On to Metairie, Louisiana-Day 2

In a post back in January, I wrote about our upcoming road trip/vacation to New Orleans, followed by our continuing on to Florida for a few weeks, beginning on February 19. (Read it here). We returned home to Illinois on Monday, March 13, after logging over 4,000 miles. The next several posts are highlights and summaries of our adventures and experiences in the Crescent City and in the Sunshine State.

DAY 2

Monday, February 20

Refreshed from a good night’s sleep and a tasty breakfast, we were on the road once more shortly before 8 a.m. Our ultimate destination today would be our hotel in Metairie, Louisiana, but en route we would pass by many unfamiliar names of towns and cities. It’s always fun to venture through previously un-traveled areas, and this was, indeed, new territory for us!

Most of the morning we rolled through Arkansas and discovered a McDonald’s that provided free coffee. Can’t argue with that. Soon after, approaching Memphis, we crossed over the bridge on the Mississippi River into Tennessee, but only for a brief time as Mississippi loomed just ahead.

Cities with names like Jackson, Grenada, and McComb began to appear on the green Interstate signs as we continued south toward Louisiana. We figured that it would take us most of the afternoon to click off the Mississippi miles before arriving at the Louisiana Welcome Center where we planned to snap a picture of the Louisiana welcome sign.

What made things even better was the beautiful weather that had decided to settle in with us. I had donned shorts and a short-sleeve shirt, which would be my standard “uniform” for the duration of the trip. Long pants have never been my preferred choice of attire!

True to form, one mile after leaving Mississippi, we came to the I-55 Welcome Center near

Photo: Louisiana Dept. of Culture Recreaton & Tourism

Kentwood. One of the nicest Welcome Centers we’ve experienced, this one provided a wonderful break from all of the miles driven and the ones still remaining. Plus, the good folks there offered free coffee!

After a walk around the beautifully landscaped area and a coffee break, we resumed our “push” southward to Metairie.

By late afternoon, we were getting close. The landscape had become swampy and rather desolate looking. I-55 ended by joining up with I-10 East, and we were now driving on a 23-mile long elevated stretch of highway that skirted around Lake Ponchratrain. It was a never-ending scene of water and vegetation, a perfect outdoorsmen’s paradise!

Photo: DSchwen.com

This road led us right into Metairie and the Ramada, just off Exit 228. Carolyn and I checked in, again ahead of our fellow travelers who we’d meet up with at the restaurant in a while. For now, though, we were content to get settled into our room, walk around the hotel, and be out of the car for a while.

We looked forward to meeting the tour group at Piccadilly’s Restaurant, a short distance

Piccadilly”s Restaurant

from our hotel, and to relax with a good meal.

Day 2 certainly had been a good one, and the “real” touring would begin in the morning as we’d pay our first visit to the Crescent City.