08/14/2026
Snowbirds: Why Follow the Crowd to Florida?
If you're thinking about escaping the cold this winter, there may be another destination worth putting on your list—the **Mississippi Gulf Coast**.
Our newly updated **2026–2027 Snowbird Guide** looks at why more winter visitors should consider communities such as Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Ocean Springs.
🌴 Mild Gulf Coast winters
🏖️ 26 miles of beautiful public beaches
💰 An affordable alternative to many traditional snowbird destinations
🎭 Mardi Gras parades and celebrations
🚆 Amtrak service from Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and Biloxi to New Orleans
🏝️ Mississippi's incredible barrier islands
🛶 Kayaking and boating on waterways such as Old Fort Bayou
🎣 Fishing, golf, birding, seafood, festivals, and plenty of things to do
🚗 And far fewer reasons to fight your way through crowded Florida resort communities
We even compared the potential cost of an extended winter stay on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with popular coastal destinations in **Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia**.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast isn't trying to be Florida—and that's part of the attraction.
You can spend a morning walking along the Gulf, have fresh seafood for lunch, explore a coastal town in the afternoon, attend a Mardi Gras parade, and even hop aboard Amtrak for a trip to New Orleans.
If you've always headed south for the winter, perhaps this is the year to turn west before you reach Florida.
**Read our newly updated Snowbirds Guide and see why the Mississippi Gulf Coast might be your winter home away from home.**
https://retirecoast.com/
https://retirecoast.com/snowbirds-love-the-mississippi-gulf-coast-in-winter/
Snowbirds love the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the winter. Bargain prices, beaches, warm weather, great food what's not to like (casinos too)
