A pair of Mississippi’s coastal cities has been recognized as “bucket list” destinations by Southern Living.
The popular lifestyle magazine released a 30 Beach Getaways So Beautiful They Belong On Every Bucket List review, and the cities of Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis were featured.
Ocean Springs came in at No. 20, with the publication highlighting the town’s waterfront views artsy flare for its placement in the rankings. The popular Walter Anderson Arts Museum was noted as a must-visit attraction for tourists.
“The artsy waterfront town of Ocean Springs is making the case for Mississippi as a beach destination,” Southern Living’s Tara Massouleh McCay wrote. “If you go, be sure to visit the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, where you can see the famed artist’s interpretation of the native landscapes and animals of his beloved hometown. After you’ve perused the boutiques and shops downtown, take a quick walk to Front Beach, then make dinner reservations at Vestige.”
Located just under an hour west of Ocean Springs is Bay St. Louis, which came in at No. 25 on the list. Known for its old town feel, walkability, night life, and arts scene, Bay St. Louis is another Mississippi town that captured the attention of Southern Living.
“After being walloped by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, this waterfront town has been hard at work rebuilding and is now back and better than ever. The ‘ocean’ here is actually the Mississippi Sound, an embayment of the Gulf of Mexico, but that doesn’t mean the sand, sun, and surf is any less glorious,” McCay wrote. “With fewer crowds than other coastal destinations, you can snag a room at the Pearl Hotel or the Bay Town Inn and spend your days without a worry in the world.”
As for the other states on the list, Florida dominated with 14 selections, while Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina were a distant second, with each having three cities cracking the top 30.
The top bucket list destinations were Duck, N.C. (5), Hilton Head, S.C. (4), Daufuskie Island, S.C. (3), Pensacola, Fla. (2), and Miami Beach, Fla. (1).
