Five Ways to Experience the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Everyone knows how beautiful South Beach is in Miami. Sure, Phoenix has award-winning golf courses. Millions of people flock to Southern California every year to frolic in the Pacific, and it’s hard for gamblers to resist the bright lights of Las Vegas. But only Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast can offer picturesque beaches, top-rated golf courses, oceanic adventures, and world class entertainment, all with a little Southern charm.
1. Experience Southern Hospitality
When it comes to welcoming guests to their backyard, the South is famous for its kindness and warmth. Time goes a little bit slower on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Everyone is either a “sir” or a “ma’am.” Vacationers can truly relax and enjoy their time away from their busy lives back home. Quaint bed & breakfasts, charming shops, and local eateries featuring some of the most delectable seafood and home-cooked barbecue in America call Mississippi’s coastal towns home. And the people there take care of their guests as if they are family.
2. Relax on White Sand Beaches
Nestled between Louisiana and Alabama, the 62 miles of Mississippi shoreline are lined by 26 miles of pristine white sand beaches. While Florida and Southern California receive much of acclaim when it comes to continental beach destinations, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is an under-appreciated American treasure. Many locations offer public access to miles of white sand, and several hotels and resorts are only steps from the Gulf of Mexico. For visitors seeking an even more remote locale, the beaches of West Ship Island were named one of USA Today’s top ten beaches in the country. Ship Island Excursions offer ferry services to the barrier islands, which are located a mere 12 miles offshore.
3. Explore the Gulf of Mexico
Photo source: JJS
You simply cannot visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast without exploring the Gulf. Take a cruise, ride the waves on a jet ski, or rent a powerboat for a day of family fun asea. With a variety of fishing vacation packages to choose from, Mississippi is also a premier destination for outdoorsmen visiting the deep South. Whether it be dangling a line from a Gulfport pier, joining a shrimping excursion, or chartering a deep sea day trip, anglers of all abilities are encouraged to try and reel in the catch of a lifetime.
4. Mississippi’s Golf Coast
Homonyms are fun, aren’t they? 19 golf courses line Mississippi’s south shore, cozied next to the water, spanning across rolling hills, and hidden beneath giant oaks, majestic pines, and scenic cypress forests. The seven championship courses in Mississippi’s three southernmost counties are an ideal destination for your next golf getaway. With courses designed by golf legends and course architects Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Pate, Tom Fazio, Davis Love III, and Mark McCumber, it’s no wonder Mississippi’s south shore was ranked one of Golf Digest’s Top Ten Golf Destinations.
5. Why Go to the Middle of the Desert to Gamble?
The Mississippi Gulf Coast features a dozen casino resorts, with 4,000 hotel rooms, some of the finest dining options in the South, and entertainment and concert venues that attract some of the nation’s most talented acts. There’s a reason Biloxi is billed as “The Playground of the South,” folks. In fact, Mississippi ranks third in state gambling revenue, behind only Nevada and New Jersey.
Featured image source: Mississippi Press photo contest
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