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| Biloxi Lighthouse |
When my wife and I decided to visit the city of Biloxi, Mississippi for the first time, we frankly didn’t know what to expect. We knew very little of the city, its attractions, food scene, or how safe it is. For those of you that have been following us, safety is one of the most important things we consider whenever we decide to visit a place.
In our previous travels using AirBnB/Vrbo since our early retirement in August 2020, picking a month-long rental comes down to several factors, but none more important than safety of the place. We always read reviews of the rental to make sure it’s not in an unsafe location, where someone mentions anything like drug dealings, gun shots, etc.
In Biloxi, we would be staying at a 4 star rated hotel resort, so we knew at least our lodging choice would be safe. Outside of our hotel though, we weren’t sure. We knew at least Beach Blvd. in front of our hotel, looked really clean and welcoming when I looked at it using Google Maps Street View.
Although looking at a street view that was taken by an employee of Google god knows how long ago, it still tells plenty of stories. For example, we can tell how clean and updated the roads are. When the roads are well maintained, it tells me that the city is paying attention. When the streets are clean, without debris, then that’s also a great sign.
At least on Street View, things looked promising. It wouldn’t be until we actually venture out to the little nooks and crannies of a city that we can really figure out for ourselves things like safety. With that thought in our mind, we set out exploring and experiencing all that the city has to offer, and what it has to offer is spectacular!
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| Biloxi sign along Beach Blvd. |
Here are our favorite things to do near Biloxi!
- Biloxi Lighthouse and Biloxi Beach
We decided to do a guided tour of the Biloxi Lighthouse and at $5 per person, it was a bargain! The tickets can be purchased at the Biloxi Visitors Center, directly across the street from the lighthouse.
Biloxi Visitors Center is a great resource to figure out things to do, and its staff was very friendly and helpful. We learned of must do things nearby, and we enjoyed the historic artifacts of famous Mississippians, like Elvis Presley and Bo Diddley.
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| Jacket worn by Elvis Presley |
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| Biloxi Visitors Center |
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| Guitar used by Bo Diddley |
Once we purchased our guided tour tickets, we walked over to the lighthouse, where the tour was to begin. We joined one other couple on the tour, and our guide gave us a very insightful overview of the lighthouse and its history.
I was mystified by the water level seen during major hurricanes like Katrina, which was at 21.5 feet in height! I just couldn’t imagine being inside the lighthouse or the waterfront area during a hurricane. The thought gave me chills down my spine…
After the overview, we walked up to the top of the lighthouse for a fantastic view of Biloxi area. It was definitely a great view, and we highly recommend it.
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| Biloxi Lighthouse |
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| Staircase to the top of the lighthouse |
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| View west from the lighthouse |
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| View east |
- Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art is located few miles east of I-110 and it is very easy to find along Beach Blvd. The museum was designed by noted architect Frank Gehry, who also designed the famous Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain.
We arrived at the museum impressed by the futuristic architecture of the museum. “The Pods” looked just like a space ship from the distance.
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| “The Pods”, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi |
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| The museum campus, comprising of several buildings |
After parking our car, we walked inside the welcome center to pay our admission fee of $10 per person. The employee recommended we take the elevator to the top floor for a nice view of the city. We did just that.
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| View from the top floor of the welcome center |
Views from the top floor was definitely grand! We took a moment to look at the city’s waterfront area as well as the city streets. We started noticing more visitors by that time, so we walked down to view different exhibits before it got too busy.
We viewed the works of George Ohr, the “Mad Potter of Biloxi”, as well as other local artists. I must admit my favorite part about the museum was the Pleasant Reed Interpretative Center. Inside, a very moving exhibit about the Biloxi Wade-In touched a chord. I learned of the civil rights protests staged by Dr. Gilbert Mason and the role Medgar Evers played.
I had only read and remembered little parts about these protests in history books, but to read about the protests at the site of the protests was really moving. It was learning about history at its best.
We also learned as well, the origin of the house that was used as a school for African-American children during the segregation period. The house was hand built by Pleasant Reed in 1887, a former slave who overcame incredible odds to contribute to local and American history.
The Intrepretive Center contains authentic period furnishing from the 1900’s, as well as recorded interviews of former students which were fascinating. Highly recommended!
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
Stretching over 160 miles along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico in Mississippi and Florida, Gulf Islands National Seashore include barrier islands, historic forts, bayous, and marine habitat. We barely scratched the surface on our trip as there were just too many things to see and do!
We settled on the closest one near Biloxi, the Davis Bayous Area, which was only about a 20 minute drive from where we were staying. Because it was the offseason, admission fee was waived when we arrived.
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| Visitor center, Gulf Islands National Seashore |
We checked out the visitor center with displays of local habitat, then went outside the visitor center to take in the beautiful views of the marsh area and the Mississippi Sound. What a view!
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| View from the observation deck, Gulf Islands National Seashore |
After enjoying the view, we went out to the parking area, then got on the walking path on our right. We wanted to see where it would lead us, and to our pleasant surprise, it led to the fishing pier several hundred yards from the parking lot.
The views opened up beautifully near the fishing pier. Cool views!
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| Fishing pier |
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| I loved this lone tree! |
As we got on the fishing pier, a fellow visitor commented they just saw a pod of dolphins nearby. We got excited just hearing that, so we intently watched for dolphins ourselves. Unfortunately, we didn’t see them after waiting several minutes. Oh, well…
Despite the fact that we missed the dolphins, we highly recommend visiting the national seashore when you’re visiting the Biloxi area. It is such a beautiful place with tremendous views and wildlife.
- Pascagoula River Audubon Center
Located in the town on Moss Point, Pascagoula River Audubon Center is about a 30 minute drive from Beau Rivage. We were looking for something to do on a beautiful, sunny day, so we decided to go for a little drive out there.
It was a good decision, as we needed some peace and quiet after spending time inside our at-times-hectic hotel resort. After parking our car across the street from the center, we walked atop the grand pebble stoned entrance.
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| Pascagoula River Audubon Center |
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| Along the entrance to the center |
We walked upstairs to the admissions office, but to our surprise, they didn’t charge us for admission as there were maybe around 50 grade school age students at the center. She felt bad charging us I guess…
We thanked her, then looked at the displays of native flora and fauna. It was very nicely done, even if it was a small display.
We made our way outside to view the river and its habitat. It was a warm and sunny morning in Biloxi, and we didn’t even need a light jacket in early December. We liked the short boardwalk that takes you deep into the marsh, where you can learn about native plants.
We looped the short boardwalk/trail, then walked towards the kayak launch/observation deck to take in the scenery. Across the river, we saw a crane standing impossibly still looking for food. We also saw a bunch of waterfowl lazily swimming nearby. It was in short, our kind of a place…
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| View from the observation deck |
- Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival
Although this winter festival only happens during Christmas, if you’re ever in Biloxi area during the month of December, please check it out! It was absolutely the best Christmas light show we saw, ever!
I found out about this winter festival during my many searches for things to do during our stay in Biloxi. It was so tempting, as we are both suckers for Christmas related festivals! We had to check it out.
We left on a breezy evening from our hotel heading westbound. We found the town of Gulfport incredibly easy. It was right on Beach Blvd., and we found it in about 20 minutes. The Christmas lights were unmistakable and incredibly beautiful as we approached the festival located at Jones Park.
Our Google Maps directed us to Jones Park but not where to park, so we had to figure that out. Lucky for us, I took a screenshot of the festival’s website where they mentioned where to park!
That happened to be right across the street, where the Gulfport Transit Center is located. We drove across the street, then parked at the garage. We noticed the parking was free, which was an added bonus!
After parking, we walked back to Jones Park, then stopped at the admissions booth. After paying $15 per person, we walked in to a world full of incredible lights and sounds. Christmas carols were played everywhere we turned, and there was a light show with ever changing colors synchronized to Christmas music. It was fantastic.
We walked in a wide circle around Jones Park marveling at all the incredible, festive colors. We saw a Ferris Wheel, bunch of shops selling souvenirs and warm drinks/snacks, and Santa’s Workshop.
We saw many families with young ones, and we can tell the young ones were having a great time. Well, so were we! We had never been to a Christmas festival quite like this one. It was just incredible…
- Awesome casino resorts along Beach Blvd., and beyond
As we were approaching the Mississippi Sound via I-110 southbound, we saw several beautiful casino resorts along the way. There are 8 of them as of this writing, and it reminded us of Atlantic City in New Jersey.
Besides the Beau Rivage, where we were staying at, there are: Hard Rock, Harrah’s, IP, Boomtown, Golden Nugget, Palace, and Treasure Bay. That ought to keep every gambler happy!
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| Beau Rivage, Biloxi |
In conclusion:
Our first trip to Biloxi was an incredible experience from the moment we checked into our hotel, to our last day when we checked out. We were truly feeling impressed, nostalgic, and missing the place as we headed out…We had made some awesome memories which will last our lifetimes.
What is life anyway if not a collection of memories of good times and bad times? We should try to enjoy those good moments and cherish them, as they may not always come…
Biloxi turned out to be a great city full of history, beauty, and attractions. We hope you get to enjoy the city like we have!
Thank you all for reading and happy trails!
Jake
Wandering Money Pig
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