New Orleans & MS Gulf Coast - December 26 - January 4, 2017



It was time to get the 5th wheel out again and see where we could go in the middle of the winter that wouldn't be too cold. This time we chose New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
We left home on the day after Christmas and arrived after dark at the park in New Orleans. This is usually something I avoid, but I had made reservations and looked on Google maps to see the site I reserved, and it was easy to get into in the dark (well, kind of). We got out of New Orleans on the Friday before the New Year's weekend and Sugarbowl football game. There were lots of tourist there, but we got out before the total wall-to-wall folks arrived.
Our stay in MS was affected by the rain that started and lasted until our day to go home. There were about 10 inches over the period of about 3 days, but we managed to escape flooding. Actually it was a pleasant trip and better than I expected.

[Monday] We left home at 9:30 am and took IH-10 east from Houston to New Orleans. We arrived at about 7:30 pm. It was dark at Bayou Segnette State Park when we arrived at the camp space.

< Our campsite at Bayou Segnette State Park.

Click on the small photos to enlarge them.

[Tuesday] On the way out, we stopped at the Tourist Center outside the SP and picked up information on the area attractions.

We then drove to Audubon Park on the west side of downtown New Orleans and caught the #11 city bus to Canal St.

We walked down Royal St., which goes into the French Quarter, and stopped at Subway and ate lunch.

< Canal Street in downtown New Orleans.

< < French Quarter of New Orleans.

We walked further down the street to the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square Park. This Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis King of France is one of two historic sites which make up the Catholic Cultural Heritage Center of New Orleans. This cathedral was completed in 1851. It has been in use for over 280 years and is the oldest active cathedral in the United States.

< Major General Andrew Jackson statue in Jackson Square.

< <

< < < St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

We walked back on Bourbon St. through the French Quarter back to Canal St.

< < < < < Bourbon Street area of French Quarter.

We then rode the Trolley #47 to the Mississippi River, where we walked near the ferry terminal along the Riverwalk and into a outlet mall.

< < #47 Trolley.

We enjoyed the traditional coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde.

< Fountain along Riverwalk. < Cafe Du Monde.

< View of Mississippi River Bridge from Riverwalk.

We then rode #47 trolley to the opposite end of the line at City Park. We walked around City Park and then took the trolley back to where we caught the #11 bus to Audubon Park. We arrived back at the trailer at about 6:30 pm - a full day.

< < < City Park.

[Wednesday] We got a late start and drove to Audubon Park and rode the bus to the WWII Museum. We spent the entire day there. You could easily spend more time, because we still did not see everything. The displays are scattered across many buildings, making it difficult to keep track of how much more there is to see. There were lots of helpful volunteers, so we probably didn't ask enough questions on how to navigate.

< < < < < WWII Museum in New Orleans.

[Thursday] We had to move the trailer from site #1 to site #2 for our final night at the park.

We then drove to Audubon Park and caught the #11 bus to Canal Street. We walked to the Visitors Center, but it was closed for lunch so we went to Star Estrella Restaurant and ate lunch.

< Star Estrella.

Afterwards we walked to the trolley that runs beside the river and rode it to the French Market and walked through the area.

< < French Market and area.

< French Quarter.

We then rode the trolley to the Garden District and walked through the area looking at the old homes.

< Garden District trolley.

< < < < < Garden District.

We then rode the trolley back to the Bourbon St. area and did some shopping. Afterwards, we rode the #11 bus to Audubon Park and drove back to the trailer.

[Friday] After breakfast we walked around all the boardwalks and camping roads in the state park. After lunch we left and pulled the trailer through New Orleans to Bay Hide Away RV Park near Bay St. Louis, MS.

After getting set up in site #21, we drove about 10 miles to the Mississippi Visitors Center and then to the Infinity Science Center, which is the Visitor Center for the NASA John C. Stennis Space Complex. It was just before closing, so we found out the details to come back tomorrow for a visit.

[Saturday] This morning we went back to the Infinity Science Center and spent the entire day. We rode the bus to the NASA Stennis Space Center and took the bus tour with a guide through the facility. The tour lasted about an hour. Our driver/guide was excellent and kept us informed and entertained throughout the tour. After the bus tour we ate lunch in the center's cafe and spent the rest of the day inside the museum. Unfortunately the weather started to rain and continued the rest of the day and night. We were restricted to the inside displays, but there was enough inside to keep us occupied for the time we had.

< Infinity Science Center. < John C. Stennis Space Center.

< < Rocket engine test stands at John C. Stennis Space Center.

< <

< < < Infinity Science Center.

[Sunday] It rained all night and still more heavy rain today. I woke up with a running nose and sneezing - bad allergy attack.

At a break in the rain about 10:30 we pulled the trailer on US-90 along the Mississippi coast eastward and stopped on the beach at Gulfport and ate lunch in the trailer in the rain.

< On the beach in Gulfport.

We then went to a Winn Dixie grocery and picked up some things, and went on IH-10 to Biloxi. We checked into Parker's Landing RV Park where we stayed in site #84.

< Our campsite at Parker's Landing.

[Monday] There was still rain in the area but we planed to make the best of it and drive along US-90 and see what we could in between rain. We drove to the Biloxi Visitors Center and picked up some information and watched a movie on Hurricane Katrina. It is a very nice Visitor Center, just across from the Biloxi Lighthouse that sits in the middle of US-90.

< Biloxi Visitors Center. < Biloxi Lighthouse.

We drove westward along US-90 to the Biloxi city limits. The rain started getting worse so we drove back eastward and stopped at Wentzle's Seafood restaurant and ate lunch.

< Wentzle's Seafood restaurant.

Afterwards we drove further eastward to Ocean Springs and then back to the trailer, where we spent the rest of the day watching football bowl games on TV.

< More MS Gulf Coast.

[Tuesday] We left on IH-10 westbound and made it to Lake Charles and Twelve Oaks RV Park by 5:00 pm. The traffic was heavy and there were several bad areas due to wrecks.

[Wednesday] We left Lake Charles about 9:00 am and continued on IH-10 west to Katy, then TX-99 to our home. We arrived about 1:00 pm.



This draws to a close our brief vacation to New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We hope you enjoyed the photos and brief descriptions of our activities. God willing, join us again soon for another travel adventure.

Goodbye for now,
Lawson & Kay

February 1, 2017


Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” (Ps. 66:1-4 NKJV)


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