Things to Do in Ocean Springs Mississippi: An Insider’s Guide
You have to know that a city that calls itself “A drinking town with an art problem” has a sense of humor baked into its culture. Ocean Springs, Mississippi lives up to its reputation with a quirky-cool artsy vibe and a food scene that does not disappoint.
My mother was born here and she and my father retired here several years ago. Its safe to say that I’ve visited well more than 50 times over my lifetime and I’m excited to share my Ocean Springs you.
With world class art, boutique shopping, water sports, fishing, beach bonfires, and a National Seashore to explore, there is no shortage of things to do in Ocean Springs.
And no surprise that this charming coastal town has earned a spot on just about every “best small town” list there is. Elvis Presley loved this little coastal city so much that he spent the entire summer of 1956 here. (But more on that later.)
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Don’t Take My Word For It
In addition to being named USA Today’s Best Coastal Small Town in 2022 and Best Small Town for Shopping in 2023, Southern Living regularly includes Ocean Springs on its reviews including:
Getting to Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs sits on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, right across the bridge from Biloxi. Its roughly a 6 hour drive from Atlanta, Memphis, or Houston and just over an hour from New Orleans.
If you are farther away and would prefer to fly, you have three airport options and each has its tradeoffs.
- Gulfport (GPT) is the closest, only 20 minutes from Ocean Springs. The downside is that it’s a regional airport so flights tend to run more expensive.
- Mobile, AL (MOB) is an hour away, so you’ll need to rent a car.
- New Orleans (MSY) is about 90 minutes away and almost always has the best flight prices. You’ll definitely need a rental car, but you can also add a night in New Orleans on either end of your trip.
When to Visit Ocean Springs MS
While Ocean Springs is a great place to visit year round, spring and fall are my favorite times to visit. The weather is perfect for taking advantage of all the restaurant patios and the biggest festivals are happening.
Summers are hot and humid. This is the Deep South after all. Booking a hotel with a pool helps.
Winters are mild. Temps rarely drop below 40 and the town is quieter, the restaurants are easier to get into, and oyster season is in full swing.
Getting Around Ocean Springs
Downtown Ocean Springs is compact and walkable so you can park your car for the duration of your stay. But the best most fun way to get around Ocean Springs is by golf cart.
Locals use them for everything: breakfast runs, afternoon shopping, beach rides, and even trips to pick up groceries.
Parking downtown on weekends is a challenge. However, the city has lots of golf cart parking along Washington Ave and Government Street. Golf carts are allowed throughout downtown, along both beaches, and through the historic neighborhoods.
If you book a VRBO or Airbnb, check whether one is included. If not, Downtown Carts rents by the hour or by the day.
Things to Do in Ocean Springs Mississippi
This map has every activity, shop, restaurant, and spot listed in this article. Click the arrow on the top left to open the complete list. Save the map to your Google Maps my selecting the star next to the name.
1. Explore the Art Scene Downtown
Ocean Springs didn’t earn the title “a drinking town with an art problem” by accident. Between the public art installations, the murals, and the galleries scattered across downtown, you could spend an entire afternoon just exploring the art scene.
Stop by the Ocean Springs Visitor’s Center in the L&N Train Depot and pick up a walking map of over 20 public art installations scattered throughout downtown.
As you explore keep an eye out for the wall murals. My favorites are the vintage Coca-Cola mural on Loveless Drugs (now Chandeleur Outfitters) and the Matthew Stebly mural near Knuckleheads.
Along the way stop into the galleries on Washington Ave and Government Street. We picked up a beautiful set of handmade coasters from Hillyer House. (Their oyster trees are also stunning.) The Pink Rooster Art Gallery at the far end of Washington has gorgeous pottery and jewelry.
Carl the Rooster was (and still is) a legend in Ocean Springs. The unofficial town mascot kept watch over his territory on Government Street greeting TatoNut customers who lined up before dawn with his famous crow.
There are several murals and art pieces honoring Carl throughout Ocean Springs, including the one near Twisted Anchor Tattoo. Our friend, Chelsea Prince, wrote a children’s book about Carl to honor his memory.
Locals were devastated when Carl was killed tragically (yes, you read that correctly). But in the past year two new roosters have shown up and claimed Carl’s territory. These guys prefer to hang out at Pop Brothers Popsicles, but also make their way down Government Street.
I know this may sound crazy, but these two roosters have helped to heal the hearts of a town that lost their beloved feathered friend.
2. Visit the Walter Anderson Museum of Art
Keeping with the art theme, you don’t want to miss the Walter Anderson Museum of Art (WAMA). One of three Anderson brothers who grew up in Ocean Springs, Walter was a creative genius who was largely misunderstood until after his death in 1965.
Locals at the time thought of him as the eccentric town drunk who rode his bike around town and locked himself away in a cabin on his family’s property at Shearwater Pottery. He was also known to row a small skiff 10 miles off the coast to Horn Island where he would camp for weeks at a time.
What they didn’t know was that he was capturing the beauty of the Gulf Coast wildlife in watercolor, block prints, and sculpture. Much of his work was discovered after he died when his widow broke the lock on his private cabin.
She found the cabin littered with watercolors and one room entirely covered with a mural depicting a 24 hour day on the coast. Now called The Little Room, the entire thing was moved from the cabin to the museum in 1990.
The museum displays many of his paintings and sculptures along with personal items like his journals and even the boat he used to row to Horn Island. It also tells the story of his complicated and fascinating life.
The museum is on Washington Avenue next to the Community Center where Anderson spent 16 months painting a mural of Mississippi Coast history. He was paid $1 for the work.
You can see the Community Center mural as part of your museum visit. That space is often used for private events so be sure to call ahead to make sure it will be open when you visit.
You don’t want to miss seeing it because that $1 mural is now valued at $30 million!
🎨 A Unique Personal Connection
I was actually one of the first people outside of the Anderson family to ever see The Little Room. As an 8th grader I did a school project about Ocean Springs. Anderson’s daughter invited me to Shearwater for an interview about her father and took me inside the Little Room while it was still part of the original cabin.
3. Explore Shearwater Pottery
After the museum, your next stop should be Shearwater Pottery. Walter Anderson’s brother, Peter, founded Shearwater Pottery in 1928. The family has been making beautiful glazed pottery here ever since.
The showroom is part shop and part museum. Spend some time exploring how the family’s work has changed over the decades and see how much has stayed exactly the same.
You can custom order bowls, mugs, decorative pieces, and more. Its a pretty casual ordering system. You pick your piece and your favorite glaze. They will call when they fire a collection in that color.
Be sure to ask about firing time. My cousin once chose a glaze they only fire every couple of years. Yeah, she picked a different glaze.
Before you leave, take a look at Walter Anderson’s cabin on the property. Its the white cabin to the right of the showroom. After the Little Room was moved to the museum, they rebuilt that end of the cabin. From the outside it looks just as it did when Anderson was alive.
You’ll be hard pressed to find a home in Ocean Springs without at least one piece of Shearwater Pottery. My parents still have the jade-colored pitcher they received as a wedding gift in 1964. Shearwater still makes the same pitcher and you can order it today in your choice of custom glaze.
4. Shop Downtown Boutiques
USA Today named Ocean Springs the Best Small Town for Shopping and I’d have to agree. There are over 100 shops and boutiques in Ocean Springs and the best ones are downtown along Washington Ave and Government St.
Realizations is the Walter Anderson shop inside the old train depot. They carry prints of his artwork, block printed clothing, mugs, Christmas ornaments, and home decor like pillows featuring his designs.
The block prints are available in black and white or hand colored by staff with watercolors. They also sell watercolor palettes so you can color your own.
Poppy’s is my go-to for seasonal decor and gifts, especially at Christmas. They start putting up the Christmas trees in August and have 14 unique trees up by the time Cruisin the Coast comes around in October.
Before you leave, grab a Peach Bellini to go from the bar in the back. Ocean Springs allows open containers in the downtown entertainment district, so you can sip and shop your way down the street.
Love Ivy and Lee Tracy are my favorites for clothes and accessories. Miners Toys is a family owned shop that Southern Living once named one of the top two toy stores in the South.
Our kids have insisted on going to The Candy Cottage since they were little. They’re in their 20s now and they still don’t leave Ocean Springs without buying homemade treats at this locally owned candy shop.
For local flair, don’t miss Coastal Magpie. They source antiques and vintage finds from around the country but specialize in Ocean Springs merch. They carry an amazing selection of signs and handmade items.
Ocean Springs Mercantile on Washington Ave is worth a stop for unique home decor with vintage and antique pieces mixed in. We picked up the most amazing vase with octopus tentacles wrapped around it for our front hall.
5. Take a Walking Tour of Downtown
Y’all know thatI will die on the hill that Ocean Springs has some of the best restaurants on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And we love a food tour. So, when I saw this new Ocean Spring food tour pop up, I knew we had to add it to this list!
Savor the Coast hosted us on their Elvis Food Tour offered in the summer of 2026 as a part of the coast’s Summer of ’56 celebration. We had a blast! Our tour guide was super knowledgeable about Ocean Springs and the time that Elvis Presley spent here.
They’ve partnered with some of my favorite restaurants in Ocean Springs to create a totally unique experience. I cannot recommend this tour enough! I’ve been raving about it to friends and family nonstop.
🍔 Book your Food Tour of Downtown Ocean Springs ➡
If you are looking for something a little different, Let’s Roam offers a self-guided scavenger hunt through downtown that mixes clues, local history, and a little friendly competition. We bought a year’s subscription and have used it in several destinations. Finding the downtown Ocean Springs hunt was a surprise and a really fun way to see the town from a different angle.
6. Take a Class or Catch a Show at the Mary C
Known locally as The Mary C., the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center is housed in the former Ocean Springs High School. Inside are two art galleries featuring local artists, a small history museum, and a gift shop.
The Mary C has a full calendar of concerts, lectures, and classes in everything from baking and jewelry making to woodworking and even songwriting. Check the website before your trip. There’s almost always something going on.
Look for the Walter Anderson painted panels in the lobby while you’re there.
Even if you don’t have time to explore inside, the building itself is worth seeing. It’s one of the most beautiful in Ocean Springs and a great spot for photos.
According to some locals, yes! The story goes that a janitor named A.G. Foster died after falling from a second story window in 1927. Since then, there have been reports of doors opening and closing on their own and items moving without explanation.
A former director of the Mary C. says she was pushed out of her chair by an unseen force while studying a ceremonial burial pot in the Indian Artifacts room. Read the full investigation from WLOX and make your own decision.
7. Tour the Louis Sullivan – Frank Lloyd Wright Home
This one was on my bucket list for years and it did not disappoint.
If you have an interest in history or architecture, you’re going to want to set up a private tour of the Charnley-Norwood House on East Beach. The Prairie Style home was designed and built by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan in 1890.
His young draftsman at the time was none other than Frank Lloyd Wright. According to our tour guide, Wright attempted to take credit for designing the house after Sullivan died.
The tour is completely free. To book, just reach out to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and someone will text you back to set up a time. Do it before your trip so you can pick a time to fit your schedule. The tour takes about an hour and is well worth it.
8. Stop by the Saturday Fresh Market
If you are in town over the weekend, stop by the Fresh Market at the Train Depot on Saturday morning. Local growers bring organic produce, homemade baked goods, fresh herbs, plants, and seasonal finds.
9. Spend the Day at the Beach and Harbor
Ocean Springs has two beaches and each has its own personality.
Front Beach is where the action is. It stretches just over two miles from the Biloxi Bay bridge to the harbor. This is where you’ll find locals walking, fishing, and hanging out at the park. My parents live right on Front Beach and we’ve watched more weddings and sunsets from their porch than I can count.
East Beach is smaller and more residential. If you just want a quiet spot to relax, this is a great spot.
Sunrise reflecting over the water is stunning and the Front Beach walking path is popular with locals every morning. The paved walk runs the length of beach from the bridge to the harbor.
So you know, the water is not the crystal blue you might be picturing. But, don’t let the dark water throw you off. It’s just river sediment, not pollution. Completely natural and totally fine to swim in.
A string of barrier islands runs along the entire Mississippi Coast holds prevents that sediment from flowing out to sea so the water looks dark.
One of our favorite things to do in Ocean Springs is to rent a firepit on Front Beach. You can’t beat roasting hot dogs and s’mores while watching the sunset.
At the time of writing, the permit is only $26 and you can reserve your firepit on the Ocean Springs City website.
Hint: Fire Pits #40 and #42 are across the street from Fort Maurepas Park where you’ll have access to restroom facilities.
The Ocean Springs Harbor is at the far end of Front Beach and it is worth a walk down. If you want the freshest shrimp you have ever had, show up with a cooler at dawn when the shrimping boats come back in. You can buy them right off the boat. They come heads-on so be ready to prep them when you get home.
10. Get On The Water and See The Islands
A few miles offshore are a string of wild, untouched barrier islands.
Deer Island is the closest just a half-mile off shore. This is a great option if you don’t want to spend an entire day on the islands. Biloxi Boat Tours offers a Deer Island Ferry that lets you spend about 90 minutes exploring the small island. They also offer a sunset cruise that gives you 30 minutes of island time.
About 11 miles out are Further out are Cat Island, Ship Island, Horn Island, and Petit Bois. That last one is pronounced Petty-Boy. Don’t let anyone correct you. The water on the other side of those islands is crystal clear and gorgeous.
Ship Island Excursions is the easiest to get to Ship Island. The ferry leaves from Gulfport daily during the summer season. We’ve seen dolphins every time we’ve taken the ferry. I can’t promise you dolphins but I’d be shocked if you didn’t see any. On the island, you can tour the historic Fort Massachusetts.
To explore the other islands, I recommend booking a charter that specializes in the islands. Aqualine Charters has full day tours that let you choose which island you want to see. Hint: Petit Bois is the closest to the Emerald Coast and water there can be especially beautiful.
If you just want to cruise the Sound on a relaxed beach day, you can rent a pontoon boat through Life’s a Beach in Biloxi. The rental pier is just over the Biloxi Bay Bridge by Margaritaville.
Don’t discount the water sport options back on the mainland. I learned to ski in Davis Bayou behind my cousin’s boat. You can get your own ride through the bayous with local guides where you can take in the scenery and look for wildlife.
How to Get on the Water
Here are our recommended ways to get out on the water in Ocean Springs:
- Guided Kayak Tour: A local guide takes you through the bayous and waters of Ocean Springs
- Jet Ski Rental: Two hours of cruising the MS Sound on your own jet ski.
- Catamaran Sailing Lesson: Two hours on a Hobie catamaran with a pro instructor
- Windsurfing Lesson: Learn to windsurf in the shallows of the MS Sound
- Ship Island Excursions: This is the best way to spend the day at Ship Island.
- Shrimp Boat Tour: Leaving from Biloxi, this fun tour trawls for shrimp while your guide explains life as a coastal shrimper. My boys absolutely loved this tour (as did the adults)!
11. Have a Picnic at Fort Maurepas City Park
Fort Maurepas City Park is a small beachfront park on Front Beach that honors Pierre Le Moyne D’Iberville, the French explorer credited for founding Ocean Springs in 1699.
Along with a statue of D’Iberville, the park has a shaded pavilion, picnic tables, and restrooms. There’s a playground, so if you have kids this is a great place to let them burn off some energy.
Before you leave, find the tree carving near the playground. A large tree died during Hurricane Katrina and instead of cutting it down someone carved it into something beautiful.
12. Walk the Biloxi Bay Bridge
The Biloxi Bay Bridge has a wide pedestrian lane that was added when the bridge was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina. It’s just over 1.5 miles one way, about a 3 mile round trip. The views from the top are some of the best on the Gulf Coast.
Locals walk and run this bridge at all hours but I definitely recommend going early if you can. The heat and humidity in the summer are no joke and the morning light on the water is gorgeous.
13. Go Fishing
Fishing has been one of my favorite things to do in Ocean Springs since I was a kid fishing with my grandfather on Davis Bayou and our boys have grown up fishing here too.
With easy access to open water, the bay, and bayous, anglers can find lots of ways to reel in a catch.
Pier Fishing
Casual fishermen will likely be happy fishing off one of the two piers on Front Beach. We’ve actually seen some large redfish hauled in from the pier. The Chester McPhearson Pier and the Ocean Springs Harbor Pier are both free and open to the public.
Offshore Charters
If you want something more adventurous, you can book a local guide for off shore fishing. Half day and full day charters are available and the guides know these waters well since most of them grew up here.
After Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Biloxi Bridge, pieces of the old structure were sunk off shore to create Katrina Reef to attract fish. As you can imagine, it’s a very popular fishing spot. But you will need a charter or a rented boat to get there.
Fly Fishing
I’ll be honest. I never would have thought of fly fishing being a thing in Ocean Springs. But, our youngest son is an avid fly fisherman and he found a local guide that he highly recommends. He has booked trips with Alan Weaver of Grass Flat Assassins multiple times.
🎣 Anyone 16 and over will need a Mississippi saltwater fishing license. You can buy one online through the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Walmart or most local bait shops.
14. Explore Ocean Springs by Bike
Biking is one of the best ways to explore Ocean Springs.
TriHard Sports rents traditional bikes. For an eBike, use Tour de Coast, a locally owned company started by two Ocean Springs women. Download their app, unlock a bike, and go. Starting at $29.99 a day, available from 6am to midnight.
The route runs along Front Beach, through downtown, past Shearwater Pottery, and down East Beach.
15. Walk the Twelve Oaks Nature Trail
Twelve Oaks Trail is a short, easy walk that most visitors never find. In fact, my mother (who was born and raised here) didn’t even know about it until I found it a few years ago. Its unbelievably quiet and peaceful even though it is right off of Bienville Rd (Hwy 90).
The trail is about 15 to 20 minutes, level, and dog friendly. It winds beneath a canopy of old oak trees and ends at a bayou view that feels completely secluded. Its a great spot for photography.
How to Get to 12 Oaks Walking Trail: Turn on Hanley Road from Hwy 90 and follow the curve to the left until the road dead ends at a gate. Parking fits a handful of cars, but I’ve never seen more than one other person on the trail.
16. Play a Round of Golf
Ocean Springs has two courses worth knowing about if golf is your thing.
The Preserve Golf Club is an 18 hole, par 71 course designed by US Open champion Jerry Pate. It sits on 245 acres surrounded by an additional 1,800 acres of nature preserve. So, that means wildlife is part of the experience here.
Deer, hawks, and sandhill cranes are regular sightings on the course. There is a restaurant on site. At the time of writing, green fees run $76 to $100.
Gulf Hills Golf Club is a 9 hole course on Fort Bayou, originally built in 1927 and redesigned in 2020. Rolling hills, forests, and streams make it one of the more scenic courses on the Coast.
The 8th hole was once named one of Golf Digest’s top 5 most beautiful and challenging holes in the Southeast. At time of writing green fees are around $35. Capone’s Bar and Restaurant is on site if you want to stick around after your round.
Both courses are open to the public.
17. Ocean Springs Festivals Worth Planning Around
Ocean Springs knows how to throw a party. These four festivals are worth planning your trip around.
Mardi Gras | February or March
The Gulf Coast takes Mardi Gras seriously and the season starts about two months before Fat Tuesday with parades up and down the coast almost every weekend.
The Ocean Springs Night Parade is our family’s favorite. It lines up on Front Beach and rolls through downtown on the Friday night before Mardi Gras. It has that small town feel and its a great time for the whole family.
If you want a bigger experience, cross the bridge to Biloxi on Saturday night. The Biloxi parade brings in floats from some of the New Orleans krewes and has that full scale Mardi Gras energy. Two very different vibes on back to back nights and honestly both are worth doing.
Mississippi Songwriters Festival | September
Every September downtown Ocean Springs welcomes musicians from across the country for the Mississippi Songwriters Festival. The weekend starts with a Hall of Fame ceremony at the Mary C and then spills into downtown restaurants and cafes for live performances all weekend. I haven’t made it to this one yet but it keeps moving up on my list every year.
Cruisin’ the Coast | Second Weekend of October
I’ll be honest. I never thought a classic car show would be my thing. I was so wrong. Over 10,000 vintage cars roll into the Mississippi Coast for what they call America’s Largest Block Party and on Friday and Saturday that parade comes right down Washington Avenue.
It is spectacular. We now go back every single year.
Peter Anderson Arts Festival | Early November
You already know the Anderson name by now. Peter was Walter’s brother and the potter behind Shearwater Pottery. Every November the largest craft festival in Mississippi takes over Washington and Government Streets in his honor.
Hundreds of artists from across the country line both streets with incredible work. The weather in early November is usually perfect so book your hotel early because this one fills up fast.
Ready to Eat? We’ve Got You Covered
No trip to Ocean Springs is complete without exploring the food scene. From potato donuts at TatoNut to James Beard-worthy fine dining, the restaurants here are half the reason we keep coming back. We’ve eaten our way through dozens of Ocean Springs restaurants over 50+ visits and put together a complete guide: Where to Eat in Ocean Springs MS: The Ultimate Foodie’s Guide
Need a Place to Stay in Ocean Springs?
We have a family home here so I can’t give you a firsthand hotel review, but I did the research and put together a guide to the best boutique hotels and short term rentals in downtown Ocean Springs. Where to Stay in Ocean Springs MS: The Cutest Boutique Hotels
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