Gulf Coast vacation?

[atgcpaul]

My parents are keeping our kids for a week at the end of summer so LOML and I have some alone time (and definitely not to make more grandkids). Short of throwing a dart on the map, we're trying to pick a spot in the country to vacation. Initially we thought Niagara Falls, but we want to save that for a family trip. I've never been to Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama but she has for work. I'm 4 states short of visiting all the states in the lower 48 except for these 3 and Oregon so I figured I'd cross them off.

I can't say we're exactly beach people but the ads they run on TV to "come back to the Gulf" look appealing and the flights and hotels may be more affordable than Portland, but not sure. We're more interested in history and site seeing rather than lounging so if one of the Gulf states has that to offer, that would be nice.

Would appreciate any input or suggestions.

Thanks,
Paul

[dbhost]

I live on the Gulf Coast, and as much as I like it, I dream of vacationing in Oregon... But then again I like mountains, pine trees, and cool breezes...

[durango dude]

Were I to pick a destination in the Gulf of Mexico, it'd likely be in the Florida Panhandle.

Perdido Key/Beach would likely be where I headed. It's a little more interesting than the rest of the beaches I've seen
("interesting" to me is nature ----- not crowds)

Coastal Oregon would get my vote in a quarter second.

[Stytooner]

There is plenty of historical sites to see all along the Gulf Coast really.

Old Mobile, Blakely State Park, Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines. The beaches are nice but crowded this time of year. There are spots though that you can get some semi privacy on the beaches at different times of day.
Then you have the Florida Panhandle as was mentioned. The other direction is Biloxi, Gulfport and New Orleans all within a 3 hour drive.

[capncarl]

It sounds like your time free from the kids will be from now till school starts. The gulf coast is great, I love it, but everybody else will be trying to jam in their beach time before the kids go back to school. It is a large area so there is plenty of room for all! Just bring plenty of suntan lotion, and our sharks dont like people like the Carolina sharks.
capncarl

[Stytooner]

Don't forget the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum and the USS Alabama.
It's not a submarine like in the movie "Crimson Tide. It's a Battleship. They do have a submarine on display there though. It is the USS Drum. Diesel.

[schloff]

I am an old veteran to the Alabama Coast. (Wife is addicted to sand in her toes) Most beautiful beaches there, but they are starting to charge for it since the BP spill. Orange Beach has a nice atmosphere, and just down the road, Gulf Shores has tons of entertaining things to do. Since you're going as a couple, you can most likely get some nice bargains. Kids can really make the pricetag skyrocket.

That being said, we have been hitting the FL panhandle lately due to the rising cost of AL. As previously mentioned, if you're in the area, a visit to the Aviation Museum is a must. Not sure if the Angels are still doing practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If so, it's worth getting out of bed to check it out. Small venue, free, and MC'd by Color Guard.

[Cochese]

I went to the Gulf for the first time last weekend. Went to Navarre. It was so weird being able to see what was swimming, I'm used to Atlantic water. Very crowded for the 4th, but during the week it was nice and relaxed.

[capncarl]

I have been going to the gulf all my life since it is only 100 miles from the house. In that time we've explored most of it, especially the east panhandle and big bend areas. Re-reading your post I see you are considering flying down and renting a car. Panama City Fla has an international airport so getting in and out from there is easy, and it is near I10 that follows the center of the panhandle. You can get to anywhere on the Fla panhandle, Ala, Lou, and Miss. gulf coast via I10. If you just want to getaway from the crowds you could leave panama city and head east. The gulf coast east of Panama City is not built up at all like it is west of it, called the big bend area. That is why I like this area. Mexico Beach Fla (about 25 miles east of PC) has the same beautiful beach and no real crowds, no high risers, no fast food, no goofy golf, no malls, no Walmarts, no strip clubs, just beach houses and small condos no higher than 2 story. MB is my favorite, we go there just to get away, fish and enjoy the quiet beach, but I'm not spending the air flight x2 and car rental you are either. We rent a beach house there 6x a year. Traveling farther east is St.Georges island, more pretty beach and private residences and condos with even less touristy stuff than MB has. Nearby is Apalachicola Fla. and Port St. Joe Fla. Both nice day trips with great seafood and cute shops and art galleries, no chain stores, goofy golf, etc. here either. Good places to do a charter fishing trip. Apalachicola is where I have my tiny tables for sale in one of the art galleries!

Following the coast eastward doesn't have much draw as the pretty beaches end here and do not pick back up until you have traveled all the way to Tampa/St. Petersburg. There is lots of the old gulf coast to see but not a lot really the big drawing card like PC westward. The Suwanee River and its Manatee springs, Crystal River and its Homassasa springs are the biggest things I can think of right off.

It's hot down here, leave your sweaters at home and bring your bathing suits and sun tan lotion!
capncarl

[atgcpaul]

Thanks for the suggestions. So I've been told where we're going.

We're flying in late to New Orleans on a Monday night, spend the day there on Tuesday (WWII museum) and on Tuesday morning drive to Baton Rouge. Spend Wednesday in Baton Rouge and then spend the night in Biloxi. I guess there will be beach time in Biloxi. Thursday go to Mobile to tour the USS Alabama, then head north to Montgomery. I think we're going to check out the Jefferson Davis House and maybe MLK house the same day. On Friday we're going to tour the Hyundai factory (we have one of their SUVs and I love factory tours). That night we drive back to New Orleans and fly out early Saturday morning. I hope the rental car has good AC.

[capncarl]

Dang dude, i thought you were going on vacation! This sounds like a 4 day tour of the south! Just joking, enjoy and be safe.
capncarl

[atgcpaul]

Dang dude, i thought you were going on vacation! This sounds like a 4 day tour of the south! Just joking, enjoy and be safe.
capncarl

Haha! You pretty much nailed how we vacation. She plans it and I drive us there. Both of us love road tripping, seeing the sites, and connecting history/people to an actual place. When our kids are older and maybe we move up to a minivan, I will be the Dad who seeks out the giant ball of string.

[twistsol]

Minivan? Time to move up to the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. That sounds like all the vacations I had as a kid and a few we dragged our girls on.

[capncarl]

Gosh that thing is ugly. I do like the rack on top for tying on people that die during the trip though, saves the vacation from having to come home for a funeral.

Jefferson Davis house and MLK house?

We have a friend that we kinda envied their way of vacationing, they would pick a location, say Atlanta, pick a nice hotel for a week, park their car in the hotel parking and just visit attractions withing walking distance or Marta or bus/taxi distance. They would time it to hit Braves game, underground Atlanta, stone mountain events, and all kind of stuff in the area, and never crank up their car.
capncarl

[atgcpaul]

Minivan? Time to move up to the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. That sounds like all the vacations I had as a kid and a few we dragged our girls on.

My Dad bought a Pontiac 6000 station wagon in 1985 ahead of our drive from DE to Yellowstone. He still uses the same Sears XCargo cartop carrier. The wagon had the backward facing seat which taught me very quickly that I get car sick facing backwards. I don't remember, but I think it was our first car with motorized windows.

Jefferson Davis house and MLK house?

Woops. I've got my information all wrong. See why I don't plan these trips? Davis' house is in Biloxi. MLK birth house is in Atlanta so it must be some other MLK place in Montgomery we're visiting.

We actually drove all the way down to Atlanta a few years ago to visit some friends but also so we could eat at Trader Vic's. My wife is a big tiki fan.

And speaking of beaches...I grew up in DE and South Jersey so I'm used to the Atlantic (and not being able to see what's swimming around as someone else mentioned). Then I visited where my wife grew up on Kwajalein Island. Speck of an island in the Pacific. Beautiful beaches. No one around. Warm, clear water. That totally spoiled me for ALL beaches thereafter and I can see why it has for her, too. Then we moved to San Diego where I never went into the water. Seemed like you needed a wet suit or shark repellent. We also visited both coasts of Florida since then. The Gulf side had tons of sea weed or something washed ashore and it just didn't look appealing. Key West had the same kind of stuff. Miami beach was very nice, though. The closest I've come to the Kwaj beach was on Phuket Island in Thailand a year after the tsunami. The only down side to the beach on Kwaj is that noone comes around to serve you drinks.