Quick answer: Mississippi’s best beaches are the long sandy beaches along US Highway 90 in Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach and Pass Christian, the small-town beaches of Ocean Springs, Bay St. Louis and Waveland, and the wild barrier islands of Gulf Islands National Seashore, such as Ship Island and Horn Island, which have the clearest water. Inland, Ross Barnett Reservoir and Old Bridge Beach on Bay Springs Lake are good freshwater options. Before swimming on the coast, check the state’s beach water-quality advisories.
Mississippi has a short but busy coastline on the Mississippi Sound, the shallow body of water between the mainland and a chain of barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico (which the US federal government has called the Gulf of America since 2025). The mainland beaches are wide and easy to reach, but the water is often murky because it is shallow and close to river outflows. For clear water, take a boat to the barrier islands.
The 14 beaches below include the main coastal towns, the islands of the national seashore and two inland lake beaches.
Before you swim: water quality and safety
- Water contact advisories: the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) tests coastal beach water for Enterococcus bacteria. When levels are too high it issues a water contact advisory for that stretch of beach. The beach stays open, but swimming there carries an increased risk of illness. MDEQ posts the current status on its beach monitoring website and also recommends not swimming during or within 24 hours of heavy rain.
- Hurricane season: the Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November. Watch the forecast and local warnings if you travel then.
- Barrier islands: the islands have few or no facilities. Take water, sun protection and everything you need, and check the ferry or boat schedule for your return.
Coastal beaches
1. Biloxi Beach
Biloxi is the best-known resort town on the Mississippi coast. Its beach runs along US Highway 90, past casinos, hotels and restaurants, and the historic Biloxi Lighthouse, completed in 1848, stands beside the road. The area’s history goes back to 1699, when French colonists established Fort Maurepas at “Old Biloxi”, in what is now Ocean Springs. Shrimping has long been part of local life, and boat trips from Biloxi show visitors how shrimp are caught. Beach activities include sunbathing, shell-hunting and water sports.
2. Gulfport Beach
Gulfport’s beach is part of the long man-made sand beach that runs along the Harrison County coast, from Biloxi west to Pass Christian. Built in the early 1950s and often described as about 26 miles long, it is one of the longest man-made beaches in the world. In Gulfport the beach is wide and quiet, good for walking, sunbathing, kite flying and watching the sunrise and sunset. Gulfport is also where the ferry to Ship Island leaves (see below). (An earlier version of this article said Gulfport Beach lies on “Boca Ciega” bay; Boca Ciega Bay is in Florida, and Gulfport’s beach faces the Mississippi Sound.)
3. Long Beach
Long Beach is a small city between Gulfport and Pass Christian with its own stretch of the man-made beach. It is usually quieter than Biloxi and Gulfport, which makes it a good choice for families who want a calm day in the sun.
4. Pass Christian Beach
Pass Christian, at the western end of the Harrison County beach, is a historic town with miles of white sandy beach along the Mississippi Sound, a harbour and a relaxed pace. It is good for sunbathing, walking and swimming in calm conditions. An earlier version of this article described a “Dogwood Beach” in Pass Christian; we could not find a beach by that name, so this entry now covers the Pass Christian beachfront as a whole.
5. Bay St. Louis Beach
Bay St. Louis is a small arts town on the western Mississippi coast, within day-trip distance of New Orleans. Its beachfront is close to the restaurants and shops of Old Town, and the beach is a good place for fishing, seafood and sunsets over the bay. An earlier version of this article said Bay St. Louis is only 25 minutes from New Orleans; the drive usually takes considerably longer, so check the distance from where you are staying.
6. Waveland Beach and Buccaneer State Park
Waveland, just west of Bay St. Louis, is a quiet town with a long beach along Beach Boulevard. On the edge of town is Buccaneer State Park, which sits on the coast and has a 4.5-acre water park, about 250 campsites, a nature trail, a disc golf course and a playground. Hurricane Katrina destroyed all the park’s buildings in 2005, and the park has since been rebuilt. (An earlier version of this article called it “Marauder State Park”.)
7. Front Beach, Ocean Springs
Front Beach in Ocean Springs, east of Biloxi across Biloxi Bay, is one of the most attractive beaches on the coast, with shallow, usually calm water that suits children. It has a fishing pier and picnic areas, and boats are a common sight offshore. The arts-focused town of Ocean Springs, with its restaurants and galleries, is a short walk or drive away.
8. East Beach, Ocean Springs
East Beach is a quieter, residential beachfront on the eastern side of Ocean Springs. It is good for a peaceful walk or a few hours of sun, and some holiday rentals face the water. Ocean Springs also has a long history: French colonists established Fort Maurepas, the first permanent European settlement in French Louisiana, here in 1699.
9. Lake Mars Beach, Ocean Springs
Lake Mars is a public access point on the Mississippi Sound in Jackson County, near Ocean Springs, with a natural shoreline of low dunes and marsh. It has a boat launch and a fishing pier, which was rebuilt after Hurricane Nate and reopened in 2021. The pier is popular for fishing, birdwatching and photography. Swimming is not recommended here.
Gulf Islands National Seashore
10. Gulf Islands National Seashore (Davis Bayou)
Gulf Islands National Seashore protects barrier islands, beaches and bayous in Mississippi and Florida. In Mississippi, Petit Bois, Horn, East Ship, West Ship and Cat islands can be reached only by boat. The Davis Bayou area in Ocean Springs is the only Mississippi part of the seashore you can drive to. It has the William M. Colmer Visitor Center, nature trails, picnic areas and a campground, and it is good for birdwatching.
An earlier version of this article said there are “six old forts” on the beach and that the seashore is “close to the Alabama-Mississippi line”. The seashore’s historic forts are mostly in the Florida section; in Mississippi the main one is Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island.
11. Ship Island
Ship Island lies offshore from Gulfport and Biloxi and has some of the clearest water and whitest sand on the Mississippi coast. It is home to Fort Massachusetts, a 19th-century brick fort that visitors can tour for free (the fort can close after heavy rain causes flooding). Facilities are limited.
Ship Island Excursions runs a seasonal day-trip ferry from Gulfport. In 2026, its 100th season, the ferry ran from mid-March to the start of November. Camping is not allowed on West Ship Island, which is open only from sunrise to sunset. (An earlier version of this article said camping is permitted; that applies to the other islands, not West Ship.) Check the operator’s schedule and buy tickets in advance.
12. Horn Island
Horn Island is an undeveloped barrier island south of Ocean Springs, and much of it is part of the protected Gulf Islands Wilderness. There are no hotels or facilities and no ferry service, so most visitors arrive by private boat or charter. Primitive camping is allowed on government-owned land, which makes Horn Island one of the best places in Mississippi for a quiet, wild beach. Bring everything you need. (An earlier version of this article said Horn Island is in Gautier; it is an offshore island reached only by boat.)
Inland lake beaches
13. Ross Barnett Reservoir
Ross Barnett Reservoir, known locally as “the Rez”, covers about 33,000 acres on the Pearl River near Jackson. It is run by the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District and draws more than two million visitors a year for boating, fishing, waterskiing and camping. The district manages 16 parks, several campgrounds and many boat launches around the lake, and some parks have sandy swimming areas. The water is fairly shallow in places.
14. Old Bridge Beach, Bay Springs Lake
Old Bridge Beach is a US Army Corps of Engineers beach on Bay Springs Lake, part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in north-east Mississippi, near the Tennessee and Alabama borders. It has clear water, a playground, a fishing pier, restrooms, covered shelters, picnic tables, grills, outdoor showers and a volleyball court. Visitors need a valid day-use pass, which can be bought through Recreation.gov. (An earlier version of this article placed it on “Gulf Springs Lake” near the Alabama coast; it is on Bay Springs Lake, far inland.)
Planning a Gulf Coast trip? See our guides to the best Alabama beaches, Florida’s best beaches and the best beaches in Texas.
Frequently asked questions
Does Mississippi have clear-water beaches?
The mainland beaches face the shallow Mississippi Sound, where the water is often murky. For clear water and white sand, visit the barrier islands, especially Ship Island and Horn Island.
How do you get to Ship Island?
Ship Island Excursions runs a seasonal day-trip ferry from Gulfport, usually from about March to the end of October or early November. Check the schedule and book ahead. Camping is not allowed on West Ship Island.
Is it safe to swim at Mississippi beaches?
Usually, but check MDEQ’s beach monitoring website for water contact advisories, which are issued when bacteria levels are high, and avoid swimming during or within 24 hours of heavy rain.
Which Mississippi beach is best for families?
Front Beach in Ocean Springs has shallow, calm water, and Long Beach is quiet with easy access. Buccaneer State Park in Waveland adds a water park and campground.
Details checked in October 2026 against the National Park Service, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, US Army Corps of Engineers and ferry operator information, and local histories of the Mississippi coast. Ferry schedules, advisories and fees change, so check before you go.
