Often called "the Playground of the South," this picturesque, sandy stretch along the Gulf of Mexico offers up exciting attractions, fresh-from-the-Gulf seafood, and first-class accommodations. With Mississippi Gulf Coast venues spanning everything from antebellum ballrooms to high-energy casinos to charter boats, groups can enjoy up to 24-hour fun at the premier gaming and beach destination in the south.
Located at the southernmost part of Mississippi, the Mississippi Gulf Coast sits between Mobile, AL, and New Orleans. Beyond the main cities of Biloxi and Gulfport are Long Beach, Pass Christian and D'Iberville, each with its own attractions, accommodations and unique charm.
Mississippi boasts the most valuable aquaculture industry in the U.S. and the second-largest fishing industry of the Gulf Coast states. The state is also fourth in corn and cotton production, and fifth in poultry production. Stable military, space and oceanographic agencies, ship building, and tourism industries have contributed greatly to the growth of the economy.
The primary airport for the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, is served by seven commercial airlines connecting 2,000 flights throughout the United States and internationally. In addition, there is nonstop service to Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Memphis, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, and Tampa. For those traveling by ground transportation, the part of Highway 90 (known as Beach Boulevard) offers easy access to all Gulf Coast cities. Other areas of the state are easily reached via Interstate 10 and Highway 49.
Chief among Mississippi Gulf Coast venues is the completely renovated Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center and its 400,000 square feet of meeting space. Damaged in Hurricane Katrina, the facility has undergone a "rooftop to carpet" redo, resulting in a beautiful, navigable facility for groups of all sizes. An added benefit is the offices of the Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB are now on site at the center, making it a "one-stop shop" for planners needing assistance with site selection and accommodations, meeting promotion and management, special event and theme party planning, as well as on-site registration services.
If guests want to meet where they also stay, play and shop, the fabulous Beau Rivage Resort & Casino has 50,000 square feet of meeting space, and the IP Casino Resort Spa has 49,000. (Other area hotels offer from 1,000-6,400 square feet for smaller groups.)
One of the region's most sought-after attractions is something you get to do every day - enjoy fresh local seafood at an array of one-of-a-kind restaurants to suit every taste and budget. If golf is your game, you'll find the Gulf Coast has courses designed by the best - Nicklaus, Palmer, Pate, Love, McCumber, Fazio and more. Here, golf is a year-round pleasure, thanks to a temperate climate.
Unique meeting venues on the Mississippi Gulf Coast abound, with something for everyone. Host an outdoor party or wedding reception on the grounds of the stately Beauvoir, restored last residence of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Embrace your inner child and climb a treehouse at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center children's museum. Walk on the beach for miles or board a schooner for a sunset cruise. Festivals celebrating everything from the blues to the blueberry take place year-round, with Cruisin' the Coast taking top honors as the biggest blowout of them all - a weeklong gathering of car enthusiasts from all over the country showing off thousands of vintage cars and hot rods.
