Storms, Spice, and Zydeco: Our Time in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana

Our next stop was supposed to be near New Orleans, but life on the road always keeps you guessing. While we were still in Mobile, we got a call from our campground letting us know our reservations were canceled due to severe storms and the cleanup needed afterward. So, with very little notice, we had to pivot and find a new spot. That’s how we ended up at Margaritaville in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana. Sometimes the road makes the decisions for you.

Our welcome to Beaux Bridge? More storms. The very first night we were there, the weather turned nasty. Now, Patrick and I both grew up in the Midwest, where tornado season was just part of life. We knew the drill (in a house)—watch the skies, know your safe spot, and go to the basement when it’s time. So normally, severe weather wouldn’t rattle us too much.

But here in Louisiana? Whole different story. When the local weatherman came on, it wasn’t the calm, buttoned-up meteorologist we were used to. It was this Cajun swamp guy—think Farmer Fran from The Waterboy—rattling off parishes and storm cells at lightning speed, waving his arms with wild enthusiasm. I couldn’t understand half of what he was saying, but the energy alone had me convinced an F5 was headed straight for us.

I asked Patrick what our plan was if things really went south, and his condescending response was: “We’ll get in the truck and go under an underpass.” That sounded logical… until I Googled it and discovered it’s basically the worst place you can go in a storm. So, lesson learned: when you roll into a new campground, find out where the storm shelters are before the weather gets crazy. In the end, it was just a severe thunderstorm—not a tornado—but in that moment, I was ready to click my heels and go back to the Midwest, where at least I knew what the weatherman was saying.

Once the skies cleared, we got to enjoy the best of Cajun Country. A highlight was visiting the Tabasco factory, which was far more impressive than we expected. The grounds were beautiful, full of history and pride in such an iconic Louisiana product. Patrick was especially excited about scoring an MRE-sized bottle of Tabasco with the Army logo on it, gifted to veterans. Leave it to him to find the “tactical” hot sauce option.

Never actually knew where Tobasco was in Lousiana but I am glad we got to see it!

The MRE-sized bottle of Tabasco sauce that we still have to this day.

And then there was the food. Oh my goodness, the food. From gumbo to jambalaya to crawfish étouffée, every meal was packed with flavor and soul. One weekend, we went to a zydeco brunch, and the energy was electric—live music, dancing, and food that kept us going back for seconds. It was impossible not to get swept up in the joy of it all.

We also explored some local art shops, where I found the coolest pair of evil eye earrings. I loved them. My mom? Not so much. She thought they were “too creepy,” which made me love them even more.

These were the evil eye earrings that my mom hated.

In between the eating, shopping, and dancing, we made time for some quiet walks near the bayou. The scenery was gorgeous, but I’ll admit I was constantly on edge, convinced another alligator would appear at any moment. Luckily, no surprise reptilian encounters this time—but my eyes stayed peeled.

Turtles are about the only reptiles that I can handle.

Beaux Bridge also marked a harder chapter in our journey. This is where our sweet Indy girl started to get sick. At first, we just thought she was being picky about her food—suddenly turning up her nose at the Caesar meals she usually loved. We didn’t know then how much more was going on, only that something was changing.

Our time in Beaux Bridge was a mix of stormy nights, spicy food, soulful music, and tender moments. It reminded us that life on the road is unpredictable—you take the tough lessons right alongside the unforgettable experiences.