The Best Small Town On The Gulf Coast For A 3-Day Weekend
Stretching more than 1,600 miles, the United States Gulf Coast is truly massive. With so many towns along its coastline, the most difficult part of planning a weekend away on the Gulf is likely narrowing down your options. Fortunately, your search is now over! Bay St. Louis is arguably one of the best destinations for a long weekend away. This small town on the Mississippi coast is home to around 10,000 residents and has consistently been ranked as one of the Gulf’s best towns. Coastal state parks, bayous, 18th-century landmarks, and an array of locally-owned restaurants, shops, and hotels are just a few of the highlights that make this town such a worthwhile place to visit.
Downtown District
If you arrive in town with an appetite, kick off your adventure with coffee or breakfast. Mockingbird Cafe is the perfect place to begin, a beloved cafe serving drip, espresso, cold brew, matcha, tea, and other beverages. The food menu serves everything from light pastries like muffins, scones, and cookies to heavier breakfast options such as hashbrown bowls, biscuits and gravy, and pulled pork with grits.
Once you finish breakfast, have fun browsing some of the local shops downtown. Bay Life Gifts is just a block from Main Street and has all kinds of souvenirs to remember your trip. A few of the items you might find here include local and regional art, boating, picnic, and garden gifts, home decor, and accessories. For lunch or dinner, make your way over to The Blind Tiger. This restaurant, which opened in May of 2013, was notably one of the first buildings on the waterfront after Hurricane Katrina. Today, it serves as an important gathering space in the community, hosting live music on the weekends and a sandbox for the kids. Here, you can enjoy dishes like shrimp tacos, Mahi-Mahi sandwiches, and seared tuna.
Historic Landmarks
With European settlement dating back to the late 17th century and official town incorporation in the 1800s, Bay St. Louis is full of history. The Bay St Louis Historic L&N Train Depot is a great historic landmark to visit, dating back to about 1928. Consisting of two stories and a mission-style design, this historic building once served as a prominent landmark in the film This Property is Condemned, starring Natalie Wood and Robert Redford. Today, it stands as a designated Mississippi Landmark and houses several institutions, including the Hancock County Tourism Bureau, the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum, and the Bay St Louis Mardi Gras Museum.
To learn more about the town’s history, consider visiting the Hancock County Historical Society and Museum, which is headquartered in the Kate Lobrano House, a shotgun cottage from 1896. The museum is home to over 30,000 photographs of the area, along with an extensive collection of written records and archives from the town’s newspapers, magazines, schools, churches, and other local organizations. Travelers planning a visit can stop by the museum Monday through Friday between 10 am and 3 pm, except from 12 to 1 when it closes for lunch.
Parks & Preserves
Hoping to spend your weekend outdoors? Some of the state’s best parks and preserves are just a short drive from town. Buccaneer State Park is just 15 minutes southwest of town and is home to marshlands, moss-draped oaks, and plenty of coastline. The summer is a great time to visit, when this park’s 4.5-acre waterpark is open, featuring a wave pool, a waterslide, a water playground, and more. A 1.8-mile nature trail also weaves throughout the park, passing by magnolias, pines, oaks, and an array of native plants and animals. There are also over 200 campsites available for travelers hoping to spend the night, some of which overlook the Gulf!
Just east of town, the 1,478-acre Bay La Croix Coastal Preserve stretches along a non-forested brackish marsh and the Bayou La Croix. This preserve is home to all kinds of interesting vegetation, including bands of cypress, floating-leafed aquatic plants, cordgrass, and more. One of the best ways to access this preserve is via the Bayou Lacroix Launch, which has launch space for two vehicles, on-site bathrooms, and parking.
Cozy Inns & Hotels
After your day of dining, shopping, and exploring the outdoors, get ready to check into one of Bay St. Louis’ adorable accommodations. The first you should have on your radar is the Bay Town Inn, which is centrally located and just steps from the waterfront. The original inn, housed in a turn-of-the-century planter’s home, was unfortunately destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The current Bay Town Inn was rebuilt and reopened in 2013, offering amenities such as weekend hot breakfasts at the neighboring Oyster Bar, complimentary coffee, suites over 500 square feet, and more.
Located at the corner of Main Street and Beach Boulevard, the Pearl Hotel is another wonderful option for your weekend getaway. This hotel features a gorgeous facade and curated art, giving it a 1950s-inspired feel. The property has 53 rooms and six suites, along with a courtyard, pool, on-site seafood restaurant, and cocktail lounge.
A Town Packed With Activities
If you didn’t have Bay St. Louis on your radar before, you most likely do now. This town offers the perfect weekend itinerary for every type of traveler, whether that be a day at the waterpark, browsing local shops, or exploring centuries-old historic landmarks. Its food scene is equally impressive for a town of its size, home to iconic restaurants like the Mockingbird Cafe and the Blind Tiger. So pack your bags and prepare for a weekend you will never forget!
