We first ventured to the Mississippi coastline in mid-2019, on a road trip in our cozy, tightly-packed Prius (With Sally too!). With little expectations on arrival, we were wowed by our hotel, the food, the experiences, and the people! Our second visit, in November 2020, was no different (well, besides the fact that we had a bigger car and a baby). We had grand plans to head back to all of our favorite Coastal MS spots, but we were pleasantly surprised to find some new gems, too! From tasty new restaurants to incredible new activities for the whole family, Coastal Mississippi continues to have us wanting more.
Why? Let’s start with where we stayed. In case you need a refresher, in 2019 we stayed at the Roost, the most beautiful little boutique hotel just a short walk from downtown Ocean Springs. It’s quaint and chic and cozy all in one—not to mention connected to an incredible (and under-the-radar) speakeasy. How can you possibly beat that?!
Well, their sister property, the Beatnik, is brand new to Ocean Springs, and it’s just as magical. The Beatnik boasts four modern, luxurious floating cabins that we were obsessed with from the moment we walked in. From a Covid-19 perspective, we had zero interaction with anybody to check-in, and the room was only cleaned on an as-needed basis (with safety precautions in mind). We all had our highlights… For me (Bobby), it was the outdoor shower. Alli loved the pool. Jude wanted to sleep in the hidden bunk beds (not quite ready, though). And Sally lived for the refreshingly cool floors in the bathroom. This place was a dream!
Such an incredible room at the Beatnik!
Looking down on the Beatnik.
Love the design at the Beatnik.
Jude’s nap time is Mom and Dad’s pool time.
Upon rising, which was earlier this year than last (thanks Jude), the first stops for coffee and breakfast are Bright Eyed Brew Co and the Greenhouse on Porter (for biscuits that are to DIE for). Bright Eyed was a success, but because Greenhouse was closed that day we had to branch out… and French Kiss Pastries was a hit! For our afternoon coffee, we discovered Jacked Up Coffee Bar in Biloxi and were not disappointed. If you’ve been following us for awhile, you know that finding cool coffee shops is our jam!
Our favorite spot in town!
Look at those biscuits!
Jacked Up Coffee Bar is another great coffee shop!
With so many interesting museums and art galleries throughout Ocean Springs, we were shocked to find another pop up in the past year (and our favorite one yet) - the Mississippi Aquarium! It was definitely a highlight of the trip for all of us! Check out more info here on another blog post we recently shared :)
First time seeing a stingray for Jude!
Loved our day at the aquarium!
One thing that we thought would be very different on this trip were our dinners. We had a few amazing meals on our last trip (see our blog on why Coastal Miss is Seafood Heaven) at Vestige and White Pillars, and just assumed that having a 9 month old in tow would ruin everything. Somehow, we were able to have two equally dreamy evenings out that included mouthwatering food, social distance, and romantic ambiance (even with the kiddo!!). One night we enjoyed Dinner on the Lot, a ticketed event designed to bring fine dining outdoors while highlighting local hand picked produce. Our meal also featured beer pairings with every course, courtesy of Craft Advisory Brewing (which is directly across from the Lot). With 6 courses and 6 beers, it was probably the highlight of our month-long road trip. Here were the courses:
Partridge Peppers
French Hermit Oyster
Jurgielewicz Duck
Two Dog Farm Carrots
FL Spiny Lobster
South African Boerewors
Craft Advisory Root Beer Floats for dessert
Full bellies for us all!
Look at those carrots!
A whole lot all for us!
Intrigued? You should be! You may notice by those courses that not only are they using local produce, but they’re proud to show off exotic ingredients and dishes. It was SO FUN!
On our final night in town we had probably the most romantic beach picnic of our lives set up by Coastal Picnic and Co. With an array of finger foods, wine, and an unreal sunset, it was (and we don’t say this lightly), the perfect night. Even Jude was in heaven. (His teepee!!)
The dreamiest setup!
Isn’t it so beautiful?!?
The best way to spend our last night in Mississippi
It’s no surprise Coastal Miss was one of our first places that we returned during our only big road trip of 2020. And guess what? We’d be stoked if we could head back again in 2021! That’s how much we love this place! The area continues to flourish and we can’t wait to get back as soon as possible.
The Coastal Mississippi Promise: When you visit The Secret Coast, you will be met with warm welcomes and 62 miles of shoreline dotted by unique coastal communities. Here, you can expect excitement and relaxation in equal measure, with plenty of room to roam. You should also expect to see that our hospitality partners are implementing all necessary precautions to protect you, your loved ones, and our industry employees.