The Creole Nature Trail All-American Road offers easy access to 26 miles of undeveloped Gulf coast beaches for swimming, tubing, surf fishing, birding, sun bathing and shelling.

Located west of the Mississippi delta, the beaches are constantly replenished by the "muddy river's" southeast tidal flow bringing driftwood and a wide variety of shells including welks, cockles, angelwings, cateyes, olives, wentletraps, coquinas and periwinkles.

Low tide - particularly after severe weather - offers the best opportunities for shelling. And if you're lucky, you'll find a "Sea Bean" - a pod carried all the way from Central and South American forests.