Postcards from the Sisters: Road to Texas with LoDa š
Part road trip diary, part visual scrapbook ā this stretch of the trip took Lauri & Dave from Alabama through Mississippi, Louisiana, and into New Orleans before rolling west toward Texas.
š Recap from Part 1 –
Postcard from Lauri: Life on the Road with LoDa ā Vicariously Seven Sisters
NY ā PA ā OH ā TN ā AL
This leg of the trip:
AL ā MS ā LA ā TX
šø Crossing Into Mississippi
Somewhere after Alabama, everything shifted.
The trees got greener, flowers started exploding everywhere, and the air finally felt like spring.
š Laurel, Mississippi
HGTV fans ā this stop was for us.
Laurel was one of the places at the top of the list after watching Home Town, and it ended up being one of the most enjoyable small-town stops of the trip.
We wandered through downtown shops, checked out murals and historic buildings, and spent more time than expected just people-watching in the square.
Lauri Notes: Laurel felt slower and quieter than expected ā in the best possible way.
A few favorite details from Laurel:
- colorful murals
- old storefronts
- giant shade trees
- charming older homes
- little pockets of spring color everywhere
And yesā¦ the HGTV spotting was very real š
š LoDa Moments
Road trips have a funny way of turning random stops into favorite memories.
A candy shop stop, beautiful old oak trees, quiet neighborhood streets, and lots of windshield photography from the passenger seat.
āļø Welcome to Louisiana
Crossing into Louisiana immediately felt different.
The sunsets got softer, the seafood got better, and we found one of our favorite overnight stops near the water in Slidell.
Fresh seafood, dock sunsets, and a surprisingly peaceful night before New Orleans.
Lauri Notes: Sometimes the best stops are the unplanned ones.
A few little Louisiana moments:
- Umbrella Alley
- sunset reflections on the water
- fresh seafood dinners
- trying alligator for the first time
Because honestlyā¦ when in Louisiana š
šŗ New Orleans
New Orleans felt like sensory overload in the best way.
Wrought iron balconies, old brick buildings, jazz signs, murals, bright colors, quirky people, and tiny architectural details everywhere you looked.
We parked near the Visitor Center and spent most of the day walking.
Lauri Notes: I couldāve spent an entire day just photographing doors, balconies, and signs.
Some favorite finds:
- street performers
- vintage neon signs
- tiny tucked-away storefronts
- colorful murals
- funky architecture
- music floating through the streets
The murals alone couldāve been their own entire trip.
Every few blocks felt completely different.
The architectural details may have been my favorite part:
- ironwork
- balconies
- gates
- old shutters
- hidden courtyards
- weathered brick everywhere
We also visited:
- St. Louis Cemetery
- Garden District areas
- tree-lined streets near City Park
- NOMA surroundings
Even just driving around was beautiful.
By the end of the stop, we were ready for a quieter night back near the water before continuing west toward Texas.
LoDa was holding up pretty well too š
š Your Turn
Have a favorite road trip stop, quirky roadside find, or hidden gem we should add to the list?
Leave it in the comments ā LoDa may just end up there next š
š Lauri’s Travel Scorecard
- Favorite Stop: New Orleans
- Best Meal: Fresh Louisiana seafood
- Best Photo: Umbrella Alley or waterfront sunset
- Biggest Surprise: Laurel, Mississippi
- Would Return? Absolutely
ā Lauri & Dave
Rolling south with LoDa š
Discover more from Vicariously Seven Sisters
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
