Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The dog days of summer will soon transition to the dog ate my homework days of school.

School bells are ringing, but there is still time left for families to get out and enjoy some quality time together before kids return to a hectic schedule.

Classes, games, practices, work and school functions will soon overload days.

If it is too late to take off a few days from work, or if you can’t afford to take a vacation, there are plenty of fun things for families to explore in a day trip.

You will not have to travel far to find a museum to visit. In Natchez, there is the Natchez Museum of African-American Culture on Main Street and the Rhythm Night Club Museum on St. Catherine Street, which both highlight significant moments in African American history.

The Delta Music Museum, which tells of a diverse musical history, is just a 15-minute drive across the river to Ferriday.  There, visitors will learn of the famous cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Lee Swaggart and Mickey Gilley as well as others who helped change the culture of music throughout the world.

On the Natchez Trace, you can find the Emerald Mound site and read about the native people of Mississippi.

North of Natchez, you can find a ghost town that was once home to river pirates, gamblers and outlaws in Rodney. Port Gibson is home to the Windsor Ruins and Vicksburg has a gorgeous military park. Listen to you voice echo around the dome of the Springfield Monument in Vicksburg, or watch as the tugboats move up and down the river from the edge of the military park.

Wherever you go, make the most of your time, create memories and enjoy the freedom of summer. You may learn a thing or two.