JBJ

We will be driving from Houston to Destin in late May and need to make a stop somewhere either in AL or MS. Any recommendations? We will be traveling 1-10 most of the way.

Thanks!

babs001

To spend the night or for a meal? Suggestions for a place to spend the night might be Biloxi-Gulfport area at one of the casino hotels (Beau Rivage or Grand are both nice), or many nearby motels (many of these have been built near the interstate since the casinos were built nearby). That seems like about the halfway point between Houston and Destin. If you are looking for places to eat, the causeway going across Mobile Bay has some great casual restaurants. The causeway runs just below I-10 and it is easy to switch back and forth. The Original Oyster House is my favorite. Edd's Seafood and Felix's Fish Camp are both popular also. These would be approx an hour further east of the casino area. The nearest hotels would be in downtown Mobile or motels just across the bay in the Daphne area.

mah1980

My future husband went to college at Spring Hill in Mobile. He says that the downtown area is pretty fun in Mobile. I think there is a decent looking Radisson near the tunnel that is downtown.

Mobile would be a good point to stop b/c that would give you only about 2.5 hours or so till Destin (I was in Seaside last weekend and the weather was wonderful).

Have fun!

mah1980

Another thing- I wouldn't recommend any seafood in Mobile based on my fiance's negative reviews (however, keep in mind that we live in Louisiana, where any restaurant's seafood is better than the best restaurants in most other states).

The last time we drove through Mobile he said that the Original Oyster House has the only passable seafood in Mobile (I think it's off the bridge on the right side as you're leaving Mobile).

babs001

Well, well, well...that sounds a little competitive to me....

Wayne

If you really want a point that is midway or perhaps a little past midway to reduce the driving time on the second day, then you don't need to go as far as Alabama or even Mississippi. The almost exact halfway point is east of Baton Rouge. So probably somewhere around New Orleans would be ideal. There is a nice town just off I-12 on the north side of Pontchartrain Lake called Mandeville, and Covington is just north of there.

I use the Covington/Mandeville exit and stay frequently at the Covington Marriott Courtyard North Park, which is only about 2 miles north of the exit on US 190. It's a very nice hotel in a pretty tree-covered area with a pond. And there are lots of good restaurants all around. Just ask your hotel clerks. Good luck.

benj

I agree with stoping in LA. We used to drive from Conroe (N of Houston) to Covington & were definitely ready to stop when we got here. It took us about 7 hrs so you might want to think about that. You just go I-10 to Baton Rouge & then pick up I-12 to Covington/Mandeville (exit 63a/b). To get to Destin from there you just get back on I-12E & it will run into I-10 by Slidell. Piece of cake!

Destin will be an easy drive the next day. I can suggest several good places to eat in the Mandeville/ Covington area if you're interested. The Courtyard is nice & new so you'd probably enjoy it.

NorthwestMale

Hi,

I live nowhere near the area so I can be a little bit more impartial than are some when I second the idea of stopping in Biloxi and attempting to stay at one of the bigger hotel/casinos there.

If you're not into the casino life, surely the food will be good and you can go and tool around the rest of the area. Beauvoir - "The last home of Jefferson Davis" is probably worth a trip (I went).

How often are you going to see "The Tomb of the unknown CONFEDERATE Soldier" in a lifetime anyway?

Biloxi will be quite suitable, although humid, like so many other areas down there.

Patrick

Having done stops in Biloxi and Mobile, both which we found pretty disappointing, we loved our overnight stop in Baton Rouge. I'm not sure what it was about the place, other than being sent to some "roadhouse" type place for dinner, where there was a huge dance floor and we spent the whole night watching (notice I didn't say participating) in four generations of people having a ball line dancing. What's more the food was great. Don't ask me where this was -- I couldn't find it on a bet, and was lucky to find our way back to our hotel.

doxungirl

Patrick, I was just curious as to how you found Biloxi disappointing.Was it the accommodations, food, recreational opportunities? Did you explore any of the other towns around Biloxi, such as Ocean Springs or Bay St. Louis?

mah1980

Patrick: I think you were at Cadillac Cafe in Baton Rouge.

Patrick

Could have been Cadillac, is it out in the country somewhere?

Regarding Biloxi, it was only an overnight stop between California and Florida. We arrived very late afternoon and left the next morning, so no we weren't there to explore the area. I suppose it was the gambling thing without any real glitz. While I appreciate Las Vegas -- I hate Laughlin. That sort of thing, I guess. The downtown area just seemed so cheap and honky tonk, we did a lot of walking. It was OK for an overnight, just nothing I'd make an effort to go back to. I don't mean to start a war, and I'm sure Biloxi has its good points and pretty areas around it -- this was just a comment in regards to a place to stop for the night as the original poster was asking.

Wayne

There would really be no reason to go as far as Biloxi, Bay St. Louis, or Gulfport on the first day, except to reduce driving time even more for the second day. Of course, if you want to stop on the beach and maybe even gamble, then getting off I-10 and down to one of the beachfront hotels or casinos would be OK. But if this is nothing but an overnight stop on the way to somewhere else, then the Mississippi beach towns are out of the way and less convenient.

However, there are lots of motels just off I-10 at all the major exits in Mississippi and Alabama as you drive east. I'd still recommend the Covington area for a stop, but another favorite place of mine is on the east side of Mobile Bay. There's a Hampton Inn in Daphne, facing the bay to the west, that is a great place to stop. Your view across the bay from one of the higher floors is really relaxing, and the wildlife in the marshy areas around the by is always interesting. A stop there would certainly leave you a much shorter drive on the second day if that is your objective. Good luck.

OldSouthernBelle

I was born in LA, best friend lives in Baton Rouge, and I was 'raised' in Mobile. That said. all of them have good seafood places to eat! I REALLY do like the Original Oyster House on the Causeway in Moble as well. It's definitely convenient to I-10 also! Belle.

Fairhope

OldSouthernBelle
I too am a big Original Oyster House fan. But my son swears that Ed's on the causeway is better.
There is a new stop that may interest folks. At the corner of I-10 and 181 between Mobile and Pensacola there is the Eastern Shore Center. Upscale shops with a half dozen restaurants from chains to local. My old friend John "Roussos" moved his Greek restaurant from Mobile to this location