Things to Do in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
The best things to do in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, are walking Old Town on a Second Saturday, seeing the museums in the 1929 train depot and spending an afternoon at the harbor and beach. It’s a city of 9,284 people and the seat of Hancock County, on the west shore of the Bay of St. Louis.
Hurricane Katrina made its final landfall just west of town on August 29, 2005, with a 28-foot storm surge. The town rebuilt, including a new Bay St. Louis Bridge with a pedestrian walkway and art walk. Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service brought passenger trains back on August 18, 2025.
Old Town and Second Saturday
Old Town is where Main Street meets Beach Boulevard, with shops, galleries and restaurants running back to Depot Row. On the second Saturday of every month, merchants from downtown to Depot Row put on specials, live music and themed events.
★ Good to know Golf cart rentals are available near the harbor, and they’re a common way to get around Old Town.
Historic L&N Train Depot
The Spanish Revival depot was dedicated on April 20, 1929, after a fire destroyed the old one. The city bought it in 1991 and restored it. It now holds the Hancock County Tourism Bureau, a visitors center, the Mardi Gras Museum and the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum.
★ Good to know The Amtrak platform is right next door, so the depot is your first stop if you arrive by train.
Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum
Alice Latimer Moseley (1909-2004) started painting at 65 while caring for her mother, and went on to national attention. The museum on the depot’s second floor shows more than 100 of her original paintings. Admission is free.
★ Good to know It’s closed Sundays, so plan it for a weekday or Saturday.
Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor and Beach
The harbor sits just below the seawall at the foot of Main Street. The Rutherford Fishing Pier forms its north wall, with boardwalk access to a sand beach on the north side. The seawall along North Beach Boulevard is another public spot to fish and crab.
★ Good to know A Mississippi fishing license may be required, so check with the state wildlife department before you cast.
100 Men Hall
The One Hundred Members’ Debating Benevolent Association built this hall in 1922 for Black social life in Bay St. Louis. Etta James, Professor Longhair and Irma Thomas are among the acts locals recall playing here. It has a Mississippi Blues Trail marker and still hosts live music.
★ Good to know The hall opens for events and by appointment, so check its schedule before you go.
St. Augustine Seminary and Grotto
The Divine Word Missionaries opened St. Augustine Seminary here in 1922. It was the first Catholic seminary in the country to train and ordain African American priests and brothers. The Lourdes Grotto on the grounds dates to 1938.
★ Good to know Visits are by appointment, and donations are accepted.
Buccaneer State Park
Just west in Waveland, this beachfront state park has campsites near the sand and the Buccaneer Bay waterpark. The waterpark has a wave pool, enclosed slides and a kids’ water playground.
★ Good to know The waterpark is open daily from Memorial Day to early August and on weekends through Labor Day.
INFINITY Science Center
This science museum is the official visitor center for NASA’s Stennis Space Center, the rocket engine test site in Hancock County. It covers space, Earth science and engineering in hands-on galleries. It’s west of town off I-10 at Exit 2, near the Louisiana line.
★ Good to know It’s open Wednesday through Saturday, and the museum suggests about 2.5 hours for a visit.
Also in town
Old Town’s shops include The French Potager, Gallery 220, Good Earth Records and The Shops of Century Hall, and there’s golf at The Bridges Golf Club at Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast.
Can you take the train to Bay St. Louis?
Yes. Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service between New Orleans and Mobile began stopping here on August 18, 2025. The platform is next to the historic depot, a short walk from Old Town.
What is Second Saturday in Bay St. Louis?
It’s a monthly event on the second Saturday, presented by the Old Town Merchants Association. Businesses from downtown to Depot Row offer specials, live music and themed activities, and the bars keep going after sunset.
Is Bay St. Louis worth visiting after Hurricane Katrina?
Yes. Katrina hit just west of town in 2005, but the city rebuilt its bridge, seawall and harbor, and Old Town is busy again. The depot, harbor and beach are all close together.
What’s another Mississippi coast town to pair with Bay St. Louis?
Ocean Springs, east across Biloxi Bay, is the home of painter Walter Anderson; see things to do in Ocean Springs. For more, browse our small towns in Mississippi.
Where to find them
- Old Town Bay St. Louis Main St. and Beach Blvd., Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Website Directions
- Historic L&N Train Depot 1928 Depot Way, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Website Directions
- Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum 1928 Depot Way, Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Website Directions
- Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor Jody Compretta Dr., Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Website Directions
- 100 Men Hall 303 Union St., Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Website Directions
- St. Augustine Seminary and Grotto 199 Seminary Dr., Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Website Directions
- Buccaneer State Park 1150 South Beach Blvd., Waveland, MS 39576 Website Directions
- INFINITY Science Center 1 Discovery Circle, Pearlington, MS 39572 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Bay St. Louis, see Hancock County Chamber of Commerce →
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