Small drives, large fun
By Myra Miller
So you still want to take the family on a vacation this summer, but rising gasoline prices have made any long trips financially unpractical.
Take heart. There are plenty of enjoyable destinations within 200 miles of Eunice, close enough to be affordable for even those gas-guzzlers some people drive.
And with a three-day holiday weekend coming up starting Friday you might want to round up the clan and head out.
You can shop, sail, sun, swim, gamble, golf, catch a ball game or a fish, take a hike, smell the roses, talk to the animals, meander through museums, dine on world-class cuisine, eye an alligator - all within three hours or so drive time.
My favorites on the destination list would be Houston, New Orleans, St. Francisville, Natchez, and Gulfport.
Each has plenty to offer the entire family, from youngsters to teens to adults.
Houston, on the extreme western edge of our circle, offers activity ranging from the Galleria to the Natural Science Museum. There is also the Children’s Museum of Houston, which features hands-on galleries. The Holocaust Museum is a must to see. There’s also Minute Maid Field and the Astros, the 5,000-animal Houston Zoo, and the Johnson Space Center, which draws more visitors than any other Houston attraction.
New Orleans, recovering daily, remains a unique destination. There you can walk the French Market, tour any of the many museums, take a trolley, and go to Audubon Zoo, rated one of the top zoos in the United States, and featuring two rare white tigers, as well as Komodo dragons.
Still in the Crescent City, the Aquarium of Americas is a fun-filled family time where you can see underwater nature first hand. The aquarium also features thousands of fish, reptiles, and birds native to these habitats. And nearby, there’s Riverwalk and Jackson Square.
For history buffs, and particularly fitting on a July 4th weekend, there’s the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans. A variety of artifacts, testimonies and documents, particularly those chronicling the World War II period, are on display.
And we’ll not even attempt to list the dining choices. From the elite to the everyday, the Big Easy can satisfy any appetite and any food budget.
St. Francisville, with its arts and crafts shops and antebellum homes, is well within our driving range. Arrange a tour of such plantations as Oakley House, Catalpa Plantation, Greenwood Plantation, The Myrtles Plantation, Rosedown Plantation, and Cottage Plantation.
Natchez, high on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, offers Old South charm, plantations and homes, the Eola Hotel, and museums fitting the oldest settlement along Mark Twain’s river.
If you like beaches, we’ll stretch our mileage by 20 miles or so to Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.
They are rebounding from Hurricane Katrina and again offer miles of beach along the Mississippi Sound, and the activity that goes with it.
Daily shuttles make it easy to get to Ship Island, a natural barrier island whose clear waters and constant surf make it a favorite stop on the coast.
Also, riverboat casinos are plentiful along the Gulf shore line of Mississippi for those of you who want to try your luck.
Here are some summer mini-vacation suggestions, all within 200 miles:
Lake Charles, 174 miles west.
There’s sun and sand at the lake, fishing, and gambling, including the luxurious L’Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino.
Beaumont, Texas, 120 miles west.
Some sites to see include McFaddin-Ward House, Beaumont Botanical Gardens, John Jay French Museum and the Fire Museum of Texas.
Houston, 207 miles west.
A power-shopper’s paradise. From the high-end choices at the famed Galleria to discount discoveries on Harwin Drive, there are plenty of places to pick up anything and everything on your list.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science may be crawling with dinosaurs, but the gift shops are modern-day marvels.
You’ll find no ancient relics at Contemporary Art Museum Houston, where the art is decidedly forward thinking.
The Children’s Museum of Houston
If you have little ones in tow, The Children’s Museum is a must. The museum features 14 hands-on galleries, such as EcoStation and KID-TV.
Holocaust Museum Houston
Through state-of-the-art exhibits and programs HMH educates visitors on the dangers of hatred and prejudice. A permanent exhibit honors Houston Holocaust survivors.
Art Car Museum
When it comes to transforming the automobile into an object of art, Houston wrote the book. This museum displays the most elaborately constructed moving works of art in the nation.
There’s also Astros baseball at Minute Maid Park, the 55-acre zoo and Johnson Space Center.
Toledo Bend Reservoir, 174 miles northwest.
Fishing, swimming, boating, hiking, paddle boating, picnicking. There are also cabins to rent, and campsites.
North Toledo Bend State Park (9 miles southwest of Zwolle off LA 3229) - Offers fishing, a boat launch, improved campsites, 10 vacation cabins, group camp facilities, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, picnicking, pavilion, playgrounds, trails and a conference center.
South Toledo Bend State Park (16 miles west of Anacoco, off LA Hwy. 191) - Set on the scenic bluffs of the southern end of the Toledo Bend Reservoir, the park offers cabins, campsites, a visitor center with meeting room facilities and a paved nature trail. A boat launch provides a route to some of the best fishing in the nation.
New Orleans, 170 miles southeast.
“The Big Easy,” New Orleans offers the family many attractions, from the French Market, museums, Aquarium of the Americas, to the Audubon Park Zoo.
Not quite as far as New Orleans is Baton Rouge, 90 miles east.
Baton Rouge offers the entire family Blue Bayou, a large water park located off of Interstate 10, on Perkins Road. It’s Louisiana’s largest water theme park with 12 waterslides, and a wave pool.
Try taking a tour of the old state capital building, or take a stroll on LSU campus.
Want to stay a little bit cooler indoors?
Take the family on a shopping spree at the Mall of Louisiana located on Bluebonnet Road off of Interstate 10.
The Baton Rouge Zoo is another option for the kids to enjoy. Discover the 1,800 animals that call BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo home. You’ll enjoy L’aquarium de Louisiane, which features the fish, reptiles and amphibians of Louisiana. Youngsters of all ages love the KidZoo, complete with a playground and hands-on animal encounters.
The USS Kidd on the Mississippi River offers a glimpse at naval history.
Alexandria, 61 miles north.
Enjoy Alexandria Museum of Art, the zoo, Alexandria Mall, Links and Oak Wing public golf courses, then drive 50 miles west to Fort Polk and the Military Museum there.
Marksville, 60 miles northeast.
The Paragon Casino is a an adult and family attraction. There’s also a challenging golf course, and nearby Spring Bayou Game Management Area.
On the Fourth of July Weekend, there is Fete du Ble Festival, honoring the area’s original inhabitants.
Natchitoches, 119 miles northwest.
Tour plantations including:
Melrose, a National Historic Landmark, consisting of three main structures, the circa 1796 Yucca House that was a Colonial residence, the circa 1800 African House that was a slave fort and provision house, and the circa 1833 Big House, an early Louisiana plantation home.
Oakland: The most complete Creole plantation in the South, this plantation is situated on the banks of Cane River Lake on 42 beautiful acres.
Other attractions include: Bayou Pierre Alligator Park: The largest alligator park in Louisiana.
Bishop Martin Museum: Located next to the church rectory, this museum is the repository of religious relics from both the Spanish and French Catholics dating to the late 1700’s. By reservation only.
Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery: Established in 1931, this warm water facility features 16 aquarium tanks filled with native species including catfish, redear sunfish, largemouth bass, and bluegill that are raised for local public waters and farm ponds.
Visit west of Nachitoches on Hwy. 171 at Hodges Gardens south of Many.
Hodges Gardens State Park is located approximately 14 miles south of Many.
The 700-acre site features 40 acres of gardens, a 225-acre bass fishing lake, hiking and biking trails, and RV and wilderness camping..
Monroe: 157 miles northeast.
The Monroe area is home to several museums including the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum, The Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, Aviation Military Museum, and the Masur Museum.
Visit the Pecanland Mall for shopping for the entire family.
It is the largest mall in North Louisiana and is host to over 200 other stores.
Monroe features the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, which collectively maintains over 500 animals. The zoo also offers boat rides and a catwalk in addition to other seasonal activities.
Monroe plays host to the Louisiana Motor Speedway.
Shreveport, 185 miles northwest. Riverboat gaming is an attraction in it and river city twin Bossier City, which also has Bossier Downs racetrack.
Eighth Air Force Museum is located at Barksdale AFB, home of the 2nd Bomb Wing, in Bossier City.
This aviation museum has a large collection of military aircraft and several historical artifacts that dates from the early days of US military aviation and the history of the beginning of Barksdale AFB, the formation of the 2nd Bomb Wing and of the 8th Air Force.
There is also Watertown USA, 20 acres of water-park fun, and the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, renowned for its large murals and amazing dioramas that depict the history and culture of Louisiana.
St. Francisville, 74 miles east and north.
Known for its antebellum plantations. Arrange a tour, some plantations offered include: Oakley House, Catalpa Plantation, Greenwood Plantation, The Myrtles Plantation, Rosedown Plantation, and Cottage Plantation.
St. Martinville, 56 miles south.
Located on Bayou Teche, 16 miles south of Breaux Bridge, 18 miles southeast of Lafayette, and nine miles north of New Iberia.
Tour the St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, The ”mother church” of the Acadians, established in 1765, St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church is the fourth-oldest church in Louisiana. The Church’s cemetery contains the Statue of Evangeline. Guided tours are available in French and English.
Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Place, the park’s on-site plantation home, Maison Olivier, houses an exhibit which interprets the history of French-speaking cultures along Bayou Teche.
Avery Island, 68 miles south.
Avery Island was created by ancient salt deposits beneath the Mississippi Delta. It is the home of Tabasco sauce and a rock salt mine that has been used since the Civil War. The salt was originally used as a food preservative.
Tour the Tobasco sauce factory center and see how Tobasco sauce is made and the 250-acre Jungle Gardens.
Natchez, Miss., 133 miles north and east.
Natchez, the oldest settlement on the Mississippi River, has more antebellum houses than any other place in the United States. Many of these historic homes are open for tours.Tour the homes, the Grand Village of the Natchez and the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture.
Natchez National Historical Park: This park contains three important sites for history buffs: Fort Rosalie, the William Johnson House and the Melrose estate.
Longwood: Construction on this architectural gem, the largest octagonal house in the U.S., began in 1860, but was interrupted by the onset of war. A National Historic Landmark, the still-unfinished mansion is an enduring symbol of the impact of the Civil War.
Melrose: Is the most intact Antebellum estate in the nation. Owned by the National Park Service, the home still has its original hand-painted canvas flooring. During Pilgrimage, the original owner’s wedding dress is displayed along with an amazing replica of her wedding cake.
Rosalie Mansion: A famous Federal-style mansion surrounded by a four acre park overlooking the Mighty Mississippi River. Rosalie was the Union headquarters during Union occupation in the Civil War.
General Ulysses S. Grant stayed at Rosalie during his visit to Natchez. Rosalie is one of the few antebellum mansions in the South that can offer you a home filled with furniture, paintings and clothes used by the very family that lived in Rosalie for over 100 years.
Gulfport and Biloxi Miss, 224-231 miles east.
The area is recovering from Hurricane Katrina and its 26 miles of white sand beaches and non-stop casino action beckon tourists from around the world.
Excursions to Ship Island and deep-sea fishing top many visitor’s lists and top-rate golf courses abound.