Summer is the perfect time to explore the barrier islands that sit just miles off the mainland of Coastal Mississippi. With white-sand beaches and beautiful Gulf waters, the islands are an ideal summer day trip.

While all of the barrier islands offer something unique that is worth exploring, Ship Island is the most accessible to travelers thanks to the Ship Island Excursions ferry service out of Gulfport and Biloxi.

Photo: Trevor Reid

BEFORE YOUR ISLAND ADVENTURE

When planning for a trip out to Ship Island, be sure to bring all your beach

Are you heading to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Crawfish Music Festival? A five-day festival with more than a dozen acts can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve listed everything you need to know beforehand to make sure you have an awesome time enjoying headline entertainment, hot boiled crawfish, and so much more at Coastal Mississippi’s premiere spring event!

Sing along:

No matter what kind of music you like, you are sure to hear some tunes you enjoy at the Crawfish Music Festival. If you don’t purchase reserved seating, make sure

Are you attending the Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs this November 3-4? Here’s everything you need to know to have a successful festival weekend on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

This Labor Day Weekend, why not treat yourself to a weekend full of adventure in one of the most charming destinations around? The Mississippi Gulf Coast has continued to add incredible amenities to what was an already impressive lineup of offerings to its visitors. With more fun to be had here than ever before, you just have to decide how you want to spend your fun-filled trip!

Barrier Islands and Boat Trips

Arguably the most authentic Mississippi Gulf Coast experience you can have is at one of our gorgeous barrier islands. If you’re looking

On July 21st and 22nd of this month, the world famous Blue Angels will be performing air shows on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and each day promises to be full of action-packed excitement! For those of you who have never seen the Blue Angels, they are the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron, and their shows are truly a sight to behold. They’ll perform all sorts of acrobatic flight maneuvers and tricks for an estimated 50,000 spectators on each of those two days… FOR FREE!

So before you come see the Blue Angels for yourself, we figured you

It's been exactly one year since Mississippi Gulf Coast breweries were legally allowed to serve and sell beer in their taprooms, but that hasn't stopped the local industry leaders from putting years of hard work into their craft (pun intended). But in that one short year, business has been booming! Be sure to check out at least one of these breweries, if not all of them the next time you're visiting the Coast!

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company

Craft beer in Mississippi may no longer end with "Lazy Mag," but it definitely begins there.

There’s good news and then there’s better news: Summer is here and the Biloxi Shuckers’ season is in full-swing (pun intended). The days are longer and one of the very best teams in the Southern League plays right here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, so why not treat yourself to America’s pastime in one of the most exciting, up-and-coming regions in the country?

The Shuckers recently celebrated the third anniversary of their first home game, and it seems the home games are getting more and more fun with every pitch! It doesn’t matter if you’re

Before you and your friends or family make a trip down to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, you should especially look forward to one thing: OYSTERS!

You won't hear southerners bragging too often, as it's just not really our style. But food is the one thing you might hear us brag about from time to time, because we know it's that good. Among the many culinary options that we on the Mississippi Gulf Coast have mastered are oysters. Raw, fried, grilled... You name it and we can do it. So we've put together a small list of some of the best restaurants

Spring has officially sprung on the Mississippi Gulf Coast! That means it’s time to ditch those winter coats, dig up the bathing suits from your winter storage and get outside for some fun coastal activities. For those of you that aren’t within driving distance of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and are currently between nor’easters and blizzards, we have one piece of advice: take a vacation to somewhere warm. You won’t regret it!

People often choose to visit the Coast because they love our casino resorts, and we can’t blame them, but there’s also

For many of us, boarding the pets we love so much before a vacation simply isn’t an option. Whether it’s a dog, a cat, or an emotional therapy peacock, the destinations that allow you to bring your beloved animals are often going to be the most appealing choices when deciding where to vacation. Luckily, the Mississippi Gulf Coast offers numerous activities as well as places to stay, all with our furry friends in tow. Disclaimer: if you have an exotic animal you wish to bring to bring along to one of these places, it’s always a good idea to call