The Bayou Bachelor Bash: Grand Isle, Louisiana

© Justin Barisich

While every groom-to-be should have a bachelor party, the Hollywood version of this final hurrah isn’t the only way to celebrate your best bud’s marriage. For the fellas out there who prefer to get their hands dirty, explore the outdoors and test their might, Grand Isle, La. is the best place to do this all with your groomsmen.

Renowned for its world-class fishing, Grand Isle is a remote oasis nearly hidden within Louisiana’s expansive shoreline. Located about a two-hour drive from the New Orleans International Airport, it’s the state’s only inhabited barrier island — offering spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico, miles of beaches and boundless wildlife — making it a superb place for an unconventional bachelor party.

But first things first, make sure you have a place to crash. Grand Isle Rentals is a great resource for finding whatever kind of accommodations you’d need, and if you’ve got a team of groomsmen, The Presidential Palace is about as perfect as it gets. You’ll love every relaxing, back-porch view from here with a cold brew in your hand.

© Justin Barisich

On the drive down, remember to stop by a local outdoors store, such as Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops, Dick’s Sporting Goods or even Walmart, to purchase your Louisiana Recreational Fishing License. You’re absolutely going to want to experience why we call Louisiana the Sportsman’s Paradise, so be sure to bring or rent the gear you need (plus an old pair of tennis shoes) to go rod-and-reel fishing and flounder gigging off the shallow coast of Elmer’s Island.

Swing by Dean Blanchard’s Seafood dock to pick up an ice chest of fresh shrimp sold wholesale and caught only hours before from a boat just returned from the Gulf. You’ll want these for when you do your very own Louisiana Shrimp Boil.

To sate your extreme side, slide on down to Wake Side, Louisiana’s first and only saltwater cable park, where you can wakeboard, hydro slide, inner tube, waterski and more all without needing a boat to pull you. And if you still want to stick with tradition, Tidelands Golf and Country Club offers a great, nine-hole golf course only 30 minutes away from town.

Though it’s a bit of a trek to the southernmost inhabited point of Louisiana, Grand Isle offers quite a spread of both relaxing and sporting options for your unconventional bachelor party. And, best of all, this weekend away with your boys will be something you’ll neither ever forget, nor ever regret.