Holly Beach on the coast of southwestern Louisiana is getting attention from some out-of-state travelers. They are thrilled to find a large sandy beach on the Gulf of Mexico without the large crowds. And after being devastated by recent hurricanes, the area known as the “Cajun Riviera“, is on the rebound.
avoiding the crowds at holly beach
Holly Beach is a wide strip of sand on the Gulf of Mexico that stretches for 20 miles in the extreme southwest corner of the state. I spent a couple of nights at the Pickled Pelican RV Park where I was only steps away from the sand and surf. Just after sunrise I spotted Joan Harding and Greg O’Reilly from Vancouver, Canada, taking their dog for an early morning walk. Harding says it’s their first time visiting the Lousiana beach. “It’s amazing,” she tells me, adding that she’s “never seen a beach that had nobody on it”. And Greg O’Reilly says the lack of crowds makes it easy to, “get out early and get the good shells”.
searching for seashells
The lack of crowds may have been partly because of the early springtime chill in the air. A few miles to the east I found Carolyn Miller and Vicki Little walking along the water’s edge looking for seashells. Miller is a serious collector who says she gets on the beach as often as possible. She shows me a few shells that she calls ‘cat paws’, small fan-shaped multi-colored shells. Miller has also collected larger tube-shaped shells she calls ‘olives’. Miller explains that the shelling is better now because of a recent beach rebuilding project. “The soil was pumped in from offshore to save Highway 82, and we ended up with a very nice beach,” she says.
pickled pelican rv park at holly beach
Bret and Martin Miller are making a return trip to the Pickled Pelican RV Park from their homes in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Bret explains that it’s worth the ten-hour drive. “We loved it,” he says, adding, “because it’s like having your own private beach”.
beautiful sunrises and Sunsets
One of the things I enjoy most about staying on the beach is the sunrises and sunsets. If the clouds cooperate, you can be treated to magnificent colors at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico.
holly beach visit featured on tv
swamp pop song pokes fun at holly beach
This area was featured in a 1991 swamp pop song called “Holly Beach – Under the Boardwalk”, by Kenny Tibbs and the Jokers. The tune was a parody of the 1960’s hit song “Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters. Instead of singing, “under the boardwalk”, Tibbs sings “ain’t got no boardwalk, just got seaweed, but we always pass a real good time at Holly Beach.” Tibbs sang his version at a swamp pop music reunion in Ville Platte, LA, in February 2022.
learn more about Louisiana’s swamp pop music
Swamp pop was a form of rhythm and blues music that was influenced by the style of Fats Domino. The music became popular in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas in the late 1950’s through early 1960’s. Check out this deep dive into this unique style of Louisiana music: Swamp Pop – Let’s Dance!
getting to the beach
Holly Beach is located along LA Highway 82 at the southern end of Cameron Parish on the Gulf of Mexico.
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