September And October Bring 15 Things To Do In Biloxi, Mississippi, From Attractions To Seasonal Local Favorites
Summer is slowly giving way to a new season, and Mississippi already has plans ready for fall. Attractions throughout the area shift with the seasonal change, offering something different from the usual summer routine.
Local favorites return during these months, drawing regulars who wait all year for them. Nothing about the fall lineup feels thrown together, since these events return with the same reliability each season.
Visitors passing through often extend their trip just to catch a few of the seasonal highlights. Food, festivals, and outdoor activities all find their place across September and October.
Regulars plan entire weekends around specific events, treating fall as its own kind of tradition. Biloxi proved that autumn can hold just as much charm as any summer visit.
1. Biloxi Lighthouse
Picture a 64-foot cast-iron lighthouse standing in the middle of a highway median, holding its ground since 1848. Traffic goes around it. It does not care.
Guided tours run daily, and the climb up the spiral stairs rewards you with a wide look at the Mississippi Sound. Fall afternoons make the trip easier, since the metal interior gets far less punishing once summer loosens its grip.
Across the road sits the Biloxi Visitor Center, which fills in the history of the city and the lighthouse itself, along with a museum and gift shop. Plan for both, not just one, because the pairing makes the story click.
Birdwatchers tend to linger here too. The beach and shallow water nearby attract plenty of species, and mornings are quiet enough to actually hear them.
Evening is the real showstopper. Few places along the coast frame a sunset better, and photographers know it, which explains why this thing shows up on postcards constantly.
Parking is free in the lot and along the street. Weekday nights stay peaceful, while Saturday evenings draw the biggest crowd.
Find it at 1050 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530.
2. Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of Art
George E. Ohr called himself the Mad Potter of Biloxi, and honestly, the nickname undersells him.
His pottery twists and crumples in ways nobody else was attempting in the late 1800s.
His work now lives in a campus designed by Frank Gehry, where curving metal buildings weave between old live oaks instead of bulldozing them. The exterior competes with the collections for attention, which is a fun problem for a museum to have.
Several separate structures function almost like little galleries scattered across the grounds, each holding a different exhibit. Some focus on Ohr, others on contemporary artists or the coast’s own history.
The Katrina exhibit stands out and gives visitors real context for what this stretch of shoreline survived.
A cafe, free wi-fi, and restrooms make it easy to spend a slow couple of hours. Families are welcome, and active military discounts are offered.
Parking in the lot is free. Look for it at 386 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530.
3. Beauvoir
Hurricanes erased most of the grand old houses along this shoreline. Beauvoir is one of the few still standing, which alone makes it worth a stop.
Once the final home of Jefferson Davis, the property now holds the restored house, a Presidential Library, and an interactive museum covering the era’s artifacts and stories. Guided tours cover the home and grounds, and guides go deep on the details.
Set aside real time here. Between the house tour, the museum, and the grounds, visitors often spend three or four hours without meaning to.
Behind the main house, trails wind past a Confederate cemetery, small bridges, and heavy live oaks. Golf cart rentals make covering the back acreage easier if walking sounds like too much.
October weather turns this into one of the more comfortable historic sites on the coast, since the shade and sea breeze finally cooperate. Weekdays run noticeably quieter if you prefer smaller tour groups. Kids handle it fine.
Head to 2244 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39531.
4. Biloxi Shrimping Trip
A net drops into the Mississippi Sound, comes back up, and suddenly a table is covered in shrimp, crabs, small fish, and creatures most people have never seen outside an aquarium. The crew identifies everything piece by piece.
That is the whole appeal of this cruise, which runs as an educational trip rather than a tourist boat ride. You learn how the shrimping industry shaped Biloxi, and you get a hands-on look at what lives offshore.
Dolphins show up regularly along the route, usually surfacing close enough to make everyone forget about the net for a minute.
The crew knows the coast well and shares solid tips about restaurants and other stops around town. Kids are absolutely the target audience here, though adults get just as absorbed.
A restroom is available onboard, and parking is free in the garage, lot, and along the street. Departures happen from 693 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530.
5. Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum
Three floors. Wooden boats, shrimping gear, oyster tongs, hurricane history, and regional art all under one roof.
The building itself was rebuilt after Katrina, which makes the storm exhibits hit harder than any textbook could.
Biloxi built its whole identity on seafood, and this museum lays out exactly how that happened. Displays walk through boat building, the canning years, and the families who worked the water for generations.
Videos play throughout, so there is plenty to sit and watch when your legs get tired of reading placards. Kids do fine here, mostly because the full-size vessels are genuinely impressive up close.
The setting helps too. A waterfront park sits right beside it, making a natural spot to stretch out afterward and watch boats slide by.
Tours are available, restrooms are onsite, and the gift shop stocks coast-themed odds and ends. Parking costs nothing whether you use the lot or the street.
The address is 115 E 1st St, Biloxi, MS 39530.
6. Paradise Pier Fun Park
An air-conditioned Ferris wheel might be the most Southern amenity ever invented, and Paradise Pier has one. From the top, you can see the Gulf, the barrier island, downtown, and the back bay all at once.
Rides fill the rest of the park, along with an arcade, a rock climbing wall, and bowling. Food and a sky bar round it out, so nobody starves between attractions.
Everything overlooks the Biloxi waterfront, which turns the whole place into a pretty stop even for people who skip the rides entirely.
Fall evenings work especially well here. Cooler air, glowing lights, and sunsets over the water make the wait between rides less of a chore.
Live performances happen onsite, and car shows occasionally roll through, which pairs nicely with October’s classic car season along the coast.
Active military discounts apply, parking is free, and a playground keeps small kids busy. Visit 195 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530.
7. Big Play Entertainment Center
Rain on your beach day? Or a kid with too much energy and no off switch? Big Play handles both situations without breaking a sweat.
Two mini-golf courses sit outdoors, joined by go-karts and bumper cars for anyone with competitive tendencies. Inside, bowling lanes and a packed arcade take over.
A restaurant on site means you can settle a family go-kart rivalry over lunch instead of in the parking lot. Options stack up fast, which is exactly why birthday parties end up here constantly.
Afternoons and evenings get busy, especially Saturdays. Mornings early in the week are the calmest window if you would rather not wait for a kart.
The mix works across ages, from grade schoolers to grandparents who insist they are only watching and then quietly sign up for bowling.
Active military discounts are available, and parking is free across the garage, lot, and street. Find it at 1842 Beach Blvd Ste. B, Biloxi, MS 39531.
8. Biloxi Beach
The sand here is white and soft, and the water stays calm enough that toddlers can splash without anybody panicking. Waves are not the point on this stretch of coast.
Miles of shoreline run along Beach Boulevard, with the historic lighthouse anchoring one end and eateries scattered nearby. Walking it is the main event.
Sunrises and sunsets over the Mississippi Sound get genuinely dramatic, painting the whole horizon in colors that seem exaggerated until you see them yourself.
Jet skis and aqua bikes are available for rent along the beach for anyone wanting more speed than a barefoot stroll provides.
September and October are the sweet spot. Humidity drops, the water still holds summer warmth, and the crowds that pack the sand in July have gone back to school and work.
Mornings are quietest across most of the week, while Saturday and Sunday afternoons draw the biggest groups.
Parking is free in the lot and on the street. The beach runs along 1027-1031 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530.
9. Keesler Federal Park
Where else can you sit in actual sand, cool off in a splash pad, and watch Double-A baseball at the same time? Keesler Federal Park pulls it off.
Home of the Biloxi Shuckers, the ballpark stays busy into September, which lines up nicely with the first comfortable evenings of fall.
Views stretch toward the Gulf, and the layout includes a tiki bar area, standing rails for watching the action, and several food stops around the concourse.
Fireworks shows follow games regularly, and they are big enough to keep kids awake past bedtime without complaint.
The place is clean and well run, with promotions and entertainment filling the gaps between innings so nobody gets restless.
Families do well here thanks to the splash pad, which doubles as a lifesaver during warmer early-September games.
Getting there is simple. Pedestrian overpass elevators connect from Highway 90, and parking options range from free lots and street spots to paid garages and lots depending on the night.
The stadium sits at 105 Caillavet St, Biloxi, MS 39530.
10. Popps Ferry Causeway Park
Locals come here for crabs, sunsets, and quiet. Not necessarily in that order.
Several docks stretch out over the back bay, making it an easy fishing spot even with small kids in tow. A bait shop on site means you do not need to plan ahead much.
Concrete walkways and a boardwalk loop the shoreline, good for a stroll that feels a world away from Beach Boulevard traffic.
Picnic tables and grills are scattered around, plus a pavilion and restroom, so a whole afternoon cookout is entirely doable. Dogs are welcome on the trails.
The sunset over the water is the reason many people show up at all. Fall evenings sharpen the colors and cut the mosquitoes down considerably.
A boat ramp serves anyone bringing their own vessel out onto the bay.
Gates never close, since the park is open 24 hours. Sunday afternoons and Saturday evenings see the most activity, while Monday afternoons and Friday mornings stay nearly empty.
Crabbing here is a genuine local tradition, especially in the cooler months. The park is located at 560 Causeway Dr, Biloxi, MS 39532.
11. Hiller Park
Disc golf, a botanical garden, a splash pad, and a gated dog park in one place. Hiller Park does not really specialize, and that is its charm.
Trails loop past a pond where geese, ducks, and shorebirds hang out, and an osprey family has been known to nest nearby. Cyclists use the smooth roads through the park regularly.
Sports facilities cover a lot of ground, with baseball fields, basketball, and tennis courts all available.
Kids get a playground with slides and swings plus the splash pad, which stays a hit through early fall while afternoons are still warm.
A community garden and pavilion add to the neighborhood feel, and picnic tables with barbecue grills make it easy to turn a visit into lunch.
Fishing is allowed at the pond, and a boat launch serves the bay side.
Public restrooms are on site, and the whole park is patrolled, which keeps things calm.
The entrance is at 380 Hiller Dr, Biloxi, MS 39531.
12. Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum
Mardi Gras in Mississippi predates the New Orleans version by a good stretch, and this small museum makes that case with sequins and feathers instead of lectures.
Two rooms hold costumes, crowns, photographs, and artifacts documenting decades of Fat Tuesday celebrations along the coast. The colors alone are worth the walk in.
An informational video sets up the history, and a scavenger hunt keeps kids moving through the exhibits looking for details they would otherwise breeze past.
Best part for many visitors is the dress-up area, where trying on costume pieces is encouraged. Grown adults have been spotted enjoying it more than their children.
Tours are offered, and the compact size means you can absorb the whole thing without museum fatigue setting in.
Visiting in fall means beating the actual Mardi Gras crush entirely while still getting the full story behind those elaborate outfits.
Active military discounts are honored, restrooms are available, and parking is free onsite and on the street. It sits at 792A Howard Ave, Biloxi, MS 39530.
13. Mary Mahoney’s | Old French House
Some restaurants have history. Then there is Mary Mahoney’s, serving dinner inside a French colonial house with a courtyard shaded by an enormous live oak.
Locally sourced seafood anchors the menu, alongside premium filets and prime rib. Gumbo, sautéed crab claws, fried soft shell crab, and bread pudding are the dishes people come specifically for.
Other standouts include Back Room Crab Cakes, Stuffed Flounder, Seafood Bienville, and Baked Stuffed Shrimp. Vegetarian options like Sisters of the Sea Au Gratin round things out.
The atmosphere leans upscale and romantic without feeling stiff, and a private dining room is available for groups. Courtyard seating is the move on a mild October evening.
Service moves quickly and attentively, which is impressive given how full the dining rooms get.
Reservations are accepted and strongly recommended for dinner, since weekday and weekend evenings fill up.
High chairs and a kids’ menu are available, dogs are allowed outside, and parking is plentiful. The address is 110 Rue Magnolia, Biloxi, MS 39530.
14. The Reef
Two floors, a rooftop, and the beach directly across the road. The Reef figured out the assignment.
Southern coastal cooking fills the menu, with fried grits and shrimp, whole fried flounder, and Firecracker Shrimp Pasta among the headliners. Smoked Tuna Dip and Beachin Boudin Balls handle the snacking side.
Vegetarians actually get a full menu here, which is rare at a Gulf seafood spot. Firecracker Nachos and Creole Coastal Pasta pull double duty.
Live music plays regularly, and the upstairs seating catches the breeze along with a straight view of the water. October evenings up there are hard to beat.
Food comes out hot and fast, and the vibe stays casual enough for flip-flops. Sports are on the screens for anyone tracking fall football.
Kids are welcome with high chairs and their own menu, and dogs are allowed inside and out.
Parking is easy to find. Head to 1749 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39531.
15. Shaggy’s Biloxi Beach
Outdoor heaters on a beachfront patio sound unnecessary until a cool October night rolls in off the Gulf. Shaggy’s thought ahead.
The patio faces open water, and the decor leans cheerfully funky rather than polished. Nobody here is worried about matching furniture.
Seafood carries the menu, with Shaggy’s Redfish, Gator Bites, Firecracker Shrimp Tacos, and a seafood mac and cheese that gets ordered constantly. Fried Green Tomatoes come vegan, and Stuffed Avocado and Towering Nachos cover vegetarian appetites.
Service moves fast, live music happens often, and games play on the screens for weekend sports watching.
Souvenir shirts and koozies are sold on site, which is how half the visitors end up accidentally buying a shirt on the way out.
Families are well covered with high chairs, a kids’ menu, and changing tables. Dogs can join inside or out.
Late-night food is available, and there is usually a wait during Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations are accepted, and parking is plentiful. Find it at 1763 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39531.