Visit Ocean Springs for extensive opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities in a beautiful Gulf Coast setting. Seek out the art, history, dining and shopping elements of this enjoyable location too.
Just east of town, the Gulf Islands National Seashore is part of a 160-mile (260-kilometer) expanse of shoreline stretching to Florida. Bring the family to look for local birds and wildlife in the marshy lands along the Davis Bayou Trail. Rent a beach chair for sunbathing or summer reading on Front Beach. Bikes, kayaks and paddleboards are available for land and water exploration. Charter a fishing excursion and catch your own tuna, mackerel, bonita and other fish in the ocean or inland waterways
In the heart of town, visit the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, filled with acclaimed watercolors, ceramics and other art by Walter and his brothers Peter and James. Before leaving, step inside the adjacent Ocean Springs Community Center to see walls covered in Anderson murals depicting regional plants and animals, coastal astrological seasons and the historic landing of Pierre d’Iberville, who explored Ocean Springs in the 1699. Exquisite pottery is still being made and sold at Shearwater Pottery, which Peter Anderson established in the 1920s.
For historic architecture, stop at the Charnley-Norwood House, an 1890 design by Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright just off the shoreline. More of the region’s past is displayed at the Ocean Springs Museum of History. View books, vintage clothing, fine china and Native American tools and art.
Travel by car about 7 minutes east of town to see the Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial and another 8 minutes to study more than 16,000 artifacts from military men and women at the GI Museum.
Ocean Springs is known for its Southern cuisine. Try gumbo, fried green tomatoes, beans and rice, po’boys and freshly caught seafood from the Gulf of Mexico in fine-dining restaurants and favorite local diners. Stroll through town to visit one-of-a-kind shops with antiques, art and locally made products.
