BethG Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 We're planning a vacation to New Orleans and want to also have a day or two at the beach while that far south. Do you know of any good beaches nearby/south of New Orleans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 West Ship Islands in Mississippi (have to take a ferry there); Gulf Port, Mississippi; Orange Beach, Alabama Yeah - they aren't in LA, but they are VERY close. I can't really think of a decent beach in LA, but I haven't ever looked :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 There are no beaches in LA, only swamps and marshes. ;) Unless you go to Ship Island, skip the MS beaches. They are shallow and gross. Go to Gulf Shores, AL or Pensacola, FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 We're in NOLA. No beaches right around here, but head east to Mississippi or Alabama and there are decent ones. eta: good for you for bringing the kids to vacation in New Orleans! It's SUCH a wonderful family destination, and I can never seem to convince people of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I agree. We were in SW Louisiana and could never get in the water. Everytime we went there were bacteria warnings. You could drive right on the beach, it was relaxing, but not the place to go if you want to swim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Born and raised in Baton Rouge. The beaches on the LA coast are NOT what I consider beaches. Brown "sand" and brown water. Yuck. Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, AL would be your prettiest beaches within a few hour drive, and they are nice beaches with white sand and blue water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) There are no beaches in LA, only swamps and marshes. ;) Unless you go to Ship Island, skip the MS beaches. They are shallow and gross. Go to Gulf Shores, AL or Pensacola, FL. I live about 5 minutes from Pensacola Beach - we like it here :) It takes about 3.5 hours to get here from New Orleans, though, so not an easy day trip. Ship Island is probably your best bet. If not, Gulf Port. Edited April 11, 2012 by SailorMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Second Gulfport since it is closer than Gulf Shores/Orange Beach and the beaches are beautiful. After the oil spill, they replaced all the sand and it is as clean as I have ever seen a beach. I was just there last fall and we did the Gulf SHOres trip in March. Personally, I wouldn't drive the distane to the AL beaches unless this was my destination.Although they are terrific! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Yeah, even when we lived there we wouldn't go to any beaches in LA. We went to Biloxi, if we did. I grew up there and my family still lives there. This past visit, we took the kids on the Honey Island Swamp Tour and it was awesome! Saw all kinds of gators :) I really wanted to go down to Avery Island and tour the Tabasco plant and all that stuff, but we didn't have time. Make sure you go to the Audubon Zoo :) And have the kids wear a bathing suit under their clothes, so they can play in the water on Monkey Hill, inside the zoo. Plus, they have a small water park there now, oh man, the kids had a blast!! But do it on the week day, or it will be crowded! Make sure you get sno-balls! And the Audubon Park is really nice too and across the street from the zoo. On the Riverwalk, at one end of the French Quarter, they have those trampolines with the bungee cords on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS in LA Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Avery Island is neat. Their Jungle Garden also a good place to see alligators and the history of the Buddha statue in the garden is interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethG Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Many wonderful ideas here. I'll check them out. And the swamp tour sounds neat (and mosquitoe'y?). we plan to do the zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, the Insectarium Museum, and then I'm sending the family off while I indulge in 3 hours of uninterrupted World War II museum!!! ...we plan to do beignettes (however you spell um'), Jack's Brewery (I'm craving a Muffulata--- that's not how one spells that either). We're looking forward to it!!! :driving::thumbup::hurray:................................................:auto: Thanks again to all of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Many wonderful ideas here. I'll check them out. And the swamp tour sounds neat (and mosquitoe'y?). we plan to do the zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, the Insectarium Museum, and then I'm sending the family off while I indulge in 3 hours of uninterrupted World War II museum!!! ...we plan to do beignettes (however you spell um'), Jack's Brewery (I'm craving a Muffulata--- that's not how one spells that either). We're looking forward to it!!! :driving::thumbup::hurray:................................................:auto: Thanks again to all of you! NO mosquitoes during the swamp tour! THe tour guide even brought it to our attention :) I *think* he said it was because the water was continually moving so the mosquitoes didn't lay eggs there.... or something..... We also ate at a GREAT restaurant afterwards.... lemme look it up... Palmettos on the Bayou!! It's in Slidell, not too far from the swamp tour. http://www.palmettosonthebayou.net/ It was soooo good! And the atmosphere was perfect, right on the bayou :) There was actually a huge thunderstorm halfway through our meal and after we ate we went out on the (covered) deck and sat and listened/smalled the rain, it was awesome :) We had a 7 and 8 year old with us, they loved it too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Sigh....this thread is making me homesick. 43 yrs near N.O...man do I miss the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Make sure you go to the Audubon Zoo :) And have the kids wear a bathing suit under their clothes, so they can play in the water on Monkey Hill, inside the zoo. Plus, they have a small water park there now, oh man, the kids had a blast!! But do it on the week day, or it will be crowded! It will be crowded regardless! I have never seen crowds like the NOLA zoo and aquarium generate! We go to both regularly, though, and the way to beat the crowds is to get there when they open (10am) and go BACKWARDS. At the zoo, hang an immediate left and walk straight to the back of the zoo, and then do the exhibits in reverse order of how everyone else goes through them. At the aquarium, it's a loop. You're intended to turn left and go through clockwise. Do it in counterclockwise starting on the right. Seriously. You'll have the zoo to yourself if you do this, and a much more pleasant experience at both places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Regarding the WWII museum - I'd say have the whole family go. It is the BEST National museum I have been to, bar none. Three hours is no where near enough time. Before it was renovated, and more was added, my kids and I spent almost 8 straight hours there. The movie produced by Tom Hanks was outstanding - I think it should be mandatory viewing for American citizens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethG Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Regarding the WWII museum - I'd say have the whole family go. It is the BEST National museum I have been to, bar none.Three hours is no where near enough time. Before it was renovated, and more was added, my kids and I spent almost 8 straight hours there. The movie produced by Tom Hanks was outstanding - I think it should be mandatory viewing for American citizens. I've been once before, but you're right -- I need to budget more time. My kids are too young for it. My oldest is first grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 If you want a really good authentic muffaletta, you need to go to Central Grocery. It's near the Farmer's Market, St Peter or Decatur Street I think it's called at that point, not on the river side of the market but on the quarter side of the street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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