This one time

on spring break(this past March), we loaded up the car and drove straight south until we met the Gulf of Mexico. As we get older, the winters in Chicagoland seem to get colder and last longer. Our first food stop on the way south was for bbq for the meat eaters at a spot outside of Memphis.

We spent a couple of days along the Gulf beach at a cute town called Bay St Louis,MS.

We rented a nice apartment through HomeAway to enjoy the sand and the sun. It was only a block from the beach!

After a nice day on the beach it was time to head an hour west to New Orleans. What a change from the sleepy beach town!

We rented another apartment through HomeAway but this time it was a studio right on Bourbon Street. 

I doubt other people would take their kids sight seeing down Bourbon Street at night but since we were staying right there we thought we might as well. Here they are standing outside of Lafitte's bar.

We visited cemeteries,

walked around Jackson square,

wandered through the French Market,

toured the Jazz Museum,

rode the street car to the Garden District,

and spent some time listening to various bands along Frenchman Street. We were there on St. Patrick's Day and experienced catching beads from the parade moving through the French Quarter.

Finding gluten free food was extremely challenging in New Orleans. It's the only city we've been to where menus are not clearly labeled and finding food for the two celiacs in my family was very difficult.

There was more bbq,

Bananas foster prepared tableside(for breakfast!).

Really good coffee!!

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde for the ones who can eat wheat. And coffee au lait for those who can't.

And lots of Zapps Potato Chips. Terribly unhealthy but at least they were clearly labeled gluten free! Trust me no one wants to be around a "hangry" Dad.

The two days in New Orleans flew by and it was time to hop back in the car and head back home. We made a stop in downtown Memphis this time so I could listen to live blues and walk on Beale Street.

It was a marathon driving trip of 2000 miles and only lasted 5 days but it was one of those family road trips you "wish you would take but just haven't gotten around to yet". Well, we finally did it! And once we arrived back home I wanted to go back and do it all over again. A week or so later I scheduled our next adventure. Heading back to NOLA for New Years Eve!! I can't wait for more fun times together.