New Orleans airboat swamp tour

We took a swamp tour on an airboat, via LaBiche Swamp Tours. Though more of a bayou tour, with a brief trip through a swamp.

We saw a bunch of birds, and some alligators, on a small six-passenger airboat.

A map of the area:

We booked via Mona Lisa Lounge, a nearby dive bar, who provided a bonus pre-tour beverage, some beads, and conversation with the very drunk wife of the owner:

Mona Lisa Lounge

Mona Lisa Lounge

We then proceeded to the tour dock:

LaBiche Swamp Tours

The waiting area:

Waiting area

Our airboat:

Airboat

A larger airboat:

Larger airboat

Larger airboat

Heading out through the bayou:

Bayou

Bird

Bird

Bayou

Bayou

Bird

Bird

Swamp

Swamp

Swamp

Swamp

Swamp

Airboat

The alligators were starting brumation, so were less common, but we did see a few. Here’s our first alligator sighting:

Alligator

Alligator

Alligator

Alligator

A video of a swimming gator:

Alligator

Alligator

Alligator

A video of airboat travel:

Alligator

Alligator

Alligator

Another video of a swimming gator:

Our airboat:

Our airboat

Another airboat:

Another airboat

Bird

Bald eagle

A rescued gator back at the dock:

Alligator

A fun experience.

New Orleans

We did a bit of exploring of New Orleans, Louisiana, including walking around the French Quarter, a quick drive through the Garden District, and elsewhere. This post has an assortment of pictures from the city.

An interactive map:

Lots of pictures from the distinctive French Quarter:

French Quarter buildings

French Quarter buildings

French Quarter buildings

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

We had a jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters:

French Quarter

Court of the Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

Court of Two Sisters

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

A beignet and coffee snack:

French Quarter

French Quarter

Even the cops have swag:

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

We stopped at another Cafe Beignet for coffee beans (that were kinda gross), and also picked up some tasty pralines:

French Quarter buildings

French Quarter

French Quarter

French Quarter

A brief drive through the Garden District:

Garden District

Garden District

Garden District

Garden District

Garden District

Hale Boggs Bridge:

Hale Boggs Bridge

Veterans Memorial Bridge:

Veterans Memorial Bridge

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway holds the Guinness World Record for longest continuous span over water in the world, at 23.83 miles (38.35 km) long:

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

A couple more shots from the French Quarter to finish up:

French Quarter

French Quarter

The city certainly has a lot of character.

New Orleans RV Resort & Marina

We stayed at New Orleans RV Resort & Marina in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A canal-front site close to the attractions of NOLA.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-11-19
  • Check out: 2023-12-03
  • 14 nights

Weather:

  • Partly cloudy, some rain
  • High temps ranging between 54-77°F, lows around 50-62°F
  • A little wind, gusts to 24 MPH

Noise:

  • Some road noise
  • Distant train noise
  • Plane noise from local airport
  • Occasional boat and jetski noise in the canal
  • Little neighbor noise

Site:

  • #7, front in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked behind coach
  • Fairly level; used hydraulic leveling
  • Gravel driveway about 50 feet long by about 20 feet wide
  • Bark between sites about 6 feet wide
  • Picnic table on grass
  • No fire pit
  • A bunch of small garbage and dog poop
  • Waterfront!

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, very conveniently located
  • 35 PSI water, very conveniently located
  • Very loose sewer connection (the screw part wasn’t connected to the pipe), conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 55 Mbps down, 32 Mbps up, 54 ms ping
  • AT&T: 7 Mbps down, 20 Mbps up, 52 ms ping
  • Verizon: 9-13 Mbps down, 7 Mbps up, 135 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage pickup from site
  • Package delivery to office
  • Onsite restaurant
  • Waterfront (canal)

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Industrial shipyards and pelicans

Don’t let the sketchy-looking area fool you as you drive in. This is a very nice resort close to everything you’d want to do in NOLA. We had a waterfront site and loved watching the birds skimming over the water and the parade of fishing boats going between the lake and the river. Our site was pretty short, just long enough for our 40′ motorhome, with barely enough space to park our tow vehicle alongside, but being able to face over the water was very nice.

The resort has a nice restaurant and bar onsite for when you don’t feel like going into the city itself. All the touristy stuff you’d want to do is conveniently close and parking in the French Quarter was not as scary as I thought it would be. We camped at New Orleans RV Resort & Marina in a Motorhome.

Campground map:

Map

An interactive map:

Our canal-front site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Views from our site:

View

View

View

View

View

A rail drawbridge, sticking up in the open state:

View

And closed:

View

A barge waiting for the drawbridge to open:

View

View

View

Lots of pelicans:

View

View

View

View

View

Moon

The City of New Orleans arriving for servicing:

View

View

View

View

View

View

View

View

Some rainy days:

Rain

Rain

And thunderstorms:

Thunderstorms

The sewer connection was super loose:

Loose sewer

The site wasn’t very clean; this is the trash I picked up on arrival:

Trash

We could fill a gap in our states map (but yes, by the time you read this, Florida will also be there):

States map

We were sandwiched between two “Presidential” sites, with covered kitchens and hot tubs. We wouldn’t have preferred such a site, though, as the roof would have impeded our view:

Other sites

The neighboring hot tub kept blowing open in the wind:

Hot tub

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Cabins:

Cabin

Cabin

The office:

Office

Office

Office

They allowed package delivery for guests, with a large pile in the front of the office (not very secure; people just come grab their packages; I prefer it when they have a mail room to keep packages more secure, though of course that is more staff burden):

Packages

There is a shuttle to downtown, though we didn’t use it, preferring to drive and park; plenty of paid parking available:

Shuttle info

Pool:

Pool

Pool

Pool

Dog park:

Dog park

There are two marinas; this is the smaller one behind the office:

Marina

The larger one opposite a boat repair yard:

Marina

Marina

Marina

Marina

Marina

Marina

A nice thing about this resort is an onsite restaurant, The LightHouse Bar:

The LightHouse Bar

Menu:

Menu

Menu

Specials

The LightHouse Bar

The LightHouse Bar

We went there several evenings; here are a sampling of our food and beverages:

Drinks

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

A nice resort; we’d be happy to stay here again.

Travel from Toomsuba, Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana

We drove our coach 208 miles, about 3 hours of driving, from Toomsuba, Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading southwest:

Route

An interactive map:

Back along the narrow road from the campground:

Narrow road

We stopped at the Loves truck stop to use their CAT scale to weigh our coach and truck:

CAT scale

CAT scale

The results are much the same as previous times, though the truck is heavier, no doubt due to the addition of the canopy and slide; all still within the limits:

CAT scale results

Heading onto I-59 south:

I-59 south

The truck parking areas have totally reassuring signs saying “No Security Provided”; we have to wonder what incident caused them to add such signs:

No Security Provided

Lots of space in this parking area:

Parking area

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Another parking area stop; a little smaller and busier, but we found a spot:

Another parking area

“Welcome to Louisiana” sign:

Welcome to Louisiana

Twin span bridge over Lake Pontchartrain:

Twin span bridge over Lake Pontchartrain

Old bridge segment, I guess? Now a fishing pier:

Old bridge, I guess?

Twin span bridge over Lake Pontchartrain

Drawbridge:

Drawbridge

Chef Menteur Highway bridge:

Chef Menteur Highway bridge

Abandoned buildings on the road to our destination:

Abandoned buildings

Arriving at our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

Guided to our site:

Guided to our site

We had a pull-in waterfront spot for two weeks:

Our site

Unfortunately no travel video again today; I didn’t notice that it had filled up and wasn’t recording until after this trip.

Extra shelving

While in Red Bay we spent several days at Davidson RV, getting them to do several projects. One of those was to add extra shelves to many of our cupboards.

Some cupboards above our couch, before adding shelves:

Cupboards before adding shelves

After adding shelves:

Cupboards after adding shelves

Cupboards after adding shelves

We also got some organizers for ziploc baggies, lids, and measuring cups:

Cupboards after adding shelves

We got them to raise this new shelf up a bit, so our rice maker would fit:

Cupboards after adding shelves

Partially populated; it’s normally packed full of food:

Cupboards after adding shelves

Much tidier plate and bowl cupboard:

Cupboards after adding shelves

We also got them to add dividers to Jenn’s clothing drawers:

Drawer dividers

And an extra shelf in my bathroom cupboard:

Bathroom cupboard

Nice improvements that really help us organize our storage!

Meridian East / Toomsuba KOA Journey

We stayed at Meridian East / Toomsuba KOA Journey in Toomsuba, Mississippi. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Just a one night stay to break up an otherwise too-long drive.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-11-18
  • Check out: 2023-11-19
  • 1 night

Weather:

  • Partly cloudy
  • High temp 70°F, low 42°F
  • Negligible wind

Noise:

  • A little local road noise, no freeway noise
  • Occasional train noise
  • Negligible neighbor noise

Site:

  • #45, pull-through, gravel
  • Didn’t need to disconnect toad, and didn’t
  • Level; used air leveling, since only one night
  • Gravel driveway about 70 feet long by about 12 feet wide
  • Grass between sites about 12 feet wide
  • Picnic table on grass
  • No fire pit
  • Clean site

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • Didn’t use water or sewer, but conveniently located

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • Campground Wi-Fi: 22-27 Mbps down, 11-23 Mbps up, 65 ms ping
  • T-Mobile: 2-5 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up, 90 ms ping
  • AT&T: 16-20 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Verizon: 3-8 Mbps down, 0.5 Mbps up, 125 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpster
  • Seasonally closed pool and water slide

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Sketchy road, nice trees

This campground is conveniently located off I-20, just far enough away that you don’t get road from the Interstate. Still, there are downsides: 1) the narrow country road to get there is very narrow with lots of low-hanging trees, 2) the “recycling” yard you drive by does not give a great impression, and 3) the local residents go way too fast down this road, and there is a lot of local road noise. The park roads are also a bit narrow, with some tight turns. We had a pull-through site that was just long enough for our 40′ motorhome and tow vehicle. We didn’t have to disconnect, but we took up pretty much the entire length. If the 5th wheel next to us hadn’t left before we did, I wasn’t sure if we would’ve had enough room to turn onto the road. But the site was clean and the trees were pleasant, so this was a good spot for a one-night stay. We camped at Meridian East / Toomsuba KOA Journey in a Motorhome.

Campground map:

Map

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Other nearby sites:

Other sites

Other sites

The office:

Office

Inside, a piano:

Piano

This was a perfectly fine place to stay for a night, though the road to it was a bit narrow, so we’d probably look for somewhere more convenient if we come this way again in the future.

Travel from Red Bay, Alabama to Toomsuba, Mississippi

We drove our coach 180 miles, about 3 hours of driving, from Red Bay, Alabama to Toomsuba, Mississippi.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading southeast:

Route

An interactive map:

Leaving the Red Bay Acres RV park:

Leaving Red Bay Acres

Leaving Red Bay Acres

“Welcome to Mississippi”:

Welcome to Mississippi

Highway 76:

Highway 76

Exit to I-22:

Exit to I-22

I-22:

I-22

Tombigbee River:

Tombigbee River

A momentary loss of visibility from farm dust:

Farm dust

The speed limit signs also have a minimum speed, unusually:

Minimum speed sign

Exit to Tupelo:

Exit to Tupelo

We stopped for lunch at Tin Lizzie Cafe in West Point, Mississippi:

Tin Lizzie Cafe

Tin Lizzie Cafe

Tin Lizzie Cafe

Tin Lizzie Cafe

Tin Lizzie Cafe

BLT (without the tomato) and “tater babies” wedges:

BLT and wedges

The highway had frequent turnaround lanes:

Turnaround

Paladin asleep next to the passenger chair:

Paladin

Highway 45:

Highway 45

Exit to I-20:

Exit to I-20

I-20:

I-20

TA fuel stop:

TA fuel stop

TA fuel stop

TA fuel stop

TA fuel stop

The pump price was $371.99 for 107 gallons of diesel (thirsty coach!), though we actually paid less, thanks to our Open Roads discount (see below):

$371.99 for 107 gallons of diesel

The slowest DEF pump; it took 10 minutes to pump five gallons:

DEF

$23.69 for 5.779 gallons of DEF:

$23.69 for 5.779 gallons of DEF

The Open Roads statement indicated that we saved $30.65 on the diesel (the DEF isn’t discounted):

Open Roads statement

A narrow road to our destination:

Narrow road

And a narrower road:

Narrower road

Our destination, a KOA Journey:

Our destination

Our destination

Our site:

Our destination

Our destination

Unfortunately no travel video today; my dashcam had filled up and failed to record.

Natchez Trace Parkway

We drove along about 140 miles of the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. A weird park barely wider than the road, with thousands of years of history.

Though we drove both ways on that portion, so a total of about 280 miles, plus some detours, over two days.

We also drove past Elvis Presley’s birthplace and Tupelo National Battlefield, and visited Meriwether Lewis National Monument.

An interactive map (see the NPS site for the full route map):

Natchez Trace Parkway

Natchez Trace Parkway

Bridge

Tombigbee waterway

Waterway

Waterway

Pharr Mounds:

Pharr Mounds

Pharr Mounds

Pharr Mounds

Natchez Trace Parkway

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Tupelo:

Tupelo

Tupelo

Tupelo

Tupelo National Battlefield:

Tupelo National Battlefield

Tupelo National Battlefield

Tupelo

Elvis Presley’s birthplace:

Elvis' birthplace

Elvis' birthplace

Back to the Parkway:

Natchez Trace Parkway

Natchez Trace Parkway

Natchez Trace Parkway

Cave Spring Trail:

Cave Spring

Cave Spring

Cave Spring

Cave Spring

Cave Spring

Alabama state line:

Alabama state line

Bear Creek picnic area:

Bear Creek picnic area

Bear Creek picnic area

Buzzard Roost Spring:

Buzzard Roost Spring

Buzzard Roost Spring

Buzzard Roost Spring

Buzzard Roost Spring

Tennessee River:

Tennessee River

Tennessee River

Bridge

Tennessee State Line:

Tennessee State Line

Meriwether Lewis National Monument, where Lewis of Lewis & Clark died and was buried:

Meriwether Lewis National Monument

Meriwether Lewis National Monument

Meriwether Lewis National Monument

Meriwether Lewis National Monument

Fall Hollow Trail:

Fall Hollow Trail

Fall Hollow Trail

Fall Hollow Trail

Laurel Hill Road:

Laurel Hill Road

Laurel Hill Road

Sunset:

Sunset

Sunset

A nice scenic drive, with some interesting stops.