The Southern United States has some of the best and undiscovered national parks and sites in the country. While there are hundreds worth a visit that span all of our states in the region, here are just a few that we recommend planning a trip to.
This includes not only the traditional national parks but also national heritage areas, preserve areas, historical sites, trails, and areas.
National Parks in Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs was the country’s first resort and the first site of baseball spring training for its healing springs. Today, you will still see plenty of spas and use of the natural water, but also outdoor adventures like mountain biking and hiking. The national park was one of the earliest to be created.
Other Arkansas Sites
- Arkansas Post National Memorial, Gillett
- Buffalo National River, Harrison and St. Joe
- Fort Smith National Historic Site, Fort Smith
- Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Little Rock
- Pea Ridge National Military Park, Pea Ridge
- President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site, Hope
National Parks in Alabama
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument encompasses multiple historic sites related to the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham. Included are the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church, located next door to one another.
Other Alabama Sites
- Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, Tuskegee
- Freedom Riders National Monument
- Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Daviston
- Little River Canyon National Preserve, Fort Payne
- Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area
- Russell Cave National Monument, Bridgeport
- Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail
- Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Tuskegee
- Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, Tuskegee
National Parks in Florida
Everglades National Park
This type of ecosystem is only found in two places around the world, but the Everglades National Park in southern Florida is perhaps the most well-known.
It’s home to endangered species like manatees, American crocodiles, and Florida panthers. You can experience the park in a variety of ways, including airboat rides, kayaking, camping, and nature walks.
Other Florida Sites
- Big Cypress National Preserve, Ochopee
- Biscayne National Park, Miami
- Canaveral National Seashore, Titusville
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, St. Augustine
- De Soto National Memorial, Bradenton
- Dry Tortugas National Park, Key West
- Fort Caroline National Memorial, Jacksonville
- Fort Matanzas National Monument, St. Augustine
- Gulf Islands National Seashore, Gulf Breeze
- Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Jacksonville
National Parks in Georgia
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
An important stop on any visit to Georgia is the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. It’s actually made up of different locations in the same Sweet Auburn neighborhood, which includes his boyhood home, the church where he preached, a visitor’s center and historically relevant buildings on the same block.
Other Georgia Sites
- Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Springer Mountain
- Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, Conyers
- Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, Augusta
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Atlanta
- Cumberland Island National Seashore, Cumberland Island
- Fort Frederica National Monument, St. Simon’s Island
- Fort Pulaski National Monument, Savannah
- Jimmy Carter National Historic Site, Plains
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Kennesaw
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Macon
- Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Parks in Kentucky
Mammoth Cave National Park
The world’s longest cave system is Mammoth Cave National Park, located in Kentucky. Only a small percentage, 400 miles, of it has ever been explored. The sprawling system has plenty to offer visitors, including ranger-led tours, which have been going on for 200 years, 100 years longer than the National Parks system.
Other Kentucky Sites
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Hodgenville
- Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Oneida
- Camp Nelson National Monument
- Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Middlesboro
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Dover
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
National Parks in Louisiana
Poverty Point National Monument
Perhaps one of the country’s most underrated sites, Poverty Point State Historic Site was a massive settlement over 3,000 years ago. Here you can see the concentric circles that were created by the hands of laborers and artifacts that have been discovered here. The civilization that lived here predates even the Mayans.
Other Louisiana Sites
- Atchafalaya National Heritage Area
- Cane River National Heritage Area, Natchitoches
- Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Natchez
- Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, New Orleans
- New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, New Orleans
National Parks in Mississippi
Natchez Trace Parkway
One of the most scenic drives in the country is the Natchez Trace Parkway, which runs from outside Nashville in Tennessee through most of Mississippi.
The 444-mile road was originally used as a Native American trading route. It’s also a popular bicycling and motorcycling trip for its curving turns and scenic views. It also includes the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail.
Other Mississippi Sites
- Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, Baldwyn
- Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area
- Mississippi Gulf National Heritage Area
- Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area
- Natchez National Historical Park, Natchez
- Tupelo National Battlefield, Tupelo
- Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg
National Parks in North Carolina
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Pay tribute to the site of the first flight, where the Wright Brothers flew a successful but brief period in the air in a glider that they made. At Wright Brothers National Memorial, you’ll learn more about why Kitty Hawk was chosen as the test site and more about modern aviation.
Other North Carolina Sites
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, Fletcher
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head
- Cape Lookout National Seashore, Harkers Island
- Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Flat Rock
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo
- Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Greensboro
- Moores Creek National Battlefield, Currie
National Parks in South Carolina
Congaree National Park
One of the newest national parks, Congaree National Park, is located in central South Carolina. It’s the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Visitors can go for nature walks on the raised platforms or go kayaking through the waterways.
Other South Carolina Sites
- Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Mt. Pleasant
- Cowpens National Battlefield, Chesnee
- Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Charleston
- Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
- Kings Mountain National Military Park, Blacksburg
- Ninety-Six National Historic Site, Ninety-Six
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
- Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
- South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, Edgefield
National Parks in Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the country and straddles state lines between Tennessee and North Carolina. Here you’ll find diverse flora and fauna, including wildflowers and black bears. There are a number of cities near the park, so you can either stay in a hotel or cabin or “rough it” by camping.
Other Tennessee Sites
- Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Greeneville
- Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Chattanooga
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Oak Ridge
- Obed Wild & Scenic River, Wartburg
- Shiloh National Military Park, Shiloh
- Stones River National Battlefield, Murfreesboro
- Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Murfreesboro
National Parks in Virginia
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park is located a short drive from the bustle of Washington DC. See the famous Skyline Drive by car before going on a hike to see the waterfalls and other natural features. The park includes over 200,000 acres of protected land.
Other Virginia Sites
- Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Appomattox
- Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, Arlington
- Assateague Island National Seashore
- Booker T Washington National Monument, Hardy
- Cape Henry Memorial, Fort Story
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
- Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historic Park, Middletown
- Colonial National Historical Park, Jamestown
- Fort Monroe National Monument, Hampton
- Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Fredericksburg
- George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Westmoreland County
- Great Falls Park, McLean
- Green Springs National Historic Landmark District, Louisa County
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
- Historic Jamestowne, James City County
- Maggie L Walker National Historic Site, Richmond
- Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas
- Petersburg National Battlefield, Petersburg
- Prince William Forest Park, Triangle
- Richmond National Battlefield Park, Richmond
- Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Vienna
- Yorktown Battlefield, Yorktown
Washington DC
National Mall and Memorial Parks
An important way to experience Washington DC is through its monuments and historic sites. National Mall and Memorial Parks include the National Mall, monuments and the White House.
Other Washington DC Sites
- African American Civil War Memorial
- Anacostia Park
- Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument
- Capitol Hill Parks
- Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
- Chesapeake Bay
- Civil War Defenses of Washington
- Constitution Gardens
- Ford’s Theatre
- Fort Dupont Park
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
- George Washington Memorial Parkway
- Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- LBJ Memorial Grove on the Potomac
- Lincoln Memorial
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
- National Capital Parks-East
- Pennsylvania Avenue
- Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
- President’s Park (White House)
- Rock Creek Park
- Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
- Theodore Roosevelt Island
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Washington Monument
- World War II Memorial
The pictures are beautiful and I would love to visit all of these parks. I live in South Carolina and I haven’t even heard of Congaree National Park. I hope that I can visit it while Earth Day festivities are going on. Thanks for the article it was very interesting.