Biloxi Beach

State: Mississippi. Type: Gulf Coast beach and resort city in Harrison County. 2020 census population: 49,449, Mississippi's fourth-largest city. Home to eight casinos, the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, and the historic Biloxi Lighthouse (completed 1848). Metro area population: 416,259.

Biloxi Beach runs along the Mississippi Sound on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, fronted by U.S. Highway 90 and known for its combination of sandy public beach, historic sites, and a large cluster of waterfront casino resorts. The city built its modern tourism identity around gaming after casinos arrived in the early 1990s, but Biloxi's history stretches back much further, reflected in landmarks like the 1848 Biloxi Lighthouse and the city's historic districts with Victorian and Art Deco architecture. Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005 with a storm surge of roughly 30 feet, destroying waterfront structures and reshaping the beachfront, and recovery and rebuilding have remained a major theme in the two decades since. Today Biloxi mixes beach recreation with casino entertainment, seafood dining, and cultural attractions such as the Frank Gehry-designed Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, which opened in 2010. The Blessing of the Fleet, an annual event since 1929, and minor-league baseball with the Biloxi Shuckers round out the city's cultural calendar.

Biloxi sits in Harrison County on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, with its beachfront directly on the Mississippi Sound and barrier islands lying further out in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Highway 90 runs along the beach through the city, while Interstate 10 passes through the northern part of Biloxi, connecting it to Gulfport to the west and the wider Gulf Coast region.

Biloxi has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Recorded extremes include a low of 1°F in February 1899 and highs of 104°F in August 2000 and again in August 2023. As with the rest of the Mississippi coast, the area is exposed to Atlantic hurricane season (June-November).

Spring and fall generally bring more comfortable temperatures and lower humidity than the height of summer, making them popular times for beach visits, though the area's casinos and indoor attractions operate year-round regardless of season. Summer remains busy due to school holidays despite the heat and higher hurricane risk.

Biloxi's beachfront and broader city carry a long history, but its most transformative modern chapter began with the legalization of dockside casino gaming in Mississippi in the early 1990s, which turned the waterfront into a hub of large casino resorts including Beau Rivage, Hard Rock, and Harrah's Gulf Coast. The Biloxi Lighthouse, completed in 1848, predates this era by well over a century and remains a landmark on the beach highway. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck with a storm surge of roughly 30 feet, causing massive damage across the waterfront, destroying more than 40 libraries citywide and forcing extensive rebuilding of casino properties and other beachfront infrastructure. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, designed by architect Frank Gehry, opened in 2010 as part of the city's post-Katrina cultural rebuilding. Keesler Air Force Base, also located in Biloxi, has long been an economic anchor alongside tourism and seafood industries.

Visitors spend time on Biloxi's public beach along U.S. 90, visit the historic Biloxi Lighthouse, and explore the eight waterfront casinos for gaming, shows and dining. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, with its distinctive Frank Gehry-designed buildings, is a major cultural stop. Sports fans can catch a Biloxi Shuckers minor-league baseball game, and the historic districts offer Victorian and Art Deco architecture for those interested in the city's older neighborhoods. The annual Blessing of the Fleet, held since 1929, is a notable seasonal event tied to the coast's fishing heritage.

The Biloxi Lighthouse (1848) is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks along the beach highway. The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art showcases the work of ceramicist George Ohr in Gehry-designed buildings. Biloxi's historic districts preserve Victorian and Art Deco-era architecture, and the city's eight casino resorts anchor much of the waterfront.

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport serves the region with commercial flights and sits a short drive from Biloxi Beach. Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service, which began August 18, 2025, offers rail access to the coast. By car, U.S. Highway 90 runs directly along the beach, and Interstate 10 passes through the northern part of the city, connecting to New Orleans and Mobile.

The public beach itself has no fixed gate hours in the sources reviewed, though individual attractions such as the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art and each casino resort keep their own posted hours, which should be checked directly, as they were not specified in the sources reviewed for this destination.

The public beach along U.S. 90 is free to access. Casino gaming floors are generally free to enter (subject to state gaming age requirements), while museums such as the Ohr-O'Keefe charge their own separate admission; specific current museum ticket prices were not found in the sources reviewed and should be confirmed directly with the venue.

A single day covers a beach visit plus a casino or museum stop, while a multi-day trip allows time to combine the beach, the lighthouse, the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum, and casino entertainment or dining.

Biloxi's waterfront is lined with large casino-resort hotels (including Beau Rivage, Hard Rock and Harrah's Gulf Coast among others), offering the bulk of beachfront lodging. Additional chain hotels and motels are available further inland and toward neighboring Gulfport, giving visitors a range of price points beyond the casino resorts.

Biloxi's dining scene leans heavily on Gulf seafood, with restaurants both inside the casino resorts and independently along the beach corridor and historic districts. The city's coastal location and fishing heritage, reflected in events like the Blessing of the Fleet, support a strong seafood restaurant culture alongside casino buffets and steakhouses.

Gulfport, immediately west of Biloxi, shares the same beach corridor and offers additional dining and lodging. Ocean Springs and the Davis Bayou Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore lie to the east. Keesler Air Force Base is within the city itself.

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is the primary regional gateway. Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service (begun August 18, 2025) provides passenger rail access to the coast. A car is the most practical way to get around the beach corridor and casino district.

As with any Gulf beach, be aware of changing water and weather conditions, especially during hurricane season (June-November), and follow any posted beach advisories. Casino areas require visitors to meet the state's legal gaming age. Standard urban safety practices apply in the historic districts and busy tourist corridors, particularly at night.

Sunscreen, a hat and water for beach time; comfortable shoes for walking the historic districts and museum grounds; and identification if planning to enter casino gaming areas.

Because Biloxi's economy and much of its lodging center on casino resorts, comparing package deals across the eight properties can be worthwhile for value. Pairing a beach day with a stop at the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art or the Biloxi Lighthouse rounds out a visit beyond the casinos. Given the hurricane risk from June through November, monitoring weather forecasts during that period is advisable.

Dial 911 for any emergency. Specific non-emergency visitor information lines for individual Biloxi attractions were not identified in the sources reviewed for this destination.

Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast - https://gulfcoast.org ; City of Biloxi - https://www.biloxi.ms.us

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.