Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Bay St. Louis is the most serene coastal town in Mississippi. It lies along the southern border of Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. It placed second behind Ocean Springs in USA Today’s Top Ten Best Coastal Small Towns in America. Luckily for you, Ocean Springs is only about a 45-minute drive down the scenic Beach Boulevard! While you are visiting Bay St. Louis, you are able to visit the other coastal towns, all within a 15-45 minute drive.   

Old Town Bay St. Louis

“Old Town” in Bay St. Louis is where the quaint town meets the water. In Old Town, you will see families riding around in golf carts with their pup riding along, too. Several restaurants, shops, a daquiri shack, and more fill this waterfront area, but my favorite part is strolling past the beautiful, Southern homes that line the back streets of Old Town. There is just something special about old homes with big front porches. Something else that is unique about Bay St. Louis is the vintage shops in Old Town. I enjoy walking through these to see what I can find. Festivals are held in Old Town throughout the year, bringing locals and visitors together. See which festivals and events are happening here.

Mockingbird Café

I love this café sooo much! The owners pay special attention to the health and quality of the food and drinks they serve. They make all their drink syrups and baked goods in-house, without the use of artificial ingredients. It’s the perfect place to eat brunch or grab a coffee before walking around Old Town! Their menu includes a great variety of food and drinks for breakfast and lunch. From chai oatmeal to pulled pork and grits, there is something for everyone here! I always enjoy their iced latte with vanilla syrup and their veggie breakfast burrito. Their matcha lemonade is so refreshing on a sunny day if I can manage to pass up their iced coffee, and they also serve brunch cocktails using their house-made drink syrups. You can sit inside or outside of this vintage building turned restaurant, and it is dog-friendly! This place is a must stop every time I visit Bay St. Louis! If you are visiting during Mardi Gras season, be sure to try their homemade fruit-filled king cake. This one was raspberry and lemon and oh my goodnessssss - it was delicious! 

Treehouse Yoga

Behind Mockingbird Café is Treehouse Yoga. This studio has been very welcoming to me and my friends. They accept all levels of yoga, including first-timers. If you are a beginner, I recommend calling ahead to ask which class would be best for you. You can also book a class through their website. Last time I checked, classes were $15 a person. 

The Shops of Century Hall

This is my favorite place to shop in Bay St. Louis - located right next to Mockingbird Café. It’s a vintage three-story house that contains numerous unique shops. I can always spend at least 30 minutes here looking around.

Ruth’s Roots Community Garden

Ruth’s Roots Community Garden represents the love Bay St. Louis has for its community. It contains a painted mural of Ruth Thompson, the woman who the garden is named after. It was at this address where Ruth and her husband used to bake their famous king cakes. They won best king cake in and around New Orleans in 2002, and people from all over the area would line up to try their king cake. Hurricane Katrina, unfortunately, destroyed the bakery in 2005, and since then Ruth’s husband donated the land to the community. The garden is uplifting and creative with local artwork from entrance to exit. You will find herbs and flowers growing, a community food and supply pantry, a mini free library, a place to picnic, and more! There are clever touches all throughout and a little something for everyone! Last time I was there, caged bunny rabbits and chickens were a nice surprise!  

The Blind Tiger

This waterfront restaurant is a staple in Bay St. Louis. The menu is a short one and updated daily, depending on what is freshly caught! You can even bring in your own catch for them to cook for you! I recommend trying what they are known for- fish tacos and a Bushwacker. This restaurant is dog-friendly!

Cuz’s Old Town Oyster Bar & Grill

The menu here has seafood galore, from seafood gumbo to fried seafood po’boys. This is the place to come hungry and leave full! Be sure to check out their Pirate Bloody Mary if that’s your kind of drink. It comes dressed up tall with fried soft shell crab, fried shrimp, bacon, celery, pickled green beans, and olives! It ends up looking like a cute crab is sitting right on top of your bloody mary. 

Trapani’s Eatery

This is my personal favorite restaurant in Bay St. Louis. They serve the best appetizer, spinach and artichoke dip served with FRIED BOWTIE PASTA! Whaaaat - it's delicious!! They serve other tasty seafood and steak that I think you will love, too, and they serve specialty cocktails like Trapani’s Famous Calypso Martini! 

Thorny Oyster

Upscale, hip restaurant that is known for their local oysters and also serves seafood dishes, steak, chicken, sandwiches, and salads, all a bit fancy and delicious. They also serve great cocktails, including this espresso martini that reminded me of my favorite Christmas movie, Jack Frost. Please tell me you see it too! :) Reservations are recommended here!

200 North Beach Restaurant & Bar 

This restaurant is a little more upscale than Trapani’s. They serve appetizers like crawfish cornbread with almond honey butter and smoked salmon dip with jalapenos – yum! They also serve delicious entrees like seafood pasta, fish, and steak! If you don’t want the night to end, check out BSL Lounge upstairs! There’s a full bar and balcony that overlooks downtown Bay St. Louis, and there’s live music on Thursday and Friday nights! 

Beaches

There are several public beach spots in the area. The shoreline along North Beach Blvd is a good option for beaching, which you can usually park along the street for, and there is a more private beach called Waveland Beach that is a short drive from Old Town. The beaches in Bay St. Louis are dog-friendly, but I recommend taking clean drinking water for your pup! Another option for enjoying the water and sand is to take the ferry from Gulfport Harbor to Ship Island. Gulfport Harbor is only about a 20-minute drive from BSL. The ferry is round trip, runs March - October, and cost around $40. See exact pricing and more details here.

Where should you stay?

It would be ideal to stay close to Old Town so that all of this is a short walk or ride away, but if you decide to stay a little further away, it is an easy drive to and from Old Town! 

  • Pearl Hotel, a boutique hotel located in the heart of it all – Book your stay here 

  • Bay Town Inn Bed & Breakfast, located on Beach Blvd – Book your stay here 

  • Carroll House Cottages in Old Town – Book your stay here 

  • There are several homes in and around Old Town available for rent on Airbnb and VRBO.  

Coffee & Sweets:

  • Mockingbird Café

  • Cosmos

  • PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans

  • Pop Brothers

  • The Creole Creamery

  • Ms Mary’s Old Town Snoballs & Ice Cream

  • Popcorn Plus

Breakfast/Brunch:

  • Mockingbird Café

  • Cosmos

Lunch Spots:

  • Mockingbird Café

  • Dragonfly

  • Portside

  • The Blind Tiger Bay St. Louis

  • Dan B’s Restaurant & Bar

  • Murky Waters BBQ- Bay St. Louis

  • Rags to Riches of Bay St. Louis  

  • The Parrot Head Bar & Grill

  • Uncle Joe’s Pizza

  • Beachside Bistro

Dinner:

  • Trapani’s

  • 200 North Beach Restaurant and Bar

  • Field’s Steak & Oyster Bar 

  • Thorny Oyster

  • Dan B’s Restaurant & Bar

  • Cuz’s Old Town Oyster Bar & Grill

  • The Ugly Pirate Café and Bar 

  • Murky Waters BBQ- Bay St. Louis

  • The BBQ Depot

  • Rags to Riches of Bay St. Louis  

  • Sycamore House (only open Wednesday - Saturday starting at 5pm)

  • Beachside Bistro (not in Old Town/10-minute drive)

  • Dempsey’s Seafood & Steak (in Kiln, MS/20-minute drive)

  • Jourdan River Steamer (in Kiln, MS/20-minute drive)

Cocktails, Beer, & Music:

  • Hinge Cocktail Bar 

  • BSL Lounge (take the stairs inside 200 North Beach Restaurant)

  • The Loft Cocktail Bar - espresso martini is a favorite here!  

  • Dan B’s- live music Thursday-Sunday nights 

  • Tripletails

  • Hen House of Bay St. Louis- happy hour 2/3pm-5pm Wednesday - Sunday 

  • Daiquiri Shak

  • The Parrot Head Bar & Grill

  • Lazy Magnolia Brewery in Kiln, MS (20-minute drive; serves pizzas!)

Shopping:

  • The Shops of Century Hall

  • 100 Men Hall

  • Good Earth Records 

  • Bay Books 

  • Antique Maison

  • The Fly Boutique

  • Fleurty Girl 

  • Baytique

  • Biz-zee Bee children’s boutique

  • Sassy Bird Interiors 

  • Café BoneJour Pet Boutique and Barkery

  • The French Potager – floral shop with beautiful arrangements

Antique/Thrift Stores:

  • Antique Maison

  • The Shops at Century Hall

  • Magnolia Antiques

  • Worth Repeating

  • Sea Gypseas Antiques

  • WishList Flea Market

  • Countryside Antiques

Golf Cart & Beach Rentals:

  • Bodega Adventure Rentals - here you can rent kayaks, paddleboards, bicycles, golf carts, beach umbrellas, and chairs. Sign up to receive their emails to get 20% off!

  • Bayside Golf Cart Rental - here you can rent 4 and 5-seat golf carts  

  • Bay St. Louis Rentals - here you can rent golf carts, pontoons, and waverunners

Entertainment: 

  • Ship Island Ferry - more info here

  • Cruisin’ Tikis Bay St. Louis - a tiki bar boat! Great for bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, or just to have fun! More info here

  • Hancock County Farmers’ Market - every Saturday 8am-12pm at 3068 Longfellow Rd.

  • Old Town Historic Walking & Biking Tour - free self-guided tour    

  • Waveland Beach or find a spot on the beach along Beach Blvd. 

  • Buccaneer State Park (camping, trails, disc golf, and more) - more info here  

  • Buccaneer Bay Waterpark - more info here

  • Bay St. Louis Little Theatre - see what’s playing here 

Health and Fitness: 

  • Treehouse Yoga  

  • Reform Pilates studio  

  • 2-mile-long Bay of St. Louis Bridge trail that connects BSL and Pass Christian. You can park on the street between U.S. 90 and Chapel Hill Road on the Bay St. Louis side. 

  • The Bay-Waveland Beach Trail; 4.5 miles paved path along the beachfront that starts at the Washington St. Pier in BSL (public parking is here) and ends at the fishing pier on Coleman Ave. in Waveland.  

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