Travelers on their way to Florida can visit the Elvis Presley Birthplace Park in Tupelo, Mississippi, and learn about the early days of the state's famous resident. Tour the gardens, which are full of interpretive monuments and features that represent the musician's life. The on-site museum features artifacts and audiovisual presentations about Elvis's early years. The park is open year-round except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Elvis Presley Birthplace
306 Elvis Presley Drive
Tupelo, MS 38802
662-841-1245
elvispresleybirthplace.com
The Delta Blues Museum, located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, celebrates an American musical tradition. Housed in a historic freight depot, the museum features a music classroom, photographs, recordings, musical instruments and memorabilia from the Delta region's long blues history. Check the schedule while you're in town, as the facility hosts musical events year-round on the Delta Blues Museum Stage.
Delta Blues Museum
No. 1 Blues Alley
Clarksdale, MS 38614
662-627-6820
deltabluesmuseum.com
While passing through Alabama, travelers to Florida can stop at the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve near Fairhope. Here you can stroll along the boardwalk and nature trails where the river meets the ocean. You can also visit the Interpretive Center and learn about the region's indigenous plant and animal species. The reserve is free and open every day of the year except for federal holidays.
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
11300 U.S. Highway 98
Fairhope, AL 36532
251-928-9792
outdooralabama.com
If you're in Montgomery, Alabama, you won't want to miss the Rosa Parks Museum. Located on the Troy University Campus, the museum features exhibits and collections from the Civil Rights era, with a special focus on the events surrounding the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Visitors can learn about Rosa Parks' courageous actions and their influence on the Civil Rights movement in Alabama and across the country. Admission is free, and the museum is open Monday through Saturday, except for federal holidays.
Rosa Parks Museum
252 Montgomery Street
PO Drawer 4419
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-241-8615
montgomery.troy.edu
Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium has more than 8 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater exhibits. Visitors can see manatees, sharks, giant jellyfish, albino alligators, piranhas, otters and hundreds of other creatures. The aquarium offers dining at its Café Aquaria and a chance to shop for souvenirs at the its two gift shops. The Georgia Aquarium is open every day of the year.
Georgia Aquarium
225 Baker Street
Atlanta, GA 30313
404-581-4000
georgiaaquarium.org
Experience Charleston, South Carolina's, history firsthand at the Charles Towne Landing State Historical Site. Visitors can tour a 17th-century sailing ship, an experimental crop garden, an interactive museum, a natural habitat zoo and more than 80 acres of grounds. You can watch reenactments of 17th-century daily life and archeologists on a live dig. The park is open every day of the year except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Charles Towne Landing State Historical Site
1500 Old Towne Road
Charleston, SC 29407
843-852-4200
southcarolinaparks.com
