Welcome to Coastal Mississippi

We were asked by several locals what we were doing in coastal Mississippi, a certified retirement region. The trip was actually sparked by a hidden gem, the Red Bluffs, 2 hours North of the coast. A weekend getaway to hike among the stunning colors of the Red Bluffs was definitely worth it.

Gulfport

Fishbone Alley

• Restaurants and pubs are hidden among the artwork in Fishbone Alley. Check Facebook for live music and other events.

Chandeleur Brewing Company

• Around the corner from Fishbone Alley is Chandeleur Island Brewing Company, named after 50 miles of uninhabited Mississippi islands. Flights of 4 are available to sample the 10+ beers on draft. Enjoy live music Saturdays and Sundays in the spacious taproom or on the small outdoor patio. We recommend Blueberry Cobbler, a gulf sour with blueberry and brown sugar, and Love Bug, a tangy gulf sour with passion fruit and mango.

Beignet Cafe

• Among the restaurants in the Island View Casino lobby is Beignet Cafe. Enjoy warm beignets buried under a heap of confectioners’ sugar with a cup of chicory coffee without traveling 80 minutes West to New Orleans. Chicory Coffee is brewed with ground roots of the chicory plant and served with a splash of warm milk. It tastes very similar to bean roasted coffee but has a strong nutty flavor and is caffeine free.

Gulfport Harbor

• The birds are as plentiful as the parking at the Gulfport Harbor Beach. Nearby, walk along the promenade at Gulfport Municipal Marina or stroll through Jones Park.

World’s Largest Rocking Chair

• The World’s largest rocking chair, standing 35 feet tall, was built in 1995 from Southern Pine. No sitting or climbing on the chair, but you can see this roadside attraction at 11451 Canal Road, Gulfport.

Biloxi

• The cast iron Biloxi Lighthouse was built in 1848. Stroll the 1-10 Loop Walk on the elevated boardwalk along the ocean ending at Biloxi Beach.

• The popular Ken Combs Pier, also known as Courthouse Pier, was inaccessible during our visit due to damage from Hurricane Zeta.

Kiln

Lazy Magnolia Brewing

• We loved the rustic decor of Lazy Magnolia Brewing‘s spacious taproom. An extensive pizza menu is available to compliment the 10 draft beers. Stop in Saturday for Kegs and Eggs, $25 per person all you can drink + a pizza + a souvenir glass. We recommend ordering a pizza and the Vanilla Pecan, a nut brown ale brewed with pecans and vanilla. The plain cheese pizza had all the elements of a perfect pizza, a hint of garlic, gooey cheese, and a crunchy crust. Yum! #dosomethinglazy

Ocean Springs

• Check out the local Ocean Springs Fresh Market every Saturday from 8:00am – 12:00pm for locally grown produce, plants, flowers, homemade food items.

• For a local experience, have a drink overlooking Fort Bayou at Mikey’s on the Bayou. Locally owned and operated, neighboring fisherman supply fresh seafood every morning.

Fort Bayou Brewing Company

• Cypress Tap House, home of Fort Bayou Brewing Company, has a beautiful outdoor patio above a koi pond and plenty of indoor seating. Choose from 7 Fort Bayou Brewing Co. draft beers and nearly 20 guest taps. A menu offers appetizers, quesadillas, salads, and seafood. Order a flight of 4 and customize your sour with an added puree. We recommend the blackened redfish with roasted red potatoes, a caprese salad, and a Strawberry Jalapeno Sour, offering jalapeno flavors without the spice, or Weisenheimer Blueberry Hefeweizen. The food was delicious and the portions were perfect.

Craft Advisory Brewing

• Craft Advisory Brewing and Bistro has a spacious taproom and plenty of outdoor seating to sample a flight of 4. A menu offers appetizers, salads, sides, po’boys, burgers, and tacos.

Government Street

• In 2018 Ocean Springs passed a law allowing golf carts on public roads with a speed limit of 30 mph or less. Saturday night golf carts zoom up and down Government Street past restaurants, bars, boutiques, and shops. We recommend dinner and drinks at Mosaic Tapas & Restaurant and The Beer House (pictured above).

Gulf Islands National Seashore 

• The Gulf Islands National Seashore consists of the Davis Bayou Area, a small area on the mainland of Mississippi, and several islands off the coast of Florida and Mississippi. Between March and October, a public ferry is available to Ship Island from the Margaritaville Resort in Biloxi. Excursions or charters can be scheduled to visit Cat Island, Horn Island, Petit Bois Island, and West Petit Bois Island.

1.5 Hours North: Hattiesburg

Southern Prohibition Brewing

 

• Enjoy a flight of 4 from nearly 20 beers on draft, including 4 flagship beers in the sophisticated lounge, spacious taproom, or outdoor patio with a game of soccer pool. We recommend Southern Prohibition Company Berserker Mode Baltic Porter, with Grin roasted coffee and cocoa nibs, and Sea Lord, an imperial oat brown with hints of vanilla, cocoa nibs, and sea salt. Check Facebook for a food truck schedule.

Colludium Brewing Company

• Colludium Brewing Company is a great weekend brunch spot with a variety of crepes, endless board games, an outdoor patio, and 3 Colludium Brewing beers on draft in addition to nearly 30 guest taps. We recommend a s’more crepe and a Carbs Against Humanity milk stout.

2 Hours North: Foxworth

Red Bluffs

• The Red Bluffs were caused by the erosion of the Pearl River. The expansion of the erosion required moving Highway 587 not once, but twice. Drive past the sign warning of a road closure ahead to reach Mississippi’s Little Grand Canyon. There is parking at the end of the road near the bluffs. Paths are worn around the top of the bluffs and into the canyon. Be careful near the edge of the road and paths, the bluffs are continuously eroding away underneath the surface.

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November 2020