Located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Biloxi, Mississippi, is best known for its beaches and casinos. While a day at the casino might be exciting for some, there are plenty of fun things to do in Biloxi other than gambling! Here’s a list of a few of our favorite activities below.
Take a Salty Tour of Boats
The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum maintains the maritime history of Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Exhibits provide information on topics like shrimping, marine blacksmithing, net making and wooden boat building. Two Biloxi schooner replicas are moored at the Schooner Pier Complex. Stare out to sea from their three pavilions and second story observation deck. In addition, the Wade Guice Hurricane Museum, offering a state-of-the-art theater and exhibit space, is located within the museum.
View Beautiful Works of Art
The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art is dedicated to the ceramics of George E. Ohr, who called himself “The Mad Potter of Biloxi.” This funky museum focuses on Southeastern regional art, including local artists, history, landscape, and architecture. It comprises four buildings, including the Pleasant Reed House, which was built by a former slave after the Civil War.
Enjoy a Shrimping Trip
Set sail on an exciting excursion with the Biloxi Cruise Company. The tour boat, Sailfish, moored on Beach Boulevard, takes you on a real shrimping expedition. The 70-minute boat trip is situated in the waters between Deer Island and the Biloxi shoreline. The crew drags a 16-foot trawl across the bottom of the Mississippi Sound, while the captain presents and identifies the catch. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about catching, cooking, and eating this delicious southern delicacy, Mississippi Gulf Coast style.
Visit a Lighthouse
The Biloxi Lighthouse, erected in 1848, towers next to Biloxi Beach on the Mississippi Sound. The lighthouse was one of the first cast-iron lighthouses in the South. Civilians were responsible for tending the light from its inception until 1939 when the U.S. Coast guard took over the job. Blue bands were painted on the brick lining inside the tower to show the sea level rise during various hurricanes. The highest level, 21.5 feet above sea level, was reached during Hurricane Katrina. Guided tours are available, without reservation, from 9 AM to 10 AM each day.
Relax on the Beach
The soft white sand of Biloxi Beach is ideal for lounging on but also for swimming, since barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico keep the water calm. Surf is almost non-existent around this coastal town. When the city heats up, the water temperatures becomes superbly swimmable. The average water temperature is in the 80s through the heat of summer, and above 70 degrees Fahrenheit for much of April and into October. The beach is easily accessible off Beach Blvd. (U.S. Hwy 90) almost anywhere along the coast.
You can rent all of your beach needs here, like chairs, umbrellas, aqua cycles, personal watercraft, and more.
View the Local Wildlife
Deer Island Coastal Preserve, located right off the coast of Biloxi, is a great place to paddleboard, boat, canoe, or sit back and enjoy a secluded getaway. In addition to white sand beaches, you’ll find tall pines and marshes in the interior of the island. You can view alligators, mottled ducks, osprey, loggerhead turtles, and diamond terrapin in their natural habitat on the island, and many endangered and protected species.
Learn about American History
Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library, is the seaside retirement estate of Jefferson Davis, an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. The property includes a nature trail, outbuildings, the Confederate Museum, the Confederate Veterans Cemetery, and the Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier. Admission to the restored antebellum home includes a guided tour of the museum and cemetery.
Enjoy Your Getaway to Biloxi
As you can see, there’s something for everyone in this laid-back beach town with a personality all its own. A day at the casino is always a good time. But for those trying to make the most of their trip to this older city, which was settled in 1699, nearly 120 years before Mississippi became a state, you’ll get to enjoy some culture and a day of relaxation as well.