Things to Do in Ocean Springs, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

After visiting Gulf Shores, Alabama, we continued west toward Texas, albeit slowly. We made a stop at the Mississippi Visitors Center. I asked the lady working at the counter, who was a hoot, to name her favorite small towns. Oceans Springs was the first she mentioned, and she raved about it. So, after Annie and I took our token state sign picture (dressed for a lobster boil), we made Oceans Springs our next stop.

Ocean Springs began as the settlement of Fort Maurepas in colonial French Louisiana in 1699. It was established to prevent the Spanish from encroaching on France’s colonial claims. The name was changed to Ocean Springs in 1854 by Dr. William Glover Austin who believed the local springs had healing waters. 

Today the town of 17,700 is known for its arts, seafood, festivals and historic downtown. It’s a perfect place for a weekend getaway. Some things to do in Ocean Springs include the following.

Front Beach is the popular beach in Ocean Springs. Its sandy, dog-friendly shores stretch 1.2 miles between the Ocean Springs Yacht Club and the Ocean Springs Marine Mart. There are strategically placed port-a-potties, a fishing pier and a sidewalk that runs along the edge of the beach. The beach sits on Biloxi Bay. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).