A Gulf Coast Road Trip
One of the places I hadn't been here in the US was the stretch of the Gulf Coast between the Panhandle of Florida to New Orleans. On our spring beach trip to Pensacola Beach, we made it a point to drive this part of the coast on our way back to the airport.
Pensacola Beach We began our day in Pensacola Beach looking at the emerald water from our hotel balcony. Once we got in the car, we drove north across Pensacola Bay to the city of Pensacola which looked to be a smaller city with some fun downtown options for eating and drinking along with some places on the water.
Points of Interest along the drive:
1. Perdido Key State Park
2. Gulf State Park
Perdido Key -
Next we started our drive south on Florida 292 which hit the coast at Perdido Key and passing Perdido Key State Park. There are some high rises along the coast here but they're not so close together - I never got a closed in feeling like you can sometimes get at the beach with high rise upon high rise. We thought about visiting Gulf State Park and enjoying some more beach time but the weather wasn't cooperating so off we went.
The Florabama
Our first stop of the trip was at the Florida-Alabama line - at the infamous Florabama! I had heard all kinds of hype about this watering hole that straddles the state line - bras hanging up at the bar, live music, bushwhacker drinks and of course, the notorious Mullet Toss - where contestants throw a dead mullet (fish, not the haircut) over the state line. (The winner is the one who throws it the furthest) We were there the weekend before the Mullet Toss. And just as we arrived it started raining. And it was a Sunday at lunchtime. I expected the Florabama to be open but what I didn't expect was a church service being held at the bar. A real live church service with gospel music in a tent - at a bar. So we did a quick walk-around and then decided to leave - it was all a bit strange and definitely not what I expected of the venue for the Gulf Coast's legendary Greatest Beach Party. I think I just might have to return on a Friday or Saturday night to get a proper view of the Florabama.
Fort Morgan
We passed by Orange Beach and Gulf Shores before reaching the end of the road at Fort Morgan. Built for the War of 1812, Fort Morgan is a pentagon shaped fort that sits at the mouth of Mobile Bay. We were there to board a ferry across Mobile Bay to Dauphin Island, a barrier island in Alabama just south of the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay.
Crossing Mobile Bay
Our forty minute ferry crossing was a bit windy, and foggy - with limited views but we still enjoyed it.( We could see several off-shore oil rigs) Right on schedule we pulled into Dauphin Island, a town of about 1200, that is known as the Sunset Capital of Alabama. But no sunsets for us that day. So we kept moving on.
Biloxi
We headed north on Alabama 193 until we hit the coastal road of 90. Our goal was to find somewhere for a seafood dinner with water views. We passed by Pascagoula and Ocean Springs and the grand casinos in Biloxi,along with the famous Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art (no time for it this day but I would love to go back!) Interestingly, at least to me, is that the beaches along the coast here are narrow with very little hotel or restaurant development. I was expecting big, wide beaches like Florida or California but that's not so here - it was such a different coastal environment than I've seen before. We settled on eating at The Reef and were hoping for a table on the patio but the wind was so strong that the patio was closed. So a water view would do - and we learned that they are building a boardwalk here along this stretch of the coast.
Long Beach, Pass Christian and Bay ST. Louis
Onward we pushed, passing the genteel Southern towns of Long Beach, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis where the road would veer away from the coast and take us to our final destination of New Orleans.
Another part of the United States that I'm happy that I was able to see!
How about you? Have you driven this part of the Gulf Coast?
Linking up with: WATW at Communal Global, The Weekend Wanderlust Weekend Travel Blog Party and The Weekly Postcard at Travel Notes and Beyond!
Pensacola Beach We began our day in Pensacola Beach looking at the emerald water from our hotel balcony. Once we got in the car, we drove north across Pensacola Bay to the city of Pensacola which looked to be a smaller city with some fun downtown options for eating and drinking along with some places on the water.
Points of Interest along the drive:
1. Perdido Key State Park
2. Gulf State Park
The Florabama
Our first stop of the trip was at the Florida-Alabama line - at the infamous Florabama! I had heard all kinds of hype about this watering hole that straddles the state line - bras hanging up at the bar, live music, bushwhacker drinks and of course, the notorious Mullet Toss - where contestants throw a dead mullet (fish, not the haircut) over the state line. (The winner is the one who throws it the furthest) We were there the weekend before the Mullet Toss. And just as we arrived it started raining. And it was a Sunday at lunchtime. I expected the Florabama to be open but what I didn't expect was a church service being held at the bar. A real live church service with gospel music in a tent - at a bar. So we did a quick walk-around and then decided to leave - it was all a bit strange and definitely not what I expected of the venue for the Gulf Coast's legendary Greatest Beach Party. I think I just might have to return on a Friday or Saturday night to get a proper view of the Florabama.
Fort Morgan
We passed by Orange Beach and Gulf Shores before reaching the end of the road at Fort Morgan. Built for the War of 1812, Fort Morgan is a pentagon shaped fort that sits at the mouth of Mobile Bay. We were there to board a ferry across Mobile Bay to Dauphin Island, a barrier island in Alabama just south of the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay.
Crossing Mobile Bay
Our forty minute ferry crossing was a bit windy, and foggy - with limited views but we still enjoyed it.( We could see several off-shore oil rigs) Right on schedule we pulled into Dauphin Island, a town of about 1200, that is known as the Sunset Capital of Alabama. But no sunsets for us that day. So we kept moving on.
Biloxi
We headed north on Alabama 193 until we hit the coastal road of 90. Our goal was to find somewhere for a seafood dinner with water views. We passed by Pascagoula and Ocean Springs and the grand casinos in Biloxi,along with the famous Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art (no time for it this day but I would love to go back!) Interestingly, at least to me, is that the beaches along the coast here are narrow with very little hotel or restaurant development. I was expecting big, wide beaches like Florida or California but that's not so here - it was such a different coastal environment than I've seen before. We settled on eating at The Reef and were hoping for a table on the patio but the wind was so strong that the patio was closed. So a water view would do - and we learned that they are building a boardwalk here along this stretch of the coast.
Long Beach, Pass Christian and Bay ST. Louis
Onward we pushed, passing the genteel Southern towns of Long Beach, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis where the road would veer away from the coast and take us to our final destination of New Orleans.
Another part of the United States that I'm happy that I was able to see!
How about you? Have you driven this part of the Gulf Coast?
Linking up with: WATW at Communal Global, The Weekend Wanderlust Weekend Travel Blog Party and The Weekly Postcard at Travel Notes and Beyond!
I have not driven this coastal area of Florida or Alabama. I have been in Louisiana and New Orleans though. The Florabama looks very interesting and must be a great place Spring Break. I can imagine the beach areas would be packed on a sunny summer day.
ReplyDeleteI think the beach areas do see lots of traffic in the summer - and the photos of the Florabama that I've seen on a sunny day rather than a rainy, Sunday morning show it to have wall-to-wall people. So I guess we escaped the crowds by being there on a rainy Spring day :) Thanks for stopping by, Rhonda!
DeleteI have been to the gulf my whole life. But I've never traveled the whole thing by car. If you have future travel posts, be sure to hook up to my new travel link!
ReplyDeleteMy family always went to Southwest Florida if we traveled so I was happy to experience the Gulf Coast this time. And thanks for the heads up on the new travel link - will do! Thanks for visiting, Sharon!
DeleteThe photos show a really beautiful part of the world. We were supposed to go to Sandestin a few years back, but then a large oil spill happened and we changed our plans. I would definitely like to go and maybe follow along some of your stops. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your Sandestin plans - that's one area I'd still love to discover. It's such a pretty area of the country. Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
DeleteThis is the road trip route that I was going to travel back in February before I had to cancel my plans. I'm thinking I have to make this trip happen this coming winter. I did go down to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach last November, so I have been to the Flora-Bama. It's such a fun spot for music and drinks. I had to get a Bushwacker and also took a picture of all those bras hanging up in the bar! #WeekendWanderlust
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely going back for a bushwacker - it seemed a bit wrong to get one on Sunday morning during church service :) But I'm going back to experience it a different way next time! Thanks for visiting, Erin!
DeleteI've driven part of the coast between New Orleans and Moblie, but it wasn't a leisurely drive so I didn't get to see as much as I would've liked. I would really love to visit the beaches along the Gulf Coast in FL and AL because of the beautiful water. I loved looking at your photos and reading about the road trip.
ReplyDeleteVisting from #TheWeeklyPostcard
The beaches are such soft sugar sand and the water is so beautiful - I think this area is some of the prettiest coastal area anywhere. I can't wait to go back! Thanks for visiting, Ericka!
DeleteWe're headed down to Navarre in a few weeks to visit family so I look forward to it, but wish we had more time to visit Florabama and many of these other locations! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard!
ReplyDelete(www.caliglobetrotter.com)
Lucky you - I've not been to Navarre but I heard it's beautiful! Thanks for visiting - and for the link-up!
DeleteWhere was the first photo taken? The water and sand are beautiful! It totally looks like a beach in the Caribbean! I am into seeing parts of the coast I have not seen before. Actually, this summer we have been discovering several places. The story about the church service at the bar is super strange. The things that happen when you travel! #WeekendWanderlust
ReplyDeleteThe first photo was taken at Pensacola Beach - it does look like the Caribbean, doesn't it? And that church service was so strange, right? Thanks for visiting, Ruth!
DeleteThis is a beautiful place. I'm impressed that even the sky here is lovely. My favorite photo is that first one of the beach. I could spend all day there!
ReplyDeleteI could, too, Sharon! Our visit was way too short! Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
DeleteI don't if we will ever make it to the USA so thanks for the road trip. I enjoyed it. There really are "gone with the wind" houses in New Orleans! Happy travels and thank you for stopping by my blog this week.
ReplyDeleteI never thought I'd make it to Australia but now my daughter lives there and I'm headed there for my first time. So I hope you make it to the US - if you want to. And there really are Gone With the Wind houses in the South! Thanks for visiting, Jill!
DeleteWe drove this road many, many years ago and I had forgotten most of it. You have jogged a few memories with this post - thanks.
ReplyDeleteGlad to stir up a few good memories. I like it when I remember something that I've forgotten - well, only if it's pleasant :) Thanks for visiting, Lyn!
DeleteThanks! And thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
ReplyDelete