Gulf Islands National Seashore - FL, AL, MS

Brian and I completed our tour of the Gulf Islands as well as three states. The Gulf Islands National Seashore ranges from Florida to Mississippi. Our favorite section was definitely Florida. Just south Pensacola lies the most amazing beach. As we were driving through, we noticed the area was bustling with typical beachside attractions, restaurants and bars, mini golf, water parks, shops and marinas. But as we entered the park, it was all sand dunes, beautiful beach and gorgeous turquoise waters. We camped at Fort Pickens for only one night, it was all I could reserve. We biked around and laid on the sand like lazy seals. The only bad part about this park was 1. spending only one night and 2. fire ants. I knelt down to take a picture of a pretty purple flower and the next thing I know my whole left calf was covered in them. I probably have 50 bites on my leg and arm and I didn't even get the shot!

We moved on to Alabama the next day, which was only a short drive. As a rule, we can't say we have visited a state without staying at least one night. We camped at the Gulf State Park, which isn't a part of the National Park Service but still in the Gulf Islands. The beach was nice, but a little busier and closer to a highway. The campground was also nice, but it was funny because we seemed to be the little fish in a big pool here. Every camper was either driving a bigger truck, had a bigger camper (I mean Big-Mack style) or had tons of stuff.

Our last stop in the Gulf Islands was in Mississippi. This section was not so much beach but bayou. We stayed two nights at the Davis Bayou campground. We regrouped here and did a little exploring around the area. We also hooked up with an old high school classmate of mine, Jeff, and we tasted the local cuisine, more commonly known as BBQ. We dined at The Shed, which is locally famous for the smoked angus brisket. Brian and I split a sampler plate that included 7 meats and 3 sides. Yeah, we ate it all.

FLORIDA:

 Osprey

Fort Pickens

 Blue bird on the first day of spring

ALABAMA: AKA BAMA

Side note story - Brian and I were laying on the beach having a geek-out session about how we could go viral with our story about the trip. It really isn't that uncommon that we meet people doing the same thing we are, traveling around the country and trying to hit the lower 48 states and most National Parks. The only difference is usually age. Anyway, we were coming up with funny ideas to set us apart from the rest, for example; skinny dipping. Maybe we should take a picture of our Yankee butts jumping into various bodies of water. Though I am sure most of you would get tired of seeing those pictures! Feel free to give us some idea or challenge while we continue on!

MISSISSIPPI:

Next Stop: New Orleans, LA