Gulf Islands National Seashore & Biloxi
Researching for this trip, I had read that the Gulf Island National Seashore was a must see preserve. It was about a 15 minute drive from The Cosy Rosy campground where I was staying. I found my way to the visitors center and spoke to the front desk. There were a few trails, and they were fairly short.
Gulf Islands Nation Seashore
I took the bike off the car and rode the entire park including all the open trails. There weren’t that many. I stopped along the way at ponds and overlooks to take some photographs. Many parts of the park had sustained heavy damage from Katrina. One person told me they weren’t repairing the structures allowing nature to absorb the destruction. There was one pond with turtles on a log sunning themselves. I was told that an alligator generally was below the observation deck. I learned that people feed it, so it has learned to be there at certain times of the day.
I struck up a conversation with Megan and Derek. They were near the boat launch with their kids. Derek spent most of the time untangling fishing lines for the kids. The kids showed me some oyster shells they had pulled out of the water. They were examining the barnacles covering the shells. It was nice to see kids interacting with nature.
I had planned to spend the entire day at the park, but I wasn’t seeing much wildlife or things to photograph. I had seen some kayakers out on the water, but I couldn’t find anywhere to rent a kayak.
Biloxi
Biloxi is a coastal town located in the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi. It is known for its beautiful white sand beaches, world-class seafood, and vibrant casino industry. The town has a rich history, with many cultural and historical landmarks, including the Biloxi Lighthouse and the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art. It is also a popular destination for fishing, boating, and other water sports.
After getting there, I parked near the marina which wasn’t very busy. I took some photos in the marina and then pulled the bike off the car.
I spent a few hours riding all over town. That seemed more appealing than going to the beach, shopping, or gambling. The town seemed to be pretty deserted which made it a little easier to maneuver the streets. I enjoyed discovering street art all over town.
As I rode, I found the buildings to be equally interesting. One home was still celebrating Christmas and was combining it with Valentines Day. My favorite was the home that was floating on the water. It looked like the town was investing in renovation.
I saw several signs indicating where a historical building once stood and that it had been swept away by Katrina.
I was very hungry after all the bike riding. I found The HALF SHELL OYSTER House close to the Hard Rock Cafe Casino. I had raw oysters which I wasn’t real happy with. On the other hand, I had the Red Fish Royal and substituted mashed potato with rice. Highly recommend this dish. I sat at the bar upstairs because the one downstairs was full. The place had a really nice vibe.
After dinner, I walked around and took photos near the casinos.
The Shed
I headed back to the campground and stopped at The Shed. It is located directly beside the campground. The place is literally and old shed with no door or windows. It is completely open and has not heating or air conditioning. The woman behind the bar told me “It can get very cold in the winter and unbearable in the summer.”
In the ceiling people write messages on a dollar bill then stick their fork through the dollar bill and into the ceiling. I estimated there was one thousand of these bills. The same bartender told me, “That is part of my retirement fund.“
This night was family night and there probably 8 families still there eating BBQ.
The Shed has won many BBQ contests and they display their trophies in one area of the restaurant.
