Finding Peace and Sun in Biloxi

Last week, our family left rainy Chicago in search of sunnier skies on the Gulf Coast. My oldest stepson graduated from high school down there so our trip was the perfect excuse to celebrate his accomplishments, catch up with my husband’s family, and honestly just whoosah.

Leading up to the trip, I was burnt out to the max from work and some other tasks on my plate. I have been saying “Yes” to too many things, people, and projects. And, it finally took a toll on me. Honestly, I’m still in “generosity recovery,” but that’s another post for another day.

For now, I just want to sing the praises of my time in Biloxi and New Orleans. This was my second visit to Biloxi and this time we stayed right on the beach. It was perfect for Caleb and my younger stepson, who both enjoyed being able to go to the pool at any time. While they were excited by the pool, I was all about the beach. There is something so incredibly calming and restorative about being in or near water. I was overcome with peace and happiness while watching the boys play in the sand or get giddy with excitement when the waves crossed their feet.

That is what life is made of and the feeling that I want to chase.

My greatest desire is to create memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. This trip definitely provided me with many of them. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our time down south. I can’t wait to get them printed and framed.

If you are heading to the Coast this summer, below the pictures is a snapshot of where we stayed and where we ate. I hope that it helps you with your planning.

Where We Ate:

• Bozo’s (Pascagoula, MS)
• Fillin’ Station (Biloxi, MS)
• Snapper’s Seafood (Biloxi, MS)
• Cafe du Monde (New Orleans, LA)

Where We Stayed:

• DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans Airport
• DoubleTree by Hilton Biloxi

My Top Tips for Traveling with Younger Kids:

• Use a car seat traveling case. When I checked Caleb’s car seat, I worried less about it getting super banged up or dirty along the way. We bought one with wheels so it was very convenient to move around.
• Pick a hotel with a refrigerator. This makes it super easy to store kiddie necessities like milk, yogurt, and juice. We also grabbed a case of water from Target and kept some in the refrigerator as well. It was perfect for exploring on 80 degree days.
• Immediately find out where the nearest Target, coffee shop, and McDs are located. Chris laughs at me but I ALWAYS know where these three things are located because things don’t always go as planned when you are vacationing with little people. On this recent trip, I actually made two #TargetRuns!

If you head to the Biloxi area, let me know what you end up doing! We will be back there before the year ends, so I am always looking to add more to-dos to my list.