By Ellis Anderson | Photos provided by BSLShoofly.com
Coolest Small Beach Town. Most Charming City. Most Beautiful. Bay St. Louis usually tops about any “best of ” list in the state and frequently garners national attention.
The reason? Even though it’s small, the town offers something for almost every type of visitor. And with an astonishing array of independent eateries, you can punctuate your activities with some of the coast’s best meals.
Use our itineraries below or mix and match between them for your own memorable days in “the Bay.”
FITNESS LOVERS:
- Start the morning with breakfast at Lulu’s on Main (126 Main Street, inside Maggie May’s). Fuel up with one of her specialties like fried chicken beignets or a BLT with her bacon remoulade sauce.
- Pick up your copy of the historic walking/biking tour at Lulu’s or find a digital version in the Shoofly Magazine’s Local Living section, www.shooflymagazine.com.
- The Old Town Biking/Walking Tour winds 1 1/4 miles through the town’s lovely historic district, and the guide recounts colorful snippets of the past.
- Stop for lunch at the Starfish Café (211 Main Street) with its garden-to-table menu – literally. Many of the creative and delicious dishes are made with ingredients from the front garden. The menu changes seasonally – but look for local favorites, like grass-fed beef burgers, fish tacos with mango slaw and veggie spring rolls.
- After lunch, bike or walk the serene beach path. This five-mile paved path runs between the beach and an old-fashioned two-lane beach road that hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years.
- Don’t have a bike? You can rent them at Bodega (just off Beach Boulevard at 111 Court Street). Feeling more adventurous? You can also ply the local waters with kayaks and paddle boards, also available for rent there.
- Afterward, you won’t have to dress up to enjoy dinner after at Trapani’s Eatery (116 N. Beach). It’s one of Jimmy Buffett’s favorite watering holes on the Gulf Coast. Reward yourself with the fried green tomatoes with crabmeat or feast without guilt on the delicious – and low calorie — raw Tuna Poke.
KIDS’ ADVENTURE:
- The family-friendly Buttercup Café (112 N. Second Street) is located in the heart of Old Town and offers dining both inside and out. The younger set will crave the fluffy pancakes that smell like birthday cake. Adults will want to sample local favorites like the crawfish étoufée omelets.
- Then pile into the car and head out to INFINITY Science Center in the western part of the county. The museum exhibits and a free bus tour of the adjacent (and restricted access) Stennis Space Center complex give a glimpse into the science behind space travel. Interactive exhibits like the Carnivorous Plants Conservatory and seasonal tram rides through the surrounding wetlands give lessons in natural habitats.
- During summer months, drive to your next stop, Buccaneer State Park (1150 South Beach Boulevard, Waveland). The extraordinary wave pool and water park are open seven days a week all summer (closes after Labor Day). The Sea Dog Galley offers hamburger/hot dog basics.
- During the rest of the year, grab lunch at the INFINITY Café and set out for the Louisiana/Mississippi border for a swamp tour. Cajun Encounters is only about 15 minutes from the science center, and even off season, they offer three early afternoon tour times (see website, www.cajunencounters.com ) Expect to see all types of wildlife in the majestic Honey Island Swamp. The tours last about two hours of natural enchantment.
- Finish your day at Cuz’s Oyster Bar and Grill 108 S. Beach Blvd.), with both patio and indoor seating. The younger set can devour fried shrimp and catfish while the adults will dig into specialties like raw and grilled oysters and boiled seasonal seafood.
SHOPPERS’ DELIGHT:
Breakfast at the Mockingbird Café (110 S. Second Street) gives any day a special start. They offer some of the best biscuits in the South, specialty coffee drinks and if you’re feeling especially celebratory, a mimosa or bloody Mary to go with the pulled port and grits or chicken with waffles.
The shopping areas of Old Town are split into two areas separated by the courthouse and churches. The Mockingbird is right next door to the vast Century Hall, a renovated historic gem that is home to more than a dozen shops. Check out Bay Life Gifts for beachy décor and gifts.
Antique lovers will swoon.