Exploring the Cajun Riviera: Holly Beach in Cameron Parish, Louisiana

If you love finding tons of beautiful shells on a secluded beach, then you are going to love this southwestern Louisiana beach!

Holly Beach, known as the "Cajun Riviera", is a stretch of coastline in Cameron Parish.  The area was completely destroyed by Hurricane Rita in 2005 and hit again by Hurricane Ike in 2008. The area is slowly rebuilding, but continues to be fairly isolated.

My first trip to Holly Beach was totally unplanned. We were getting plants from the nurseries in Forest Hill, Louisiana and were looking for something else to do in the area.  We found Holly Beach and decide to check it out since we had never been to that area of Louisiana. It was a two hour drive, but we were feeling adventuresome.   

We followed interstate 49 to the bottom of the state, and then I’m not exactly sure where we were. Are plans were to see how close we could get to the coast and follow it over to Holly Beach.

 Well….for the most part, the bottom of Louisiana is marsh and swamp!  We drove for about 3 hours looking at nothing but marshy areas on both side of the road. It was getting close to sunset when we came upon the Cameron Motel. It was a nice clean hotel, which was a good thing considering it was the only one within 50 miles.

Address: 531 Marshall St, Cameron, LA 70631

Phone: (337) 775-5442 

We stayed there for the night and caught the ferry to go across to Holly Beach early the next morning. The cost for the ferry was $1 per car. We were surprised to find that the kind gentleman in front of us had paid for our ride. We got out and visited with him as we crossed the channel. I could listen to someone with a Cajun accent all day!  

The area around the hotel is mainly shipping ports. There are a few small places to eat, a Dollar general, a fire station, and not much else.  

We were in shock when we arrived at Holly Beach! We drove out onto the beach and there was not another person anywhere to be seen.

And shells were everywhere! Thousands of them!

  

We had not even planned on going to a beach on this trip, so we didn’t have anything to put shells in. I don’t remember what we found to carry them in, but we got home with tons of unique shells.

I have been to Holly beach several times now and it still remains one of my favorite beaches for shelling. It is an excellent place for walking on the beach and finding shells. 
 

It is not a good place for swimming at times because of high levels of bacteria in the water, although, I have seen people swimming on every visit since the first one.

 If you would like to check for swimming advisories before you go, click here.

Happy Travels! 

Dolphin Connection (Dolphin Interaction) Ingleside, TX

We had our trip planned for 10 am and when we awoke, it was misting rain and windy.  Sonja called us to reschedule, but decided she would take us out anyway since we were leaving the area that day.

The water conditions were not great for interaction with the dolphins.

A sunny day with calm water is preferred. It was cloudy, foggy, with good sized waves!

We knew we were in for an adventure when we first pulled up to the Dolphin Connection!

The building is so colorful and cheerful.

In a distance we could see a small boat headed towards the building. The boat pulls up to the dock and small perky woman jumps out.  She was so full of energy and started cracking jokes right off.

We loaded the boast and headed out to see the dolphin.

Sonja was so much fun and she treated us like she had known us forever.

You can tell the dolphins are her babies by the way she talks to them and calls them by name.

Some of the dolphins came right up to the boat. They will even let you touch them if they are in the right mood!

They love playing in the wake behind the boat.

It was so neat being so close to the dolphins in their environment!

Happy Travels! 

Island Hotel (Mustang Island) Port Aransas, Texas

The Island Hotel was a perfect place for us to stay in Port Aransas . When planning the trip, we had planned on staying at a different hotel. I just could not make myself make reservations though. I am so glad that we didn’t! When we arrived on the island and pulled up to the hotel, we knew that it wasn’t where we wanted to stay. We drove around for a while looking and came upon the Island Hotel. It was so pretty and tropical! We knew we had found the perfect hotel. …and the price was excellent!!!

It has fifty seven rooms and suites.

Our room was large and had a microwave, refrigerator, and free WiFi. It also had the usual soaps and shampoos. The room was spotless! ( Well...it was until we moved our stuff in! lol)  There was not even a little stain on anything!

The complementary breakfast consisted of waffles, cereal, danishes, muffins, and drinks.The island room decor was so pretty! We fell in love with the coral, blue, and yellow paint colors.

The front lobby.

The game room.

A nice pool with a picnic area and a grill.

Pros:

• Friendly staff
• Beautifully decorated grounds and rooms
• Very clean
• Free Wireless Internet Access
• Rooms have a microwave and a refrigerator
• Game room
• Complimentary breakfast
• Pool
• Guest Laundry Facility
• Picnic Area and BBQ Pits
• Pet-Friendly Accommodations
• Close to beach and restaurants
• Great price

Cons:

• It would have been great to be beachfront, but the location was still good. It is about a mile drive to the beach and you will have to purchase a beach parking permit.

Happy Travels! 

Exploring Sanibel Island, Florida: 10 Must-Do Activities

1.  J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge 

The J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to see birds and wildlife in their natural habit.The 6,300 acre refuge has many trails for hiking and biking or you can drive along the 4.5-mile Wildlife Drive.(More information here)

2. Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum 

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is a great place to learn about sea shells found on Sanibel and from around the world.  Guided beach walks with a marine biologist are offered in addition to the daily programs.  Advanced booking for the beach walk is required. (More information here)

   3.  Sanibel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center

The Sanibel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center is a good place to find out about restaurants, lodging, and tours available on the island. (More information here)

   4. Shelling

Looking for shells is the most popular thing to do on Sanibel Island. Over 100 different shells can be found on the beaches. (More information on shelling here & here)

5. Sanibel Lighthouse 

It is a 120 year old lighthouse located on Sanibel Lighthouse beach. It is not open to the public, but you can walk around it.

   6. Dolphin Cruises

Leaving from the Sanibel Marina, you can choose either the The Sanibel Thriller, the “Stars & Stripes” Motor Launch Cruise, or a private cruise.  All are great for viewing dolphins. (More information here)

   7. Sunset

Watching a Sanibel sunset is a great way to end each day.

   8. Fishing

The fishing is fantastic on Sanibel!  You can choose to fish offshore with one of the fishing charters, rent your own boat, or fish from one of the beaches, bridges, or docks. The Causeway, Blind Pass Bridge and the pier on the bay side are some of the most popular places to fish.

   9. Cruise to Cayo Costa

The Cayo Costa Beach & Shelling Cruise is a fun way to spend a few hours. Shelling, snorkeling, exploring, and relaxing on the beach are just some of the things to do on Cayo Costa. (More information here)

   10. Pinocchio’s Italian Ice Cream

A great way to cool off in the afternoon is by enjoying a Pinocchio’s ice cream. The place is so colorful, the ice cream is delicious, and they always put an animal cookie on top. (More information here)

Happy Travels!