The Mississippi Gulf Coast, and its 26-mile cusp of man-made beach, includes, from east to west, the towns of Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, and Bay St. Louis. To get there, fly to New Orleans or Mobile, and drive into Mississippi (75 miles from New Orleans, 60 from Mobile), or fly into Gulfport, which is serviced by several airlines, including Air Tran Airways, an upstart in which Beau Rivage has invested heavily.
Beau Rivage 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi; 888/567-6667 or 228/386-7111, fax 228/386-7632; doubles from $89, Jasmine suites from $199. Of the resort's 12 restaurants, Coral is billed as the finest, but I vote for La Cucina—and it'll save you at least $20 extra for the slots. Ta.ke Ma.ku has more than 4,000 stalks of Malaysian bamboo lining its walls, and crawfish sushi on the menu.
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Father Ryan House 1196 Beach Blvd., Biloxi; 800/295-1189 or 228/435-1189, fax 228/436-3063; doubles $100. A 15-room Victorian inn overlooking the gulf, named for a chaplain known as the poet laureate of the Confederacy. Proceeds go to a hospital project in Honduras.
Green Oaks 580 Beach Blvd., Biloxi; 888/436-6257 or 228/436-6257, fax 228/436-6225; doubles $125. An eight-room B&B in a Greek Revival cottage—Biloxi's oldest beachfront house—and its former slave quarters.
Jocelyn's Restaurant Hwy. 90 E., Ocean Springs; 228/875-1925; dinner for two $40. Chef-owner Jocelyn Seymour Mayfield whips up local delicacies, such as crab au gratin, in a hot-pink Creole cottage. A local favorite.
Blow Fly Inn 1281 Washington Ave., Gulfport; 228/896-9812; dinner for two $30. A charming dive serving ribs and seafood.
George E. Ohr Arts & Cultural Center 136 G. E. Ohr St., Biloxi; 228/374-5547; www.georgeohr.org.
Walter Anderson Museum of Art 510 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs; 228/872-3164. Look for the painter's masterpiece, a 3,000-square-foot mural painted on the walls of the adjoining Ocean Springs Community Center.
