Southern Charm Sweethearts: The Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coast

When people think of vacation spots in the United States, most automatically picture the white sandy shores of Florida or palm trees that touch the sky in the streets of Los Angeles; but not many think of the small sleepy towns across the Louisiana and Texas Gulf coast. Despite their size and laissez faire attitude, they pack a punch with rich culture and history that goes back centuries, mouthwatering Cajun seafood, and long stretches of gentle calm waves. Here are some pros and cons about the places that have captured my southern belle heart!

If you want just beach and complete serenity, this is the place for you. This is the place where you come to escape the world, clear your mind, and reset. There's literally nothing out there but the vastness of the gulf and sky. As much as I love this place and can't wait to come back, I feel like I'd be doing a serious disservice if I didn't paint an honest picture of what you would be driving into. 

When I said there's literally nothing out there...I mean there's literally NOTHING out there.

And if you're lucky, maybe a few gas stations that may or may not be open and look like they've survived several hurricanes...because they have. Not to mention, they're scattered along side of the road heading towards the nearest tiny town located tens of miles away. There are no hospitals, police stations, hotels, restaurants, or grocery stores for long stretches of the drive in between small and midsize towns until you hit the next big city New Orleans. Which is four hours away. Beaumont/Port Arthur is 45 minutes away. Regardless if you want to spend the day out there or stay for several days, you need to be prepared and have the proper tools.

• A car you wouldn't mind crashing into a ditch, but is still fully functional
• Full tank of gas
• First aid kit
• Something to help your car get out of sand
• Lots of water and food that doesn't require a refrigerator
• A camper or RV if you're staying overnight
• A toilet or something to use the bathroom in
• Water shoes
• Floatation devices
• Tell one or two people where you are going in case of an emergency

If you're someone who loves to camp and spend a lot of time outdoors, this is a lovely place to visit! But I wouldn't recommend this area to someone for an overnight stay who has little to no camping experience. If you're not in that category, that's okay! These are only recommendations so you can decide what you are most comfortable with. If you're someone like me that has limited experience outdoors, it would be safer to make it a day trip at the beach.

Because of the increasing frequency and strength of hurricanes hitting the Gulf Coast due to global warming, the houses and infrastructure that are out there, are all on 15 - 20 ft stilts. Over the years, more people and businesses have relocated further inland instead of rebuilding.

You may ask yourself, "Well...can't they just build hurricane resistant infrastructure?" No. It's not that simple and is very expensive. On top of that it is very time consuming and everything would have to come in from far away, which could run up the price tag very quickly. It's already a whole ordeal building a house, restaurant, fire station, or hospital. Imagine building those things on 15 - 20 ft stilts. It can be done, but there has to be a collective demand, push, and funding for such things to happen.

Although the layout of the area may scare some people and the history is sad, it is truly a beautiful place to visit during the summer. It's just a matter of knowing what to expect and knowing whether this is a place you want to add to your list.

I distinctly remember visiting the island when I was a little girl and being totally enamoured by the beautiful environment that was different from where I was from. The luscious green palm trees, unique art on the side of the bridge as you drive on to the island, the way the calming waves lapped over each other creating white foam, the gentle warm yet cool embrace of the gulf breeze, the way the clouds sat low, and how the sun set creating a beautiful canvas of pink, purple, orange, and yellow hues. At the tender age of 9, the deal was sealed, I was officially an island girl and will always be!

This island full of all the southern charm you could ask for, rich history, and is a classic vacation spot for many Texans. If you're looking for a place that has all the vacation tourist conveniences while still being laid back, this is the spot for you! There are many different places to stay, things to do, and amazing seafood to try! Some of the main attractions include the Seawall, Pleasure Pier, Moody Gardens, Pier 21, and last but not least, the beach!

There's a little bit of something for everyone to do here and the perfect place to vacation with family or chill with friends.

I've stayed in a hotels and an AirBNB. Depending on what your budget is and what you're looking for, you may want to use one over the other. If you're going with a large group of people, want to save money, and have some privacy, then AirBNB is the right fit for you! From my experience, it's easier and cheaper than everyone trying to get separate hotel rooms and figuring out what to eat (which can add up quickly). In an AirBNB, you have your own space, can cook, and everyone is under one roof so it's easier to stay together and decide what you want to do.

Depending on which way you come on to the island and time of the year, you could face minimal traffic on the bridge or wait in line forever to get on the ferry if you're coming from the Beaumont/Port Arthur area of Southeast Texas (which is where my dad is from btw!). I would say it's relatively easy to get on and off the island except when there's a hurricane coming.

To be continued...