Travel Mississippi This Beach Has The Whitest Sand In Mississippi By Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay Tara Massouleh McCay is the Senior Travel and Culture Editor for Southern Living. A writer and editor with 10 years of experience in producing lifestyle content for local, regional, and national publications, she joined the Southern Living team in 2021. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on June 7, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Why Is Biloxi’s Sand So White? What To Do On Biloxi Beach How To Access Biloxi Beach Close Photo: Getty Images If you’ve never thought to take your annual beach vacation in Mississippi, think again. The Magnolia State’s sliver of shore along the Mississippi Sound (which feeds into the Gulf of Mexico) is its own special kind of place. You’ll find quieter beach communities and a resiliency built by years of battling storms that shines through in everything this region takes on. Coastal Mississippi is constantly surprising us, but one of its most delightful surprises is the fact that some of its beaches have white sand that rivals even Florida’s top spots. For the whitest, purest sand in Mississippi, Biloxi Beach is your spot. Biloxi is a town of 50,000 and we’d venture to bet that every one of its residents—and plenty of visitors too—takes advantage of Biloxi Beach and its gorgeous white sand. Considered the state’s most famous beach town, Biloxi is known for its picturesque sand and calm waters that are protected by barrier islands just south of the beach in the Gulf of Mexico. With warm temperatures in the summer that remain temperate through the winter, there’s never a bad time to visit Biloxi. The 12 Best Things To Do In Biloxi, Mississippi Why Is Biloxi’s Sand So White? Harrison County, which encompasses the coastal Mississippi towns of Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Pass Christian, is home to the country’s largest manmade beach. A seawall project aimed at protecting public highways along the sealine was started in 1926. In 1950, the wall was reconstructed to control erosion and create artificial beaches. Biloxi beach was one of the beaches, and today it still enjoys the perks of being a manmade and managed natural area. The beach is regularly groomed, cleaned, and kept clear of encroaching vegetation, resulting in a pristine white-sand beach that’s unmatched anywhere else in the state. When Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005, the city worked quickly to clean up the beach, restoring the sand to its former soft and white glory. This Florida Beach Has The Whitest Sand In The South What To Do On Biloxi Beach Biloxi Beach is a popular spot for family-friendly activities. Embark on a fishing charter or a leisure cruise directly from its shores. Take a paddleboard out on the calm waters, or just spend a day soaking up the sun. Be sure to visit the iconic Biloxi Lighthouse, which was erected in 1848. The Lighthouse Pier, a popular place to cast a line into the Mississippi Sound, has been closed since Hurricane Zeta hit in 2020, but is expected to make a triumphant and stronger return soon. How To Access Biloxi Beach Beach Boulevard, also known as U.S. Highway 90, makes it remarkably easy to find yourself in the company of sand and surf in Mississippi. There are access points sprinkled across the waterfront. Find ample parking at Lighthouse Pier, where you can unload all your beach gear, then take a short stroll to the sand. Visitors staying at the Beau Rivage Resort or Hard Rock Biloxi can walk directly onto the beach via a boardwalk located next to the Beau Rivage parking garage. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit