Get hooked on Grand Isle

A playground for fishing cowboys, Grand Isle and Cheniere Caminada, in Jefferson Parish at the southern tip of La. Highway 1 – hosts rodeos and provides opportunities galore to wet one’s bait.

Since the early 1700s, when the first families set stake in the community, Grand Isle has been a relatively small, tight-knit town of about 1,500 people. Each summer, its population swells as more than 12,000 tourists join in the fun for the Grand Isle International Tarpon Rodeo, Fourth of July festivities and the other offerings the beach-front community has to offer.

With the Gulf of Mexico lapping at its toes, Grand Isle could very well be the spot officials had in mind when they gave Louisiana the moniker, “Sportsman’s Paradise.”

Over the years, the island has become a hub for tourism, the seafood industry and oilfield-related professionals.

This jewel, located just minutes from Lafourche Parish, is a find for any family looking for a quick get-away. It has a bounty of fun for everyone, dad, mom and the kids.

For starters, Grand Isle has an abundance of fishing, whether it’s a charter boat deep-sea fishing excursion, wrestling monster specks, red snapper, king mackerel, tarpon, tuna and marlin, or a coastal or marsh trip for speckled trout, redfish, croaker or drum, this region is a fisherman’s notion of heaven.

Landlubbers may gravitate to the “Old Fishin’ Bridge,” a lighted, public site, which is great for reeling in trout, redfish and croaker or crabbing. The bridge is open to fishing 24/7.

More than 280 species of fish are known to make their home in the waters off Grand Isle’s coast. So, odds are, any given day, they’re biting. And the island’s numerous marinas and bait shops can serve all your needs, whether it’s shopping for bait and gear, finding out what’s biting or directions on where to launch your boat.

If you’re more the competitive sort, there are fishing rodeos virtually every weekend somewhere on the island. Be sure to ask at any shop.

Grand Isle’s sandy beaches, swimming and surfing call to families. Because of the Gulf of Mexico’s warm temperatures, the islands’ beaches are ideal for swimming virtually all year long.

Grand Isle State Park, and nearby Fourchon Beach, provides 49 premium camping sites, as well as canoe, paddle boat and surf bike rentals.

The island is also home to the Buttterfly Dome. Maintained by volunteers, the facility provides another opportunity for visitors to become one with nature.

The simple butterfly dome is filled with several different species of butterflies and the environments and plants needed to sustain them. In all, there are 139 native butterfly species in Louisiana.

Wayne Keller, dome curator and butterfly enthusiast, created the dome. He’s identified at least a dozen species of Louisiana butterflies commonly residing in the dome: Giant Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, Monarchs, Cloudless Sulfurs, Buckeyes and Gulf Fritillaries. Also inside the dome are nectar-producing plants that sustain butterflies, including milkweed, salvia, parsley, thyme, hot pink penta and feathery ageratum.

Guided or self-guided tours are available. This is a great site for artists to practice their craft, photographers to test their skills and the curious to learn about various butterfly species. Be sure to pick up a checklist at the kiosk next to the dome to follow along.

The Grand Isle Butterfly Conservancy is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

So, whether you’re looking for a fishing spot, a place to enjoy the beach, bird watch, camp or just enjoy the freshest seafood around, consider Grand Isle.

It’s a great day-cation spot right here in our own backyard. One visit, and you’ll be hooked.