Louisiana Beaches?? (Baton Rouge, Grand Isle: wedding, beach, best)

[WendyW.]

There are beaches here on the western coast. We are called the Cajun Riviera. The sand is brown and the water is even browner but alot of people still hang out there. Rutherford Beach, Grand Isle, North Beach, Holly Beach, LaFleur Beach, Cypremort Pointe.

Cameron parish alone has 36 miles of beaches. There is still alot of recovery going on since Rita so there's not much there.

You are much closer to Misssissippi and pretty beaches though, if you want a "beach" experience.

I just wanted to give a heads up about what the Southwest corner has to offer. It wasn't too long ago that you could barely drive on Holly Beach during holidays because the shear amount of people. Another couple years and things should be closer to normal here.

[BADEGG]

Originally Posted by masse1ta

Are there any nice public beaches in southern louisiana? I live in New Orleans and my friend is visiting next week and asked about beaches. I've only been here two months so I'm not sure what there is. Help please!

That's an oxymorron if I've ever heard one. LOL Nope no beaches worth much atleast not from Baton Rouge south. Might find a beach on a lake somewhere but not likely. Better off heading to Orange Beach or Pensocola.

[vgreen]

The beaches on Grand Isle are exceptionally beautiful. I lived in Pensacola for awhile, and I can honestly say, it is beautiful, but Grand Isle is only 1 hour and and half from downtown New Orleans and is actually prettier than Pensacola, if you like real beaches, and not white sand man made ones. It is not very far at all from downtown, actually about 1 1/2 hours. There is offshore fishing and surf fishing...it is a real beach! I have swam with wild dolphins down there on Grand Isle in the state park and also caught sail cats off the pier. It is truly a beautiful beach, if you really like real beaches and the real thing. There are boats that take you offshore fishing, but it is NOT touristy, so don't expect that, but if you love the beach, this is it!!!

[bmp_Lafayette]

Louisiana Beaches is an oxymoron.
Go east.

[love_grand_isle]

I have lived in Grand Isle for many years. I love the laid-back, casual lifestyle, the gorgeous sunrises, Gulf breezes, fantastic sunsets, year-round comfortable temperatures, beautiful migrating birds in the spring and fall, lovely native wildflowers, walks through the woods, the "old houses" tours, bountiful inexpensive seafood, friendly and loving people. I frequently have guests (throughout the year), and I have never had a complaint about the beaches or the clarity of the water. The comment I receive the most is, "You are so lucky!" Nothing is more relaxing to me than to sit in a beach chair and listen to the surf, or to walk along the shore and look for driftwood and "found" objects. We don't have drive-by shootings, gangs in (or out) of our school, or racial intolerance. The children can walk the streets, knowing that their neighbors are watching out for them. They grow up happy and strong because they grow up without the stress of fear. The love of children runs deep in Grand Isle, and events are scheduled throughout the year for their enjoyment.
I have lived in many places in my life, and this is the best by far. The occasional hurricane just reinforces the sense of community and family in this small coastal town. In addition to the beach (and amazing fishing), there are always events like fishing rodeos, boucheries, island-wide garage sales, etc, to spice up your weekend. In the spring and fall, there are migratory bird celebrations. In the spring, there is the annual Juried Fine Arts Exhibit. Year round, you can visit the butterfly dome and sit amidst lovely flowering plants and fluttering butterflies. Or you can walk down quiet shaded streets or through the wooded central area of the island. People who think that this community offers only a beach and/or fishing have never touched the true heart of Grand Isle.

[salix1970]

What??? Holly Beach is one of the best beaches I have been to. You can camp right next to the water or anywhere you want. The waves, fishing and wildlife are A+. And the best thing of all there is no Joe's Crab Shack or other garbage corporate site anywhere near the place. If you want to experience a real beach go to Holly Beach!

[Innotech]

Actually, our family just spent a week vacation at the Go Tiger resort camp on grand isle. The beach has most definitely come back in a huge way, and it extends quite a good ways down the coast and inland. It reaches almost to the breakers now and the crabbing in waist deep water is amazing. The water is of course very warm and though dark, is very nice to swim in. There were dolphins and other sealife very close to shore and hermit crabs absolutely everywhere. This beach really is the best in Louisiana and probably the only decent one left. It has reasonably clean light colored sand, and was a really nice place to relax under an umbrella in the breeze during the hottest parts of the day. It really is quite beautiful down there, and I do think it is every bit worth the trip down to the coast to visit it.

[SwinerBock]

For what it is worth, the beaches in the Biloxi / Gulfport area are fine. I was just there in May. Still construction issues with the highway that runs along side the beach, but other than that, it was all good to me.

And that trip in May also included a trip by ferry to W. Ship Island. That was fun as well.

Of course, I'm an Arkansas boy who, up until a few years ago, only had experience with one beach in my life, and that was Folly Beach along Lake D'arbonne in Farmerville, LA, so what do I know...

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf2421

The beaches here in mississippi are nicer now than before the hurricane

I agree, I went to Biloxi a few weeks ago and the beaches looked pristine.

[la-meplus3]

We went to Biloxi for spring break and they have really improved the beaches since Katrina. They even brought in nice, white sand. Of course, the water is still very shallow , so not too great for swimming. But, Ship Island (ferry ride from Gulfport) is much nicer and dolphins usually swim/jump next to the boat. They drop you off for the day, and from what I've been told it is all back up and running since the hurricane. The Mississippi Coast is not far at all from New Orleans, and alot of cool things to do there. They have a website, something like Mississippi gulf coast.org, I believe. You can call them and they are very helpful in finding accommodations and area info. My family and I have been going to the Biloxi area since I was a child in the spring and to Florida Pensacola/Navarre area for summer.