Some people called him eccentric. Others claimed he was downright crazy. George Ohr was a talented potter. But with his brash mannerisms and mustache so long he tied it together behind his head, he became known as “The Mad Potter.” Today, along the Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi, Ohr has an entire art museum named for him, the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art.
Last winter we spent several weeks exploring the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast. During our stay, our daughter Tricia flew down to join us for a few days. She had just one request: a swamp tour in an airboat. We found exactly that at the Gulf Coast Gator Ranch & Airboat Swamp Tours in Moss Point, Mississippi.
Last winter we spent several weeks exploring Mississippi’s coast, from the Alabama border on the east to Louisiana on the west. Although the area experienced cooler weather than normal, we never wanted for things to do. Here are 21 Mississippi Gulf Coast places to go and things to do, no matter what the temperature.
Life is getting back to normal! We’re experiencing far fewer mask mandates and cancelled events. Time to get back to exploring, and the Midwest Wanderer newsletter will guide you to some fun and interesting places to explore.
Twelve miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast and accessible only by private boat or ferry, Ship Island was a tourist destination for years. And then, in 1969, Hurricane Camille hit. She split the island in half, creating West Ship Island and East Ship Island. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina did even more damage.
Thanks to an Army Corps of Engineers project, the two halves were reconnected in 2019, making the entire island available again via a single ferry ride.
Spend the day exploring Ship Island—or sunbathe all day. The choice is yours. Either way, a Ship Island visit is a highlight on a Gulf Coast itinerary.
