Kelli Bozeman

Once a playground for mobsters and Major Leaguers, the city named for its natural thermal spring waters still bubbles with excitement nearly two centuries after President Andrew Jackson designated it as a federal reservation. All eight of the early 20th-century bathhouses that drew visitors here from around the world still stand in a proud row today, but they aren’t all that’s worth seeing in this mountainous destination that’s less than seven hours from Baton Rouge by car.

The 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway, which begins in Natchez, Mississippi, and ends in Nashville, is one of America’s most iconic roadways—not just because of its current attractions but because of its history as an ancient dirt trail along which Native Americans walked. The speed limit is an easy 50 miles per hour, meaning you must take the time to savor the sights as you navigate the parkway’s dips and bends.

Once a playground for mobsters and Major Leaguers, the city named for its natural thermal spring waters still bubbles with excitement nearly two centuries after President Andrew Jackson designated it as a federal reservation. All eight of the early 20th-century bathhouses that drew visitors here from around the world still stand in a proud row today, but they aren’t all that’s worth seeing in this mountainous destination that’s less than seven hours from Baton Rouge by car.