Located right off Beach Boulevard, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is a great place for the kids to spend a few hours. With indoor and outdoor activities to explore, pack a picnic lunch and channel your inner child in one of the tree houses, bayou house or the science room for a day of educational entertainment. Make a visit to see Flipper and his marine animal friends at The Institute for Marine Mammal Research. The institute features interactive exhibits, including live-animal touch tanks and a dolphin show. In the warmer months, you will have the opportunity to join a dolphin in the water with an expert instructor. For a night of grownup activities, you’ll find The Island View Casino within walking distance from the beach. The casino has a great array of table games, excellent restaurants and an extensive buffet.
For some quality retail therapy, head down to the Gulfport Premium Outlets and find some of the best deals in town. The outlet stores are convenient to the interstate and have plenty of parking spots available for your shopping pleasure. The closest spot to hit the links is the Windance Country Club. A 15-minute drive from downtown Gulfport, this 18-hole course features challenging greens and occasionally hosts Nike Tour events. Grab a towel, sunscreen and your swimsuit for a day in the sun, traveling down water slides and floating in the lazy river at the Gulf Islands Water Park. Recommended for families with younger children, this water park also is easily accessible from the interstate with plenty of parking for the carloads full of kids. With plenty of Southern hospitality to go around, you will immediately feel at home here.
Check out our Gulfport, MS hotels and make one of them your home base as you explore this waterside gem for a vacation you will not forget.