Five fun reasons to Travel East – Special advertising section

There are festivals in the French Quarter, beaches in Biloxi and mullet tossing at the Flora-Bama. But you already knew that. What you may not have known is just how hot the spring and summer can be on the Gulf Coast. And we’re not talking about the daytime temperatures.

Travel east an hour or two (or three) from Baton Rouge and you can heat up your weekend, your vacation or your steamy romantic getaway with an almost unlimited lineup of fun, food and family activities that you can’t find anywhere else. And with household budgets tighter than a samba dancer’s skirt this year, an easy trip east presents value and excitement that’s hard to ignore.

Here are five fun reasons we found to give the Gulf Coast a closer look as you make your travel plans:

1. Golf on the Gulf

Who needs Myrtle Beach? There’s a series of championship golf courses just a short drive from Baton Rouge, including acclaimed layouts by designers like Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Tom Fazio, Pete Dye and Donald Ross.

2. Getting wet

For fun on the water, it’s hard to imagine a better direction to take than east. Did you know Continental Magazine selected Mobile in 2006 as one of the top eight International Water Cities, along with the likes of San Diego, Los Cabos and Miami? And the Gulf has more than 200 species of fish, including mackerel, snapper, and grouper, making deep-sea fishing charters a popular excursion up and down the coast. You’ll also find airboat rides, kayaking, canoeing, sailing—even jet-skiing on the Gulf.

3. Getting tuned up

From the Gulf Coast Zydeco Music & Crawfish Festival (May 15-17) near Mobile to the massive Essence Music Festival in New Orleans (July 3-5) you can dance just about anywhere on the Gulf Coast and just about all summer long. At Gulf Coast venues this summer, you could hear Beyoncé, Maxwell, Lionel Richie, En Vogue, Robin Thicke, Taylor Swift, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Widespread Panic, Montgomery Gentry, Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, REO Speedwagon, Styx, 38 Special … well, you get the idea.

4. Pirates

If you’re making a trip to the Florida Panhandle in June, drop by the 54th Billy Bowlegs Festival (June 4-6) in Fort Walton Beach, a celebration of buccaneers that includes children’s activities, live music, fireworks and more. On your drive home, get the rest of the story from the popular Pirates! exhibit at the Museum of Mobile (through July 4). Virtually irresistible to both adults and kids, this fascinating exhibit unfolds tales of real-life pirates and their role in American history.

5. The scenic route

Even taking the simple approach can turn into a dream vacation when you decide to travel east: Just drive the highway along the coast (try U.S. 90 or U.S. 98), where you can take in the unforgettable views as the Gulf of Mexico’s gentle waters nestle against miles and miles of white beaches, often adorned with graceful oaks. Look for pull-overs for convenient beach access and photo opportunities, and sprawling piers for long, scenic walks over the water.

Give the following pages a closer look, and you’ll find dozens more reasons for looking east this summer. Just be sure to wear your shades.