When the sun is shining and music drifts through the air, you know it’s springtime in the Gulf South. Discover your next favorite getaway, festival, or vacation destination.
Mobile CVB
As the weather warms and blooms abound, the seasons are calling you to experience Mobile, Alabama’s vibrant, lush outdoor spaces. Known as the Azalea City for good reason, Mobile’s parks and gardens are overflowing with radiant blossoms that draw visitors and locals alike. Discover Bellingrath Gardens and Home, where 65 acres of exotic plants and flowers offer budding beauty every day of the year. From April 17 to June 15, the Gardens are proud to host the inaugural Gulf Coast Chinese Lantern Festival, an iridescent nighttime extravaganza of luscious, luminous dreamscapes brought to dazzling life. Witness 41 towering, handcrafted light sculptures glow with vibrant colors, lighting the landscape with interactive artistry and imagination. Bring the whole family for a journey through a living, glowing display that weaves a story of the plants, animals, and fantastical creatures through modern innovation and ancient tradition. There’s always something new to enjoy and explore in Mobile.
Learn more at mobile.org.
Vacation Artfully Pensacola
Forget what you think you know about Pensacola, Florida. Beyond the pristine white sand, the glittering blue waves, and beachside bliss is an entire world of art, culture, community, and fun. With Mardi Gras in the rearview and the Springtime sunshine glistening in the near future, Pensacola is open for business, offering something more than world-class attractions and relaxation, something enlightening, enriching, and engrossing. In short, Pensacola is ready to show you something you’ll never forget.
This Spring, join Pensacola’s own professional theater company, PenArts, for its 2025 season, featuring original theatrical works, including “They Promised Her The Moon” by Laurel Ollstein. The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra is one year away from celebrating its one-hundredth season and is set to feature an exciting series of concerts in March, including a presentation of Strauss & Schubert featuring guest artist and Pensacola native Titus Underwood, Principal Oboist of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. And Gallery Night in Pensacola is always worth the trip, with over 70 art vendors setting up shop downtown across six blocks along Palafox St. every third Friday of each month.
To learn more, visit vacationartfully.com.
Briquette
A historic gem tucked cozily among the historic warehouse district, Briquette offers the finest in modern tastes and design. Featuring a signature open kitchen and an 18-foot seafood display, enjoy watching fresh fish being prepared before your eyes on red-hot briquettes while sampling an extensive wine list and beautifully crafted cocktails. Come by for our Lenten menu or make us a delicious stop during French Quarter Fest or Jazz Fest. Make your reservations today! Open every day from 5 pm – 10 pm with Happy Hour from 5 pm – 6 pm.
New Orleans Creole Cookery
New Orleans Creole Cookery prides itself on offering the finest in Cajun and Creole cuisine in a stylish and innovative fashion that excites audiences and ignites appetites. With Carnival Season rapidly approaching, NOCC is your hub for families and friends to sit down for the finest in comfort dining. Located in the French Quarter, close to the river and near Canal Street, join NOCC for French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest for an authentic New Orleans experience that can’t be beat. Make your reservation to secure your table today! Open 11 am to 10 pm daily.
Scene by Rhys
Scene By Rhys Fine Art presents the wide-ranging work of Emilie Rhys, a third-generation artist whose unique style belies any clean categorization. The daughter of renowned New Orleans artist Noel Rockmore, Emilie’s own work was reinvigorated upon moving back to New Orleans in 2011, kickstarting a whirlwind of work that has dazzled audiences and buyers alike. The city’s music and those who perform it are her muse as she depicts musicians and venues with her special sense of lyrical realism and emotional truth.
This year, Scene By Rhys is participating in “Fridays on Royal”, where galleries and shops along Royal Street in the French Quarter will be open late, from 5 pm to 8 pm every “First Friday” of each month. Emilie, other artists, and gallerists invite the public to stop by to meet the artists, view and purchase art, and enjoy a little wine & conversation.
Learn more about Emilie’s life and work at scenebyrhys.com.
Travel Central
Embark on a stunning river cruise in November 2025, sailing seamlessly through five enchanting countries: Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. Starting in Budapest, delve into architectural grandeur before experiencing Bratislava’s charming blend of past and present. Vienna welcomes you with imperial grace, followed by Dürnstein’s quaint appeal and the scenic beauty of the Wachau Valley.
Journey onward to explore Melk’s notable abbey and uncover the medieval wonders of Passau and Regensburg. Immerse yourself in the Franconian spirit in Roth and Bamberg, and in Volkach, wander amidst picturesque vineyards. Marvel at Würzburg’s baroque elegance and Miltenberg’s halftimbered charm, leading you through the legendary Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim’s enticing taverns. Cologne, with its majestic cathedral, paves the way to Amsterdam’s vibrant canals.
This river cruise offers a rich tapestry of landscapes, cultures, and histories, where each port becomes a beloved memory ready to be explored.
Learn more at travelcentralvacations.com.
Pirate Day: Old Town Bay St. Louis, MS
Catch the 10th annual Pirate Day in the Bay, a weekend celebration in Old Town Bay St. Louis, MS, set for May 16th-17th. Hosted by the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse, the event begins Friday when pirates will gather for a whimsical skit followed by adult pirates enjoying a light-hearted pirate invasion, pub crawl, and treasure hunt throughout the local eateries and establishments. Saturday is family-friendly with a children’s walking parade, play zone, pirate costume contest for all ages, craft vendors, pirate invasion golf cart parade, live music, and fireworks finale at 9 pm. Most activities are free. Pirate Day in the Bay was awarded by Travel Lemming’s #27 on “150 Best Things to Do This Summer” for 2023, Mississippi Magazine Best of MS Travel 2022 for “Best Spring Festival”, Mississippi Magazine Best of Travel 2021 “M-List” winner, and Southeast Tourism Society 2021 “Top 20 Event”. See the full event schedule at mkotsh.com.
Pal’s Lounge and Martine’s Lounge
A New Orleans nightlife staple celebrated by locals for its welcoming atmosphere and late-night vibes, Pal’s Lounge has been voted favorite Mid-City neighborhood bar for too many years to count. The home of the Gingerita, a vodka concoction with a special ginger elixir from California, Pal’s Lounge has the universal comfort of a neighborhood hangout with a unique sense of Southern charm. Open from 3 pm to 3 am every day, Pal’s hosts different pop-up food every night of the week for dinner alongside a cozy outdoor patio and a jukebox playing deep cuts late into the night. The best spot for good food, good drinks, and great times, Pal’s Lounge invites neighbors and visitors alike to come over, have a Gingerita, and join in the fun.
Dovetail
Dovetail Bar is a craft cocktail and coffee venue located in the Lobby of the Schaeffer Hotel, a boutique hotel on the periphery of the French Quarter. The historic building, constructed in 1923, was originally built as a furniture store and workshop for Alsatian furniture purveyor J.P. Schaeffer. The building’s heavy timber structural system is represented throughout the design of Dovetail Bar, featuring cypress beams and columns, reclaimed heart-pine flooring, and the subtle narrative of wood joinery details often used in furniture making. The technical conversation continues with interlocking cocktail and coffee concepts, plus the craftsmanship of a professional bar/barista team. Dovetail Bar’s mission is to foster a balance between ambition and approachability. Our menu is both casual and complex, while the service standards always remain high.
Dovetail Bar showcases the true spirit of New Orleans in multiple facets: history, design, hospitality, and creative coffee & cocktails. Discover your new favorite locale for early mornings or late nights at dovetail-bar.com.
Ruston/Lincoln
The 2025 Louisiana Peach Festival is almost here for its 75th year!
Come down to Ruston, Louisiana, on June 7 for a fun-filled day of sweet treats and beats in the Southern heat. Featuring 85+ food and art vendors, 12+ hours of live music, free kids activities, and Ruston peaches, of course, the Louisiana Peach Festival is overflowing with activities, entertainment, and real good food.
Recently celebrated as the 2025 Festival of the Year by the Louisiana Travel Association, you won’t find a finer way to spend your Summer than at the 2025 Louisiana Peach Festival. Make the drive up North Louisiana way for a jam-packed day bursting to bits with exciting events that are sweet as can be.
Visit the 2025 Louisiana Peach Festival on June 7 and learn more at lapeachfest.com.•
