Growing up white trash, there was never a whole lot of extra money to “waste” on extravagant vacations. Yet my parents always found creative and cheap ways to beat the summer heat. So when Blue Bayou just didn’t cut it, and when I was too bruised and scraped to continue to Slip-N-Slide down the cement driveway, we’d pack up our powder blue minivan and head to Ship Island for the day.
Now that I’m an even poorer college student, I can look back without shame and appreciate my parents’ thriftiness. So I took a trip down memory lane that led me back to Ship Island, a great getaway for ballers on a budget.
Ship Island is the name of two barrier islands off the coast of Mississippi, only a two-hour drive from Baton Rouge. It’s known for its pristine beaches and for the historical Fort Massachusetts, a fort built after the War of 1812 and used by the Confederacy during the Civil War. It’s the perfect one-day getaway for beach bums and history buffs alike.
What to do:
- Drive 2 hours from Baton Rouge to Gulfport, Ms.
- Purchase your tickets for $27/person at the Gulfport ticket office
- Be there for 9:00 am
- Take the one-hour ferry ride to the island
- Rent chairs and an umbrella at the snack bar
- Hang out at the beach or explore Fort Massachusetts
- Catch the ferry back at 5:00 pm
What to bring:
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- Swimsuit
- Bug spray
- Towel
- Snacks (no glass containers are permitted)
- Camera
- Change of clothes
