Today we went to Grand Isle. Grand Isle is the tourist beach spot of Louisiana. LA 1 ends (or begins depending on your point of view) on Grand Isle. We drove over to LA1 and drove along Bayou LaFourche through Larose, Cutoff, Galliano, and Golden Meadow. When we got to Leeville, there was a toll bridge to Grand Isle. That was not there the last time I went to Grand Isle, about 18 years ago.
As we drove over the bridge, I could see why they built it. What used to be marsh is mostly open water now. This process has been happening for a long time, but it was sad to see how much marsh was gone.
As we drove over the bridge, I could see why they built it. What used to be marsh is mostly open water now. This process has been happening for a long time, but it was sad to see how much marsh was gone.
Open water that used to be marsh
When we got to Grand Isle, we drove down the main street past all of the vacation cottages until we got to Grand Isle State Park. It only cost $4.00 for the three of us to get into the park. We found an area that had an elevated observation deck, a fishing pier built out over the Gulf, and a beach for Sarah.
It was a really nice area. I walked up to the observation deck and took a few photos. Sarah had already been up there and was off exploring the fishing pier. Kate and I went to the fishing pier. We met Sarah coming back from the pier and headed to the beach. The pier was nice. There were less than half a dozen people fishing. We saw one person reel in a fish, but it was too small to keep.
It was a really nice area. I walked up to the observation deck and took a few photos. Sarah had already been up there and was off exploring the fishing pier. Kate and I went to the fishing pier. We met Sarah coming back from the pier and headed to the beach. The pier was nice. There were less than half a dozen people fishing. We saw one person reel in a fish, but it was too small to keep.
We met Sarah on the beach. I took a few photos of birds on the beach and Kate decided she would go back up to the observation deck and read. Sarah and I walked along the beach for awhile until it was time for lunch, so we went back and headed back into the main part of town.
We had lunch at a small place called Surfside Grill. It was mostly seafood but with a Mexican/South American flare. They had flounder on the menu, and I was really looking forward to it, but they were out of fish. I wound up having a shrimp quesadilla. Kate and Sarah both had shrimp tacos. We had some chips and salsa for an appetizer. Everything was very good. The chips were very fresh. They were still hot from the fryer. The quesadilla itself was pretty standard, but the sauce I dipped it in was really flavorful. My only complaint was that their credit card machine was not working, so we had to pay cash. That wiped out all of the cash I had.
After lunch, we went back to the State Park. There was a nature trail around the lagoon, so Sarah and I walked the trail. There were a couple of spots where there was a water over the trail. We were able to go along the edge to stay out of the water most of the time. At one point, we came across an area that had so much water we had to take off our shoes and wade through it. The water was shallow so we were able to see where we were walking.
Along the way we saw some birds and some very pretty flowers. Because it was inland, the breeze we experienced on the beach was blocked. With the sun on us, it started getting very hot. When the trail crossed the road, we decided to take the road back to the car. At that point, it was mid afternoon and I knew Sarah wanted to go to the pool at the hotel, so we headed back.
After lunch, we went back to the State Park. There was a nature trail around the lagoon, so Sarah and I walked the trail. There were a couple of spots where there was a water over the trail. We were able to go along the edge to stay out of the water most of the time. At one point, we came across an area that had so much water we had to take off our shoes and wade through it. The water was shallow so we were able to see where we were walking.
Along the way we saw some birds and some very pretty flowers. Because it was inland, the breeze we experienced on the beach was blocked. With the sun on us, it started getting very hot. When the trail crossed the road, we decided to take the road back to the car. At that point, it was mid afternoon and I knew Sarah wanted to go to the pool at the hotel, so we headed back.
Sarah spent a little time at the pool while Kate and I rested. For dinner, we decided to go to 1921 Seafood. It was only a short walk from the hotel. We crossed a drainage ditch on the way, and we saw an alligator hanging out in the water. It was not huge, but it was much bigger than the babies we had been seeing.
I wanted to go to 1921 Seafood, because boiled shrimp sounded good plus it would be more healthy than all the fried food I had been eating. Instead, I wound up splitting a huge platter of fried food with Kate. We had shrimp, oysters, catfish, soft shell crab, and sweet potato fries. Sarah had a big platter of boiled crawfish. The food was very good.
It was getting dark when we walked back to the hotel. The alligator had moved along somewhere else.
It was getting dark when we walked back to the hotel. The alligator had moved along somewhere else.
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