Coastal Mississippi Tourism has announced a raft of newly opened and forthcoming attractions across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, timed to coincide with the peak summer travel season and designed to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore more of the region’s 62-mile shoreline.
From boutique hotels and creative food halls to cultural attractions and wellness spaces, the latest openings reflect growing confidence and investment across coastal communities from Waveland to Pascagoula.
In the heart of Ocean Springs, the newly launched OS1515 Downtown development brings together locally owned businesses across an entire city block. The project includes the 32-room OS Hotel alongside CRAVE Food Hall, home to eight chef-driven concepts and an indoor-outdoor bar and courtyard. The development places strong emphasis on local heritage, from architecture and design to artwork and creative partnerships.
A short drive west along scenic Highway 90, The Pass Bungalows in Pass Christian offer contemporary coastal accommodation just steps from the beach, complete with a tiki bar by the outdoor pool and two on-site restaurants focused on local ingredients.
In Pascagoula, the newly opened Hancock Rooftop Bar, perched atop the City Centre building, is serving craft cocktails with sweeping skyline and Gulf views, adding a relaxed but elevated social space to the downtown area.
Food lovers will find no shortage of new dining options across the coast. Highlights include El Chilango Mexican Foodin Gulfport, Field’s Mediterranean and Acropolis Greek Restaurant in Biloxi, and Old Blackwater Restaurant in Moss Point, offering Southern cooking in a riverside setting accessible by both road and water.
Ocean Springs has also welcomed The Coffee Vineyard, blending craft coffee and fine wine in a modern setting, and Zen Den Spa, which focuses on holistic wellness with hot and cold plunge therapy, Himalayan salt chambers and infrared saunas.
Elsewhere, Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s has opened in Pass Christian, bringing the iconic Texas travel centre brand to the Gulf Coast. New community-focused attractions include the Flagship Summer Market in Pascagoula and Bacon Rainbow Alley in Biloxi, a colourful hub for food, photography and events.
Cultural and family-friendly additions include the revitalised Round Island Lighthouse Maritime Museum in Pascagoula, the opening of Hippie Fish at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport — combining casual dining with mini golf and arcade games — and a new Virtual Walking Tour of Historic Gulfport, created by a local college student to bring the city’s history to life via app-based storytelling.
The pipeline of openings continues into late summer and beyond. New Orleans favourite St. James Cheese Company is set to open in Pass Christian as part of The Pass Bungalows development, while Anthony’s Ristorante will bring classic Italian dining to Bay St. Louis.
Ocean Springs will also welcome The Collective, a creative hub for makers and entrepreneurs, housing a second restaurant concept from chefs Alex Perry and Kumi Omori of James Beard-recognised Vestige, alongside The Book Porter indie bookstore and Corktown Wine Shop, curated by local sommelier Sean Perkins.
In Biloxi, the Birthplace of Barq’s Bed and Breakfast will celebrate the origins of the iconic root beer brand on the site where it was first created in 1898. Meanwhile, Gautier is preparing for the Mississippi Songwriters Performing Arts Center, a major new cultural venue featuring performance spaces, classrooms, a recording studio and the Mississippi Songwriters Alliance Hall of Fame, located near the recently opened The Sound Amphitheater.
Judy Young, CEO of Coastal Mississippi Tourism, says the breadth of new openings reflects the region’s growing appeal. “These new developments give visitors even more reason to plan a beach getaway along the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” she says. “From Waveland to Pascagoula, there is an incredible mix of new and established experiences to enjoy.”
Further information on planning a visit, accommodation and attractions can be found at CoastalMississippi.com.