Fast Facts
- Population
- 49,449 (2020 census)
- Biloxi Lighthouse Built
- 1848
- French Louisiana Capital
- 1720–1722
- Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Designer
- Frank Gehry
What to Know Before You Arrive
Biloxi, on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, had a population of 49,449 at the 2020 census. French colonists settled the area in 1699, and Biloxi briefly served as the capital of French Louisiana from 1720 until 1722, when the capital moved to the newly founded New Orleans. By the antebellum era, Biloxi had become a summer resort known for its beaches; the Biloxi Lighthouse, built in Baltimore and shipped south, was completed at the site in 1848 and is one of only two surviving lighthouses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Biloxi's seafood industry grew from its first cannery, built in 1881, and the city has practiced an annual Blessing of the Fleet tradition for its shrimp and oyster boats since 1929. Biloxi's 26 miles of Gulf Coast beach, rebuilt in a 1953 Army Corps of Engineers project using taxpayer funds, became the site of the Biloxi Wade-Ins, a series of civil rights protests led by physician Gilbert R. Mason Sr. beginning in 1959 to open the beaches to Black residents. A 1967 federal appeals court ruling determined the beaches were public and open to all, and the state dedicated a historical marker on the beach in 2009 commemorating the first wade-in's 50th anniversary. Learn more about that history at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History's own site.
Casino gambling has operated in Biloxi in various forms since the 1940s, and several casino resorts now line the city's waterfront; they are a fixture of the local economy, though this guide does not recommend any specific one. Hurricane Katrina struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, with a 30-foot storm surge that caused widespread damage, including to the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, then still under construction; the museum's opening was delayed as a result.
The Road Trip Stop
The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, a five-building campus designed by architect Frank Gehry, is dedicated to the ceramics of George E. Ohr, known as the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi." Construction began in 2004, and the museum opened in phases starting in 2010, after Hurricane Katrina damaged the site in 2005.
Budget the time
- We were unable to confirm how long a visit to the galleries takes. The museum states that guided group tours last 45 minutes to an hour and that visitors are free to explore the campus at their own pace.
- The museum lists adult admission at $12* and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, with last admission at 4:15 pm; the museum's own site is the place to re-check hours and admission before a visit.
- The Biloxi Lighthouse and beachfront are a short drive away, along the Highway 90 corridor.
- The museum offers pottery classes at its Center for Ceramics, a separate booking from general admission.
*Fees subject to change, please check georgeohr.org for updated information.
Neighborhoods
Downtown Biloxi
The city's commercial core, near the harbor and the historic seafood industry.
The Highway 90 beachfront
The Gulf Coast beach corridor, home to the Biloxi Lighthouse and several casino resorts.
The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum district
The waterfront campus holding the museum's Gehry-designed buildings, near downtown.
The harbor & seafood district
Home to Biloxi's shrimping and oyster fleet, the base of the city's annual Blessing of the Fleet tradition.
The Food Stop
Downtown and the harbor district hold a concentration of seafood restaurants near Biloxi's working shrimp and oyster fleet.
The Highway 90 beachfront, near the casino resorts, offers additional dining with Gulf views.
Been here a while
Places that have been serving a long time. All were still trading when we last checked. Each name links to its source.
- Mary Mahoney's Old French HouseRestaurant opened in 1964 inside a house dating to about 1737, described as the oldest building in Biloxi
2 breweries within 10 miles of Biloxi, though our source does not record a public room at any of them.
See all 2
- Biloxi Brewing Co186 Bohn St, Biloxiproduction site*
- Hops and Growlers2339 Government St, Ocean Springsproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
The Home Teams
Biloxi has no professional, minor-league or college team based in the city itself.
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport | 24 min | 13 mi | routed |
| Biloxi's neighboring city and fellow Harrison County seat, immediately west. | |||
| Ocean Springs | 8 min | 4 mi | routed |
| The site of Old Biloxi, the original 1699 French settlement, east of Biloxi. | |||
| Pascagoula | 35 min | 22 mi | routed |
| A shipbuilding city on the Mississippi coast, east of Biloxi. | |||
| Bay St. Louis | 49 min | 29 mi | routed |
| A smaller Gulf Coast town west of Gulfport. | |||
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Worth a Weekend
6 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Biloxi in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.
- MobileAlabamaabout 55 mi
- National WWII MuseumLouisianaabout 75 mi
- New OrleansLouisianaabout 75 mi
- Baton RougeLouisianaabout 140 mi
- JacksonMississippiabout 150 mi
- NatchezMississippiabout 170 mi
Aquariums Nearby
Within 60 miles of Biloxi, nearest first.
Mississippi Aquarium — some details below are unconfirmedGulfport
* We could not confirm: site blocked fetch. Check their site before you go.
Ocean Adventures Marine Park (Institute for Marine Mammal Studies)Gulfport
- Hours
- From Sep 8, 2026 (fall/winter): Mon-Fri 9-2; Sat-Sun 9-3
- Season
- seasonal
- Admission
- Adult $17 · Child $15
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. None of these carry an accreditation we were able to confirm, which is not the same as none being accredited — we check against one register, and plenty of good municipal, state and university places are in no register at all. One entry is marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Annual Events Nearby
Within 60 miles of Biloxi, nearest first.
What is on, and when
Cruisin' the Coast — some details below are unconfirmedBiloxi / Gulf Coast cities
- Usually
- October, over several days
- Held at
- Multiple Gulf Coast sites
- Since
- first held 1996
* We could not confirm: not re-checked this session; classic car week. Check their site before you go.
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. One entry is marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.
Practical Road Trip Info
A half day covers the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum and the beachfront; a full day allows time for the harbor district and a casino resort as well.
Biloxi's beaches are public, a status settled by a 1967 federal appeals court ruling after years of local dispute.
Casino resorts stand along the Highway 90 beachfront in Biloxi, after Mississippi legalized dockside casino gambling in 1990.
Hurricane season runs June through November on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a practical consideration for planning a coastal visit; the National Hurricane Center dates the Atlantic season, which includes the Gulf, from June 1 to November 30.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art
Architecturally distinctive galleries and a hands-on ceramics center with classes.
The Biloxi beachfront
Miles of public Gulf Coast beach, open to all since a 1967 court ruling.
The Biloxi Lighthouse
A compact, historic lighthouse along the beachfront, easy to see on a short walk.
Plan Your Visit
Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art
- Address
- 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530
- Hours
- Check the official site for current hours
- Price
- Check the official site for current admission
- Link
- georgeohr.org
We checked fees and opening hours on 2026-10-13. These change without notice — confirm with georgeohr.org the week you travel.
Sources — 19 claims, 17 checked against the source on 2026-09-23
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, on the Gulf Coast; population 49,449 at the 2020 census, the state's fourth-most populous city; French colonists settled the area in 1699; the administrative capital of French Louisiana moved from Mobile to Biloxi in 1720 and then to newly founded New Orleans in 1722 due to fears of tides and hurricanes | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Biloxi Lighthouse was built in Baltimore, Maryland, shipped south and completed at its site in May 1848, one of two surviving lighthouses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which once had twelve; in the antebellum period Biloxi became known as a summer resort due to its beaches | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The first seafood cannery was built in Biloxi in 1881, followed by others processing shrimp and other local seafood; the tradition of blessing fishing boats in the U.S. is believed to have first taken place in Biloxi in 1929 and has continued since; Biloxi's casino history dates to the 1940s, when technically illegal open gambling took place at the Broadwater Beach Resort; the Mississippi Gulf Coast became known as the "Poor Man's Riviera" | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Biloxi Wade-Ins were a series of civil rights protests on Biloxi's beaches between 1959 and 1963, led by physician Dr. Gilbert R. Mason Sr., to desegregate the city's 26 miles of Gulf Coast beach; the beaches had been rebuilt in a 1953 Army Corps of Engineers project using taxpayer funds; a 1967 federal court of appeals ruling determined the beaches were public and accessible to all; in May 2009 the state of Mississippi dedicated a historical marker commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first wade-in | Biloxi Wade-Ins — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, with high winds, heavy rains and a 30-foot storm surge, causing massive damage; Biloxi is the site of a memorial to Katrina victims created by local artists | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi is dedicated to the ceramics of George E. Ohr, the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi"; its five-building campus was designed by architect Frank Gehry; construction began in 2004; in August 2005 the museum was damaged during Hurricane Katrina when a casino barge washed onto the semi-constructed facility; three buildings opened November 8, 2010, and the City of Biloxi Center for Ceramics opened in September 2012 | Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum campus includes the Mississippi Sound Welcome Center, an exhibitions gallery, the Gallery of African American Art, and the Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center; the museum offers pottery classes at its Center for Ceramics | Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Mississippi Department of Archives and History's own site is live and covers research, collections and historic preservation across the state, including Mississippi's civil rights history | Mississippi Department of Archives and History — official site | Checked |
| Biloxi is a principal city of the Gulfport-Biloxi metropolitan area, home to 416,259 residents in 2020; Keesler Air Force Base lies within the city and is home to the 81st Training Wing and the 403rd Wing of the U.S. Air Force Reserve | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| No major Civil War battles were fought in the Biloxi area, though Union forces captured Ship Island early in the war, enabling control of Biloxi; the city did not suffer direct war damage | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Old Biloxi, the site of the original 1699 French settlement at Fort Maurepas, is located in present-day Ocean Springs, Mississippi | Biloxi, Mississippi — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Driving distances and times from Biloxi to Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and Bay St. Louis: no official source found that states them (city sites for Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and Bay St. Louis and the Coastal Mississippi tourism pages checked 2026-10-13) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| Prices shown in this guide from georgeohr.org: $12 | georgeohr.org — the page the prices are taken from | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| How long a visit to the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum galleries takes: the museum's visit, home, about and tours pages state no typical self-guided visit length (guided group tours last 45 minutes to an hour; visitors may explore the campus at their own pace) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art hours: open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, closed Sunday; last admission 4:15 pm; closed on listed holidays | Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art — Visit | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art admission: adults (18+) $12 | Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art — Visit | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Mississippi legalized dockside casino gambling with House Bill 2 in the 1990 special legislative session; the Mississippi Gaming Control Act took effect June 29, 1990 | Mississippi Gaming Commission — History | Checked |
| U.S. Highway 90 on the Mississippi coast is Beach Boulevard; Biloxi's accommodations include beachfront casino resorts | Coastal Mississippi — Transportation and Biloxi travel guide | Checked |
| The Atlantic hurricane season, which covers the Gulf, runs from June 1 to November 30 | National Hurricane Center — Climatology | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Biloxi, not drive time.
- Gulfport Biloxi International (GPT) — 11 miles
- Mobile Regional (MOB) — 43 miles
- Mobile Downtown (BFM) — 51 miles
Also in
A stop on this page turns up in other Highway Heads collections.
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