Deep South Trip Day 4: Checking Out the Gulf Coast From Mississippi to Florida

Day 4 started really early. Like 1 AM in the morning early. The night before, I had pulled into a Walmart parking lot in Waveland, MS. Seeing so many RV's clustered in a given area, I assumed I'd get a good night's sleep. I was wrong.

It seems some people in Waveland have taken up the hobby of using their loud vehicles as an alarm clock. I mean what else do you do on a Monday morning at 1 AM? I got an idea! Let's take our cars with no mufflers and rev them up next to the RV's at Walmart. While we're at it, we'll crank the radio as loud as it goes! We'll just stand in a big group and make a bunch of noise.

View through car windshield at dusk showing a Walmart store with illuminated blue signage in a shopping center parking lot

It didn't take me long to have enough of that and hit the road seeking somewhere quieter to sleep.

Night driving scene on an empty highway with street lights creating star-burst effects along the roadway

I made it to Pass Christian, MS. I pulled into another Walmart where a bunch of RVs were congregated. One thing I noticed about the South is there are way more RVs in Walmart parking lots.

Two camper vans parked side by side at night in a parking lot, one red and one dark colored, under bright overhead lights Blurry nighttime photo taken from inside a vehicle showing indistinct lights and building structures

The people of Pass Christian must have better hobbies than acting as an alarm clock. I was able to sleep soundly the rest of the night.

Daytime view of a Walmart shopping center exterior with parking lot under partly cloudy skies Front view of a Walmart Supercenter with Home & Living signage visible, showing parking lot with various vehicles during daytime

Shortly after waking up, I quickly brushed my teeth and then looked for coffee shops. I figured I'd head to Long Beach, MS and check it out.

Small town main street view showing turquoise colored building with The Syndicate signage, sidewalk with decorative lamp posts, and downtown storefronts

I walked around Long Beach and was super impressed. The downtown was so clean and looked great! The weather was perfect, and it cheered me up immensely taking in such a nice looking town.

Street view of PoBoys Lil' Rays Seafood restaurant building with green and beige exterior and angled roof Close-up of PoBoys Lil' Rays restaurant entrance showing circular Best Seafood on the Coast logo sign with crawfish illustration and phone number Historic marker sign labeled Early Bank and Post Office mounted on post in front of white columned building entrance with ornamental planters Storefront of Key West Kites shop with colorful sun logo sign, decorative metal flower sculptures in foreground, and coastal-themed window displays Silhouetted two-story building with wraparound porch and columns backlit by bright sun creating lens flare effect Magnolia City Hall entrance with American and Alabama state flags, outdoor seating area, and cream-colored siding with blue circular emblem Corner building housing Key West Kites with metal roof, directional welcome sign, and multiple business advertisements on pole Painted mural on white building depicting vintage Western Meats/Sheltee's storefront scene with Coca-Cola signs and old woody wagon, labeled America's Food Store For Millions of Us Small white building with red and white striped barber pole design elements, BARBER SHOP signage, and parking direction sign Two-story white building with large columned porches on both levels, metal roof with dormers, and Paint For Me business sign in foreground Downtown street view showing On A Roll Sushi Bar storefront, sidewalk with bare winter tree, and main street perspective

After a short stroll, I went to the coffee house I planned to go to, Bankhouse Coffee.

Ornate building entrance with decorative carved stone archway, columns, copper door, vintage green newspaper box, and brick steps

I did a little work and got my caffeine fix for the day. I checked the weather and saw it was going to be a beautiful day.

Weather app screenshot showing Long Beach, Mississippi at 9:00 AM with 68°F temperature, partly cloudy conditions, and location map near Mobile and New Orleans

I got in the car and drove to Long Beach Harbor. This would be my first view of the Gulf of Mexico on my trip!

Close-up of beach shoreline showing gentle waves washing over pale sand with scattered seaweed and debris deposits Overhead view of clustered oyster shells and marine debris on white sand beach

I soaked in the great weather and relaxed a bit with the nice views of the Gulf of Mexico. I knew I had to keep going, so I hit the road. While driving, I noticed a lot of vacant land for sale. I knew some areas were completely decimated by Hurricane Katrina. I wonder if this land was from that, some other storm, or if people just refused to build there.

Roadside view showing debris and damaged vegetation in sandy area with bare trees and partially destroyed building structure in background Drive-by view of storm-damaged area with sandy terrain, scattered debris, and houses partially obscured by damaged oak trees Roadside scene showing storm aftermath with debris-covered ground, damaged oak trees, and real estate sign visible across highway View of damaged coastal parking area with cracked pavement, sand deposits, and debris scattered across lot with trees and buildings in background under cloudy skies

I noticed there were a lot of places to pull off the road and park. My drive to this point had mainly been next to beaches. All the pull off spots had things like benches and garbage cans. The areas were clean and not crowded. In many ways, I was completely impressed and was starting to really like Mississippi!

Coastal highway view from car showing concrete barrier wall along water, empty roadway, and threatening storm clouds over Gulf waters Beachfront highway from driver's perspective with concrete seawall, overcast skies, and Gulf of Mexico visible to the right Beach walkway with wooden bench and Cajun's Wharf Buffet advertising sign mounted on bench, empty sandy beach and dark waters under stormy sky Wide view of empty beach with smooth sand, dark Gulf waters, concrete walkway, and dramatic overcast sky with layers of gray clouds Silver Ford Focus sedan with Texas license plate parked along beachfront road with commercial strip visible across highway under cloudy skies Minimalist beach scene showing empty sand, calm gray waters meeting horizon, and dramatic clouded sky creating three distinct horizontal bands Beach area with wooden bench and Harrison County Sand Beach Authority ordinance sign listing beach regulations, sandy beach and waters in background Expansive view of pale sandy beach with concrete seawall on left, Gulf waters, and dramatic stormy clouds overhead Beach shoreline perspective with smooth sand, dark waters, distant buildings on horizon, and heavy gray clouds with breaks of light Gulf Coast beach scene showing gentle waves lapping at shore with seaweed deposits on sand and overcast sky above calm waters Beach coastline view with seaweed and debris line along water's edge, calm waters, distant buildings, and dramatic cloud formations Ocean view showing rippling gray-brown waters with small waves under dramatic overcast sky with single bird in flight Beach view from sand level showing seaweed deposits, beachfront high-rise condominium towers in distance, and cloudy sky overhead Wide sandy beach area with mature oak and palm trees lining the background, water tower visible, and overcast sky creating muted lighting Close-up of beach shoreline showing gentle waves washing over pale sand with scattered seaweed and debris deposits Overhead view of clustered oyster shells and marine debris on white sand beach

Soon I was in the casinoland of Biloxi.

Driver's view approaching Golden Nugget casino and hotel complex with tall building visible at intersection under partly cloudy sky

My drive took me by more beaches and some very long bridges. The water was never very far out of sight!

Highway bridge view from car showing sparse traffic on elevated causeway under threatening gray storm clouds Side window view from car showing concrete bridge barrier wall with Gulf waters and blue sky visible beyond Long elevated highway bridge stretching across water under bright blue sky with puffy white clouds

My drive through Mississippi didn't last long. I was soon in Sweet Home Alabama!

Highway view approaching Welcome Sweet Home Alabama sign on rural two-lane road with wooded areas on both sides

Surprisingly, I saw a Whataburger. Whataburger is definitely a Texas staple. It's such a Texas staple literally to the point it's where I celebrated my engagement.

Small town intersection view from car showing Whataburger restaurant and mixed commercial buildings under blue sky

My next planned destination was Orange Beach. I took in the scenery on the way there.

Downtown urban underpass labeled Bankhead Tunnel with concrete walls on both sides and roadway descending into tunnel View from car window showing open green field with scattered palm trees and buildings in distance under cloudy sky View through car windshield of flags at half-staff at memorial site with battleship visible in background across water Roadside view from moving car showing row of deteriorating single-story apartment or motel buildings with bare winter trees View from car window of USS Alabama battleship docked at distance with pier extending into water under cloudy sky Highway causeway stretching across water with concrete barrier wall on left under dramatic blue sky with white clouds Similar causeway view showing elevated highway over water with white concrete barriers and puffy clouds above Roadside view showing construction area with orange barrels and dead brown vegetation near highway under partly cloudy sky

Ironically, Sweet Home Alabama came on the radio.

Car dashboard display showing 79°F temperature and satellite radio playing Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd on channel 7

I was planning to not take toll roads at all in the trip, but a wrong turn got me on a toll road in Alabama. I had to do a little more driving and eventually got to my destination. It was this shopping sort of village called The Wharf. Inside The Wharf, I checked out a hot sauce shop called Pepper Palace.

Outdoor shopping center with palm tree-lined parking area, white two-story buildings with storefronts, and Ferris wheel visible in distance

After my short visit, I hit the road to keep heading east. I knew I was getting close to the Florida line and hadn't stopped to see the Gulf Coast from Alabama. A place called Cotton Bayou caught my attention.

View from car of Cotton Bayou Public Beach Access sign at Gulf State Park entrance with sand dunes and palm trees in background

I had a short visit to Cotton Bayou, and then I was on the road for my next stop. My uncle recommended I check out a bar called Flora-Bama, so I stopped in there.

Coastal highway view showing beachfront high-rise condominiums on right, palm trees, and wide roadway under blue sky with scattered clouds Weathered wooden roadside sign for Flora-Bama Beach & Oyster Bar advertising live music daily, free bingo, open mic, and pool league under dramatic cloudy sky

I wish I could have stayed at Flora-Bama longer, but I knew I had to hit the road. I got in the car and headed into my third state for the day.

Welcome sign for Perdido Key, Florida featuring pelican illustration and blue wave design with VisitPerdido.com website, power lines and buildings visible in background Driver's view of two-lane coastal highway with sandy shoulders, utility poles, and commercial buildings under overcast sky with dramatic cloud patterns

When I was at Cotton Bayou, I ran into some people there. They asked me why I was taking pictures. They thought it was the first time I saw the Gulf of Mexico. I told them about my blog, and they recommended a place called Joe Patti's Seafood.

I was up for some seafood, so I went to check it out. Joe Patti's ended up being closed, so I hit the road again. Initially, in my travel plans, I was planning to take all the back roads but found I was running behind schedule. I then proceeded to the interstate. I drove until I found a rest stop. There was a cat there that entertained me as it wandered through the rest stop.

Night scene of parking lot with white event tent, speedboat named Patti Cake on trailer, palm trees, and American flag illuminated by parking lot lights Nighttime view of small military submarine or patrol boat on display behind iron fence in parking lot with commercial buildings in background Joe Patti's Seafood Market building at night with large illuminated sign featuring red and blue neon lettering and fishing vessel visible behind building Distant view at night of illuminated red neon sign showing stylized figure across empty parking lot with street light creating lens flare Commercial fishing vessel with tall tower structure docked in parking lot at night with industrial building visible on right side Blurry nighttime street scene showing animal (possibly armadillo or raccoon) crossing empty road with single street light in distance

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