It isn’t Maui. You don’t see those big blue barrels at Grand Isle, surfer Keegan McGuire says. The waves can get to 10 feet, but usually they’re much smaller, just big enough to glide on and have fun.

Zachery Russ, of New Orleans, surfs in Grand Isle, La., Sunday, June 30, 2024. Russ said his brother taught him to surf around 2016 and he honed his skills in Grand Isle in 2020 when multiple named ...