Hike in the Ouachita National Forest, and see Horse Thief Springs.
The Talimena Scenic Byway is a 54-mile drive from Talihina, Okla. to Mena, Ark. The 2-lane highway was constructed specifically for sightseeing through the 1.6 million-acre Ouachita National Forest. This trip starts at the Visitors Information Station 7 miles northeast of Talihina at U.S. 271 and Route One. Just past the information station, you can see the dark blue hills and gorgeous valleys from Choctaw Vista on the west end of Winding Stair Mountain. Read more . . .
This winding, 61-mile drive through the Nantahala National Forest is custom fit for the water sport angler and enthusiast. Starting in Highlands on U.S. 64, this byway passes through the eye-popping beauty of the Cullasaja Gorge, which runs parallel with the Cullasaja River. Enjoy serene panoramas of the clear river and its veil-like waterfalls. 
This remote and wild southernmost stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway will keep you alert at elevations above 6,000 feet with long stretches of rocky cliff faces and high-flying ledges. At 75 miles long, this journey is ideal for weekend warriors and families, and can be extended for another 390 miles into Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Starting in Asheville and heading south on the Parkway, you will ascend to traverse 3 spectacular ranges:the Great Balsams, the Pisgah Ledge, and the Plott Balsams. 
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 429-mile drive from Franklin, Tennessee all the way to Natchez, Mississippi. The trip takes 2 to 2-1/2 days. After paying a visit to the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, drive west out of town to Route 96. The Trace progresses through open fields and woods on the way to the Gordon House, one of the few remaining structures on the old Trace. Just after Gordon House lies Jackson Falls and a tobacco farm featuring exhibits on how to grow tobacco. A 2-mile drive along the original Old Trace starts here.
This is a short drive, but there are so many good occasions to stop and see or do things that it will take at least a day to achieve most of them. If you stop for all the interesting places along this drive, you will need one week, but it’s worth doing as they are all good. Begin at the NASA Test Site next to the first I-10 exit out of Louisiana. At the NASA Center, you might see, or at least hear, rocket engines being experimented and see some excellent exhibits. Next, drive south on Route 607 for about 20 miles to Bay Saint Louis.