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Access Code: 70358 - Grand Isle, Louisiana

People from far and wide are attracted to it as a premier destination for fishing.

GRAND ISLE, La. - We hit the road and headed south to the Gulf of Mexico for this week's "Access Code" report. This week, our series continues with the ZIP code 70358, Grand Isle, Louisiana.

It may be hard to believe, but Grand Isle is part of Jefferson Parish even though it is approximately 95 miles away from the Joseph S. Yenni Building in Elmwood, Louisiana.

Grand Isle is small, with a population just under 1,300 people. There is only one school and only one grocery store. There are 103 residential mailboxes and 34 businesses on the island. Also, the area included in the ZIP code includes almost as much water as land.

Grand Isle is located on a barrier island that is only 7.4 miles long with one main road: LA 1. People from far and wide are attracted to it as a premier destination for fishing.

"It's a summer based place. Lots of people come May through August. RV campground is packed, boats all in the marina," Chelsea Vegas said.

There are marinas on both sides of the island, owned and operated by the same family: a brother and sister. Vegas married into the family and works at Bridge Side Marina. She says they see hundreds of boats come through the marina on a busy day in the summer.

Alongside its world-class fishing, Grand Isle is also a birding habitat. The city just hosted its 20th Anniversary Migratory Bird Celebration" over the weekend that was held throughout the island.

"Pleasure to share our resources and the birds with all those who appreciate them," Jean Landry said.

Landry was one of the original founders of the event. She is part of the Nature Conservancy Louisiana Chapter. They own and protect 165 acres of land on Grand Isle that will never be developed - allowing their island to play a vital role in nature.

If you missed the festivities over the weekend, there's still plenty to see. April is the peak season for birds' migration that lasts until mid-May.

Residents say Grand Isle is a great place to live. Everyone knows everyone and there's hardly any crime and great schooling.

The only downfall is hurricanes. Most of the houses and businesses are built on pilings. New construction or renovations must be at least 16 feet high. When a hurricane is forecasted to impact the island, the locals say they know what to take and what to leave behind.

Next week we head to Marrero to check in on the 70072 ZIP code. A big draw in that area is the Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte. More than 400,000 people visit the park every year from all over the world. We'll dive deeper into the Jefferson Parish treasure next week.

Before You Leave, Check This Out