re: Gulfport area

Brown, shallow, crappy water. Try NW FL or extreme SE AL coast

Siren Social Club

I’m going to check out the Downtowner for breakfast soon.

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As sad visit everything from Bay St Louis to Ocean springs

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Plan on it. Thanks

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None seem to want to retire there.

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Its kinda weird bevause ive seen and read reports where the MS gulf coast is the sort of new wintering hole for retirees. I think having the VA and bases help with that plus warm weather and lax retirement taxes for seniors in MS.

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so any suggestions on bars,

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Broke Spoke if you are a red-blooded-American

Cheryl’s Steakhouse in Ocean Springs

Murky Waters Ocean Springs

Glory Bound Ocean Springs (usually a good band at night on weekends)

Ship Island Excursion from Gulfport

Sapphire Club in Biloxi

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We're staying at Harrahs in Biloxi

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Do not stay there.

The oyster house. Biloxi

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explore the area for a possible move next year, when we retire.

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I'd retire in the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area 1000x before retiring in the Biloxi area. The beaches in Biloxi are nothing to write home about.

Gulf Shores has white beaches and turquoise water.
Biloxi has a mix of clay and sand that looks like muddy water.

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Care to elaborate on your suggestion about the water? We want to be by the ocean and plan on buying a boat if we move there

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Re: the water--what you need to understand is that the coastline itself-- from Waveland to Pascagoula-- is NOT the Gulf of Mexico, it is the northern shore of the Mississippi Sound. The actual Gulf of Mexico doesn't begin until you are on the south side of the barrier islands roughly 8-10 miles off the coast of Mississippi (west-east: Cat, Ship, Horn, Sand/W. Petit Bois, and Petit Bois). Many rivers empty into the Sound: the Pearl, Jourdan, Wolf, Biloxi, Tchoutacabouffa, and the Pascagoula. Lots of water from the Mobile River is carried westward into the sound as well.

As such, the water quality can range from brown chocolate milk to sometimes tannish Arnold Palmer tea, to olive green and on good days a clearer jade green. Color and clarity all depends on rainfall and river volumes-- how much, how often, & how recent. The water in the Sound is brackish, not salty. The beaches between Biloxi and Pass Christian are man-made and have nice sand, but the water is nothing to write home about. The natural bottom along the beaches is shallow WAY out, and unless there is a serious storm or hurricane, there are really no waves to speak of.

Now, since you are talking about having a boat (a good move if you live down here), let's talk about where the REAL beaches are-- out at the islands. On GOOD days the water out there can be almost Orange Beach, Pensacola or Navarre Beach levels. Here are some actual shots I have taken on REALLY good days:


Horn Island, Gulf side

Ship Island, Sound side


Horn Island Gulf side, Nov. 1st last year


Horn Island Sound side, Nov. 1 last year

This was taken at Horn's Gulf side on an 'okay' day:


Then there are times even out on the islands where it is not so good, which is now. Hurricane Arthur and subsequent storms resulted in huge floods along the rivers I mentioned, and it is all out in the Sound well into the Gulf side of the islands. It's still WAY better than shoreline beach water, though.

Horn Island (gulf side) last weekend:


Ship Island July 3rd, Gulf side:


Horn Island, gulf side, June 27th:


Hope that answers your question!