Houston to Gulfport Road Trip Guide
Introduction
Houston is the metro hub of Southeastern Texas and has several significant family-friendly attractions. One of the most famous attractions is the NASA Johnson Space Center. This is also known as “Mission Control” for NASA space flights. Once a rocket clears the tower at launch time, all control is moved to this facility. Tours of Johnson Space Center are conducted through Space Center Houston which also has tours and displays covering the Apollo/Gemini era, the Space Shuttle, the Mars Mission, the International Space Station, and a coming soon look at the Space X/Falcon 9 rockets.
Other great family-friendly activities in Houston include the Children's Museum of Houston, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor SplashTown, and Buffalo Bayou which offers all sorts of outdoor activities and tours near the city.
Eastlake RV Resort is a great place to stay while in Houston. It's located on the Northeast side of the city with easy access to I-10. They have nice paved sites and all the amenities you'll need for an enjoyable stay in Houston.
The trip to Gulfport is a flat, easy trip across the south. Simply take I-10 east which will take you all the way to Gulfport. If you want to skip over New Orleans you can take I-12 north of Lake Pontchartrain between Baton Rouge, LA, and Slidell, LA.
Point of Interest
Chalmette Battlefield
Chalmette Battlefield is the site of the January 8, 1815, Battle of New Orleans. This historic battle was the last fight in the War of 1812 between the US and Britain. The US forces handed the British troops a resounding defeat. This battle was unnecessary and unusual in that a peace treaty had already been signed between the two sides in late 1814. The war did not officially end until both side's governmental bodies had ratified the treaty, which did not occur until late 1815.
The battlefield hosts several events throughout the year and has daily ranger talks covering the events of the battle. There is also a junior ranger program for the kids where they can earn a badge for completing some tasks around the park.
Family Gras
Family Gras is a free family-friendly Mardis Gras celebration held next to a mall in Metairie, LA two weekends before Fat Tuesday. During this time there are many parades and activities related to Mardis Gras. Most of the parades during the day in New Orleans are family-friendly, but this is the largest single celebration in the area designed specifically for families.
It is a big one, attracting thousands of people with first-rate live music, excellent food and entertainment for all ages. In 2020 for example, Brian Wilson, The Marshall Tucker Band, Billy Ray Cyrus, and many others all took the stage. The event runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday with parades each day.
A great place to stay in the area is the Bayou Segnette State Park. They have a quiet campground with several RV sites that is convenient for Metairie and downtown New Orleans.
Oak Alley Plantation
Oak Alley Plantation is a classic southern Louisiana plantation open for public tours. This site is listed as a National Historic Landmark and they recommend dedicating at least two hours to explore the grounds. The site includes a mansion, slave quarters, a sugar cane exhibit, a blacksmith shop, and a civil war tent. The grounds themselves are quite picturesque with grand Southern Live Oaks framing the main home. It paints an outstanding picture of what life was like in Southern Louisiana during this time period.
The B&B RV Park in Donaldson, LA is a good choice for a stayover. It's located about 30 minutes west of the plantation and makes a great base to visit the area attractions.
Neches River Adventures
Neches River Adventures provides boat tours up the Neches River from the Collier Ferry Park just Northwest of Beaumont, TX. The tours are held on a flat bottom boat that allows the tour to get into the shallow areas of the Neches river bayous. While on the tour you will learn the history of the area and have the opportunity to see the vast diversity of the flora and fauna that calls the river basin home.
Boomtown USA RV Resort is a great place to stop over for this trip. It is conveniently located just off of I-10 and has great service and amenities.
Neches River Adventures
Neches River Adventures provides boat tours up the Neches River from the Collier Ferry Park just Northwest of Beaumont, TX. The tours are held on a flat bottom boat that allows the tour to get into the shallow areas of the Neches river bayous. While on the tour you will learn the history of the area and have the opportunity to see the vast diversity of the flora and fauna that calls the river basin home.
Boomtown USA RV Resort is a great place to stop over for this trip. It is conveniently located just off of I-10 and has great service and amenities.
Oak Alley Plantation
Oak Alley Plantation is a classic southern Louisiana plantation open for public tours. This site is listed as a National Historic Landmark and they recommend dedicating at least two hours to explore the grounds. The site includes a mansion, slave quarters, a sugar cane exhibit, a blacksmith shop, and a civil war tent. The grounds themselves are quite picturesque with grand Southern Live Oaks framing the main home. It paints an outstanding picture of what life was like in Southern Louisiana during this time period.
The B&B RV Park in Donaldson, LA is a good choice for a stayover. It's located about 30 minutes west of the plantation and makes a great base to visit the area attractions.
Chalmette Battlefield
Chalmette Battlefield is the site of the January 8, 1815, Battle of New Orleans. This historic battle was the last fight in the War of 1812 between the US and Britain. The US forces handed the British troops a resounding defeat. This battle was unnecessary and unusual in that a peace treaty had already been signed between the two sides in late 1814. The war did not officially end until both side's governmental bodies had ratified the treaty, which did not occur until late 1815.
The battlefield hosts several events throughout the year and has daily ranger talks covering the events of the battle. There is also a junior ranger program for the kids where they can earn a badge for completing some tasks around the park.
Family Gras
Family Gras is a free family-friendly Mardis Gras celebration held next to a mall in Metairie, LA two weekends before Fat Tuesday. During this time there are many parades and activities related to Mardis Gras. Most of the parades during the day in New Orleans are family-friendly, but this is the largest single celebration in the area designed specifically for families.
It is a big one, attracting thousands of people with first-rate live music, excellent food and entertainment for all ages. In 2020 for example, Brian Wilson, The Marshall Tucker Band, Billy Ray Cyrus, and many others all took the stage. The event runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday with parades each day.
A great place to stay in the area is the Bayou Segnette State Park. They have a quiet campground with several RV sites that is convenient for Metairie and downtown New Orleans.
Summary
Gulfport, MS is a great small gulf coast city. Like most gulf coast cities, the focus here is a laid back lifestyle where you can enjoy the great weather and coastal environment. Being on the coast, there are several great beaches to visit. Gulfport Beach is the main beach in the city. It offers excellent, clean access to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico as well as a fishing pier if you would like to catch some dinner. There is also a marina where you can charter a boat for a fishing trip or hop a ferry to Ship Island. Biloxi Beach is right next door. In addition to being a great beach for your standard beach activities, it is known to be one of the best sport fishing areas on the gulf coast.
Off the beach, this area has markers on the Mississippi Blues and Country Music Trails. These are a series of designated venues across the state which have historical significance in their respective genres. Check these spots out if you are a fan of blues or country music.
A unique family outing for this area is a Biloxi shrimping trip. Shrimping is a significant part of the area economy currently and historically. This trip takes you out on the high seas where you will drop a net and see what you haul in.
The nearby Pascagoula River Audubon Center serves as an educational center teaching visitors about the ecosystems of the Pascagoula River. This river is the largest free-flowing river in the south. The center also provides two hour interpretive boat cruises up the river, allowing you to experience the river environment first hand.
The best RV park in the area is the Baywood RV Park and Campground. It is located between Gulfport and Biloxi near the beaches and entertainment venues of the area.
