On our most recent trip to Mississippi, Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast gave us hotel accommodations and passes to experience the best the area had to offer. Even though we appreciate being hosted when we travel, my family is always very honest about our opinions of the different destinations we visit. We found a lot of fun things to do with kids on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and I can’t wait to tell you about them!
Fun Things to Do with Kids on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
First of all, do you know a lot about Mississippi? I’ll admit to you that I didn’t know much. Even though they are our neighbor to the west, visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast with kids wasn’t exactly high on my radar of places to travel. Isn’t it all just casinos anyway? Believe it or not, I was wrong (and I bet you were too). Check out these awesomely fun things to do with kids on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!
Stay and Play at Margaritaville
While we were given a room for the weekend at the Margaritaville Resort, I would happily stay here again. It is truly a family-friendly resort. Our room had a beautiful view of the bay, which was unfortunately foggy most of the weekend, so there were no pictures, and it was spacious enough for the four of us to stay comfortably.
The two biggest draws for the resort are the onsite restaurants and the arcade. Margaritaville’s second floor is mostly comprised of a massive arcade complete with classic and modern games, a virtual reality simulator, a ropes course, and a bowling alley! It was hard to drag the kids out of there to do anything else while we were there.
Enjoy a Parade
Next, plan your travels in the “off-season” when the summer crowds are virtually non-existent. Though the weather may be cooler, the crowds will be lower, and you’ll get to enjoy local Mardi Gras festivities like a true Mississippian.
We enjoyed the Ocean Springs parade so much my kids didn’t want to leave when it was over! Best of all, fun traditions like these are free to participate in. Ocean Springs is about a five-minute drive from Biloxi, and it is well worth the trip across the bridge for a visit.
Escape for Fun
Another fun activity we like to do in every town we visit is an “escape room.” Biloxi had a really fun game called Escape This. One of my daughters had had a previously uneasy experience in an escape room, so she swapped out with Grandpa for this one.
I wish she would have stayed because not only was it fun, it wasn’t scary either. We chose the “Clue Game” room; while it was tough, nothing about it was scary. When choosing a game to play with young kids, make sure the theme isn’t too intimidating for them.
Visit a Museum
We love, love, love a good children’s museum. Gulfport, Mississippi, a town about 20 minutes west of Biloxi, has a great one.
Converted from an old school house, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center could have kept my girls entertained all day. Hands-on activities indoors and outdoors encourage children to use their imagination to pretend and play.
If you are already a local children’s museum member, check your membership for the ACM Reciprocal Network logo. Your admission may be discounted if your membership is reciprocal!
Take a Boat Out in the Gulf
Finally, we loved our Biloxi Bay tour with the team from Biloxi Shrimping Trip. The living marine adventure cruise taught me so much about the shrimping industry. My girls were mildly impressed, but I bet the ecological and scientific discussion would have been more appealing if they had been older.
Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly, and they shared a lot about how shrimp are caught, harvested, and sold. I had no idea how fast shrimp grew, but look out when the water gets warm! They grow several inches a day and are big enough to be caught within just a few weeks of summer beginning!
Plan Your Mississippi Trip Today
As you are planning your trip, check out the free app for iOS and Android users called My Gulf Coast. It helps visitors locate attractions, restaurants, shopping, and more. Take a look at GulfCoast.org as well. It is a great resource with information on activities and accommodations in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area.
I hope you find this information helpful! Let me know what you love or are looking forward to doing when you Visit Mississippi!
