With a population of only 11,887 according to the 2000 Census, one movie theater and only a handful of restaurants, the city of Abbeyville, Louisiana provides minimal entertainment. Being the "Heart of the Cajun County," Abbeyville is completely landlocked. While staying in Abbeyville, you can seek out surrounding areas to visit, including the beaches along the Gulf Coast. A few hours from Abbeyville, you can find some of the nicest beaches in the area.
In just 2 hours and 47 minutes, you can drive from Abbeyville to Lake Charles. The city of Lake Charles resides on Lake Charles, Prien Lake and the Calcasieu River, just a few miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. It has the only white sand inland beach on the Gulf Coast. Lake Charles' attractions are mainly located in its historic downtown and lakefront. The lakefront has a boardwalk that connects the beach to several parks, including the Millennium Park and Veteran's Memorial Park. The beach is an excellent place to rent a jet ski. Downtown provides many places of interest, including beautiful Victorian homes and restaurants like Pujo Street Café and Luna Bar and Grill.
A quieter getaway is Holly Beach, which is a 2 hour and 18 minute drive from Abbeyville. Residing in southwest Louisiana and along the Gulf of Mexico, Holly Beach gained the nickname of "Cajun Riviera" from locals and visitors alike due to its coastal location. Since Hurricane Rita in 2005, Holly Beach has been rebuilding its community. Unlike upscale beaches with expensive resorts and properties, Holly Beach has a community of around 500 camped -- mostly in their RVs -- around a strip of the beach. Visitors often go there for a weekend getaway of relaxing on the sand, including shell collecting, fishing, crabbing and swimming.
With only 1,500 residents, Grand Isle may seem like a sleepy town. However, over the summer over 12,000 tourists pour into this tiny community at the southern tip of Louisiana to participate in many of the summer festivities, including the rodeo and Independence Day fireworks. In addition to the festivities, Grand Isle also has many piers to accommodate fishing and many restaurants like Barataria Seafood Grill or Beav's Bar B Q.
Also 3 hours and 13 minutes from Abbeyville is Shell Beach, known for its natural beauty and excellent shoreline. Shell Beach itself doesn't provide any amenities, but it's only 45 minutes from New Orleans, which offers many hotels, bed and breakfasts and restaurants. Visitors to Shell Beach usually bring their own food and beverages and raise a tent for the night or park their RVs in a nearby campground to enjoy the shoreline and the beach's charm. Attractions near Shell Beach include Catahoula Bay, Bayou Segnette State Park and Point Chicot
