Why not create your own family road trip memories this year? There is a perfect place where you can find all kinds of fun for the whole family�SouthCoastUSA.

SouthCoastUSA spans four states�Northwest Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Its 14 great destinations are all connected by Interstate 10 and bordered by the Gulf of Mexico. You will find beautiful beaches, fishing, boating, a host of outdoor activities, family friendly accommodations and restaurants, museums and zoos. Come with us for a quick tour.

In Northwest Florida, the Beaches of South Walton offer some of the most beautiful beaches and a wide array of outdoor activities. They also have many opportunities to learn about and enjoy the area�s natural habitats, including sea-oat covered beach dunes, fresh and salt water lakes and nature trails. Several resorts, including the unique WaterColor, offer comprehensive children�s programs.

In Sandestin, you won�t want to miss the Treasure Cruise, sailing from the Baytowne Marina five days a week. Your family will sail off with Calico Jack and his raucous crew on a search for buried treasure.

Restaurants abound for the hungry family. Try Pickles Beachside Eatery in Seaside for All-American hot dogs, hamburgers along with its signature dish, fried pickles. Pompano Joe�s Seafood House is known as the neighborhood beach place in South Walton and welcomes families.

Just a short drive away is Pensacola. Be sure to visit The Zoo in Gulf Breeze, which is home to 700 animals. The National Museum of Naval Aviation, located on the Pensacola Naval Air Station, is one of the three largest aviation museums in the world, offering an IMAX theatre, interactive exhibits and a stunning display of aircrafts from the early days of naval flight to space travel.

For just plain fun, spend some time at Sam�s Fun City Amusement Park and Surf City Water Park (opening in summer 2005).

There is fun family dining at Flounders Chowder House on Pensacola Beach. Not only is the food great, but also there is plenty of activity, including a pirate�s ship playground, an arcade beach volleyball and a whole lot more.

Many accommodation properties offer children�s activity programs during the summer. Try the Hilton Garden Inn or the Hampton Inn on Pensacola Beach.

In Alabama, you won�t want to miss the wonderful Alabama Gulf Coast beaches at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. And for something unique, an hour�s drive brings you to Mobile and to the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center and IMAX theatre, a premier hands-on, minds-on science and family fun museum. You can also experience Mardi Gras year round at the Mobile Carnival Museum.

Go on an adventure the entire family will enjoy at Mobile�s Alligator Alley. You can feed the gator, meet Captain Crunch and see his world record size bite! Or visit a real battleship, the USS Alabama.

Just another hour�s drive brings you to Mississippi�s Gulf Coast, with its sunny beaches and a wide array of recreational opportunities. You will want to take the Ship Island Ferry to the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Or try your hand at shrimping on the Biloxi Shrimping Trip.

Just next door, you�ll discover Ocean Springs, an ideal location for biking, fishing and boating. Kayaking is a specialty there. In neighboring Hancock County, visit NASA�s Space Center and explore the beaches and backwaters.

In just another hour and a half, you can arrive in the exciting city of New Orleans. Take a riverboat ride or a swamp tour. How about an old-fashioned streetcar ride?

Family activities include the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas/IMAX, the Audubon Zoo, Six Flags New Orleans, the Children�s Museum and Mardi Gras World.

Just north of Lake Ponchetrain, New Orleans Northshore offers an affordable, family-friendly getaway. Rent a bicycle and ride the 31-mile Tammany Trace, an award-winning rails-to trails conversion that connects five St. Tammany towns.

Or visit the Honey Island Swamp, an incredibly pristine river estuary swamp where you will feel transported in time, as if you�re setting foot where man has never gone before. Amazing landscapes of moss-dripping cypress trees, birds, wildlife, huge gators and even reputedly a �swamp monster�. Local companies offer guided boat tours of the area.

The Insta-Gator Alligator Ranch and Hatchery welcomes visitors to see everything about Louisiana�s alligator ranching industry. This is the only tour of its kind and guests can see thousands of gators. To see other types of creatures, visit the Global Wildlife Center in Folsum, the largest totally free-roaming wildlife preserve in the country and home to more than 3000 exotic, endangered and threatened animals from all over the world.

Heading west, stop in Lafayette to tour the Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium. Then head to Baton Rouge for both fun and educational experiences. Dixie landing Theme Park and Blue Bayou Waterpark are just right for families. Get a real look at Louisiana�s past at the LSU Rural Life Museum and take a spin to BREC�s Baton Rouge Zoo. Don�t forget to enjoy the games and pizza at Celebration Station.

Houma is the Heart Of America�s Wetland. You will want to take a swamp tour and try your hand at fishing, hiking and cycling.

Last stop on your Family Road Trip is Lake Charles, where you will find a magnificent fresh water lake, the only white sand inland beach along the Gulf. Enjoy the great outdoors and take a ride down the Creole Nature Trail All American Road. And we�re told, the fishing is great!

Are you ready to go yet? We know you will find just what you are looking for in SouthCoast USA. For more information and to plan your trip, visit southcoastusa.com. While you are on the website, register to win your own Family Road Trip.
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Media Contacts:
Susan M. Storey
251-975-1947
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Eastern Shore, AL | Alabama Gulf Shores | Pensacola, FL | Beaches of South Walton, FL