June 9th Will Be Louisiana’s Worst Day to Drive to the Beach

(KMDL-FM) The annual beach migration from Louisiana to the beaches of Lower Alabama and the Florida Panhandle has already begun. I know of at least a dozen families from Lafayette, Broussard, Lake Charles, Youngsville, and Breaux Bridge that are currently at the beach.

It's not surprising, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer travel season, and in Louisiana, that also coincides with graduation from our state's universities and high schools, as well as the end of regular classes in the lower grades. And it's not as hot at the beach in late May and early June as it will be in July and August.

When is the Best Time To Visit Gulf Coast Beaches?

If you ask me, I would say late September and early October. There are several reasons. The weather and the water are still warm and conducive for beach time. The peak of the hurricane season will have passed. And finally, the crowds are gone. You can have a large chunk of beach real estate all to yourself if you wait until football season to take your trip.

READ MORE: TSA Warns Travelers Against Popular Airport Activity

READ MORE: New Hurricane Tracking Plan Gives More Time for Evacuation

Getting to the beach? Now that's where the difficulties start to mount up. We've all been stuck in the "tunnel traffic" in Mobile, Alabama, haven't we? That's a good hour or two you'll never get back. And now, you can actually fly directly into Gulf Shores from selected destinations, too. But if you plan on making that drive, don't go on June 9th, at least if you are driving on I-10 from Louisiana.

You are probably aware of Buc-ee 's-mania that is currently gripping the Gulf South, right? Folks in Lafayette are excited to have a Buc-ee's going in. The folks in Ruston are excited to have a Buc-ee's going in, and on June 9th, the good people of Harrison County, Mississippi, will officially open their brand new Buc-ee's at the Menge Avenue Exit off of I-10.

If you think traffic gets backed up bad at a Chick-fil-A around lunchtime, you ain't seen nothing compared to a Grand Opening Buc-ee's back-up. The doors on the new Mississippi Buc-ee's will officially open at 6 am on June 9th. The ribbon cutting will be held at 10 am. And then the madness will be non-stop.

Where is the New Buc-ee's in Mississippi?

The State of Mississippi invested a lot of money in a new Interstate exchange and overpass just so Buc-ee's would build in Harrison County. Let's hope civic planners got the math right and we have just created a frustrating roadblock for I-10 traffic just east of the Louisiana line.

Get our free mobile app

I guess only time will tell, and if you've got a lot of extra time on your hands and love sitting in traffic, the may June 9th will be your day to drive to the beach. I will let you tell me all about it. But while you're stuck in traffic, you can at least contemplate these.