunk machinery and check out old artifacts that went down with the ship. Be sure to snap a few shots posing with life-size figures of Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln near the tour's end.
6. Play In Children's Art Park
Take a fanciful adventure into the history of the Mississippi River and its paddle-wheel boats through hands-on play at the Catfish Row Children's Art Park in Vicksburg. Kids can turn the massive captain's wheel as they stand on the prow of the Sprague, the stern-wheeler whose colorfully painted remains decorate the park. They'll love to climb and hide in her vents, capstans and cleats that are now part of the park's play equipment. Let them roll down a large grassy hill or change into a swimsuit to splash in the interactive fountain. Artwork by their contemporaries graces walls inside the park, and giant murals depicting the river's history lie just across the street on the sea wall.
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