Planning a trip to the Gulf Coast in early June with 2 teenages. Any tips would be great . Want to take them to see New Orleans and the Gulf Coast beaches. Any other ideas. Travleing by car and want to see as much as possible but not spend whole trip driving.

Try Destin, Florida. Beautiful white sand beaches and not terribly far from Louisiana.

Hi Debbie, I agree with Susan. I have vacationed on the Gulf Coast for the last 30+years, but for the first time, stayed in Destin this past summer and it was wonderful. White white sand and extremely clear water. Uncrowded beaches too, if you stay away from the highrises. We had 4 teens with us and there was plenty to keep them occupied. Be prepared though, Destin is more expensive than many other places on the Gulf. But, I guess you get what you pay for. Have fun!!

I grew up on the MS coast and now live in N.O. Destin is great but has gotten really expensive and crowded. Try Pensacola (which can also be crowded but is not as expensive) - or my personal favorite, Navarre Beach, which is between Destin and Pensacola. Navarre may be too quiet for teenagers, but Pensacola would keep them interested. Even closer to New Orleans is Gulf Shores, AL - which a lot of people like, but it's never been my choice over Destin or Pensacola. Lots to do in N.O. any time of year. Teens may enjoy the haunted ghost tours, the cemetary tours or the voodoo tours. My teenage niece and nephew were just here for New Year's and just enjoyed walking around the Quarter and taking in the sights. The Aquarium is a great place to go and get out of the heat. Don't miss beignets at Cafe du Monde. I guess what you do with the teenagers depends on what age they are - early teens or older teens? Let me know if you need/want any additional info.

Here's a second for Pensacola Beach. It has much more of a "beach town" feeling than Destin or Gulf Shores (the latter do have wonderful beaches (as does Pensacola) but are much more spread out and cluttered with monsterous highrise condos. Pensacola is about a 2-3 hour drive from New Orleans.

Beaches along the Gulf Coast do offer a beautiful view of the Gulf. There are several places, Panama City, Ft. Walton, and Destin. There are a few amusement parks and waterslides for the kids. If you choose Pensacola or Gulf Shores, your kids should like the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola NAS. On your way to New Orleans (3-3.5 hours away), just off the I-10, the USS Alamama is another place where you can tour, it is just outside Mobile. Hope you enjoy your stay.