NATCHEZ &8212; Many people who live in Natchez know the best places to visit and their favorite restaurants to frequent.

Now, readers nationwide can find out about the town&8217;s highlights.

Rand McNally has published a new Southeast Getaway Guide, and Natchez is one of three Mississippi towns featured. Tunica and Tupelo were the other two featured from the state.

This is the first time the guide has featured towns &8212; three from each southern state &8212; in its guide, said Lorry Heverly, contributing author to the atlas.

&8220;The publishers thought people didn&8217;t want just maps,&8221; Heverly said. &8220;They wanted some information when they got to a destination. We tried to put in interesting things people may not be aware of, to find unique things that make a city different.&8221;

Heverly said she chose Natchez for just that reason &8212; because it had unique features.

&8220;Natchez is a beautiful little city, a walkable city,&8221; she said. &8220;It&8217;s got a unique heritage. I chose it because I love the river town. It&8217;s a unique little town.&8221;

In the Natchez section, Heverly highlighted the Under-the-Hill Saloon, the Cock of the Walk&8217;s fried catfish and the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, among other sites.

Natchez Tourism Director Walter Tipton said that sort of publicity was great for tourism.

&8220;Rand McNally is the most-used travel guide for mapping and traveling in the United States,&8221; Tipton said. &8220;They set the standard. So anyone that&8217;s using this guidebook is going to see Natchez.&8221;

The timing of the publication couldn&8217;t be better, Tipton said. Because Spring Pilgrimage visitors usually plan their trips to Natchez significantly before the event, the city tries to get information to the public in

January and February, he said.

The city has been included in other publications recently, including a Time photo book, but this is a special treat, Tipton said.

&8220;Any publication for Natchez is good,&8221; he said. &8220;But when you&8217;re talking about publications that have national recognition, those types of publications really do put us on the map.&8221;