Are there any decent beaches in Louisiana?

[TNDemo]

Or would I need to go over to Alabama, Gulf Shores area?

[TrogL]

1. Here ya go

http://honeymoons.about.com/cs/nudelouisiana/index.htm

[TNDemo]

2. I think they would throw beads at me

if I would get dressed.

[Brotherjohn]

3. No, sorry. As a displaced New Orleanian whose spent much time on...

... the Gulf Coast from there to Florida, Grand Isle is about the best beach in La... and it's a sorry excuse for one. Great area for fishing and crabbing, though!

The MS Gulf Coast is all muddy water of the Mississippi Sound, and artificial beaches to boot. Not worth it, unless you like casinos.

Yes, you have to go at least to Gulf Shores, AL, to get to the clear water, white sand beaches so common to the northeastern Gulf. But if you're gonna do that, I'd just stay on I-10 and go all the way to Pensacola. Florida's beaches are just that much nicer. Plus, it works out to about the same driving time, since Gulf Shores is many miles down from I-10, whereas I-10 slants down to Pensacola/Pensacola Beach.

[TNDemo]

5. My daughter has moved to Baton Rouge.

Her boyfriend is in New Orleans so she is there just as much. We were going to go visit this summer and thought we might take a few days at the beach and wondered where the closest one was. How long does it take to get to Gulf Shores?

[Brotherjohn]

6. Mapquest says 4:34 from B.R. to Gulf Shores; 4:30 to P'cola Beach.

Mapquest usually overestimates, though. I think you could make it in that time even with a brief stop or two. Even though it's another state over, P'cola Beach is actually about the same distance, b/c I-10 goes diagonally down to it, and you have to go almost the same distance on a slower state hwy. down to Gulf Shores from I-10.

I'm biased, though. I live in P'cola. But I do go to Gulf Shores a lot (big outlet mall near there).

If you NEED a closer beach, though, and any ocean beach will do, Biloxi isn't all that bad. I get spoiled, but I'd guess if you're from the Midwest nowhere near real water, Biloxi's beaches could seem like a tropical paradise. In truth, however, they don't even hold a candle to Pensacola Beach, or even Gulf Shores. If you're taking "a few days", I'd definitely go all the way to Pensacola Beach.

Plus, P'cola Beach just opened a great new restaurant: Hemingway's. On the water, cuban music, excellent Carribean/Cuban atmosphere. A bit upscale but not too expensive. Just went there last night.

(NOTE: This poster is in no way affiliated with Hemingway's Island Grill (http://ernesthemingwaycollection.com/restaurants.asp?thisSection=4). He just really enjoyed it, that's all!)

[TX-RAT]

7. Agree with Brotherjohn

We spend 1 week in Destin every October, have been to Pensacola, Ft Walton, Navarra and Panama City. Hard to beat the Florida Panhandle.

[Brotherjohn]

8. Yeah, we even drive to Destin from Pensacola. It's a bit more...

..."Florida", a bit more cosmopolitan, what with neat little resort communities such as Sandestin (esp. Baytowne Wharf), Seaside, etc. (great to spend time at, but expensive to stay at). But I don't know if that's worth the additional 2 hours if you're coming from Baton Rouge.

Nothing against Alabamians who might be reading here, but Gulf Shores still suffers too much from being, well, in Alabama. They don't exactly have a "beachy" mindset over there (despite Jimmy Buffet's Mobile origin). Even over here, we suffer a bit from being "L.A." ("Lower Alabama"), which is why I think the Destin / South Walton Co. area is a better "beach" community. But who are we kidding. It's all the Deep South.

[jus_the_facts]

4. No....the pelicans don't even have a decent place to go anymore.....

.....might as well go on to Florida for a decent beach. x(

[TNDemo]

9. I am familiar with the panhandle.

My in-laws lived in Panama City for ten years so we were there quite a bit. Have never made it to Gulf Shores although that seems to be where everyone here goes (or Destin). I was trying to find a beach close to Louisiana so my daughter could go with us but it may be too far.