Recreation
Explore with us!
Ocean Springs is built for leisure play and active fun. Situated on the Gulf of Mexico and surrounded by bayous and a national park, the town provides activities to suit all interests. Visit the highest point on the Mississippi Gulf Coast at the former historic site of Fort Maurepas. See the stature of French Explorer Pierre Lemoyne d’Iberville and experience the beautiful lookout with picnic tables, public restrooms and a walk-able path to the Chester M. McPherson Jr. Fishing Pier.
Explore the Mississippi Sound by jogging or cycling over the 12-foot pedestrian path of the Biloxi Bay Bridge. Paddle down the community’s bayous and blueways. Rent a bike and take a leisure ride along the 15.5 mile Live Oaks Bicycle Route through the National Seashore Park, the harbor and downtown. While in the Park, walk along the nature trails and explore the William Colmer Visitor Center or pay tribute at the Veterans Memorial.
Enjoy one of the town’s community parks offering year-round services featuring tennis courts, playgrounds, splash pads and more at a variety of locations.
Parks & Leisure
City of Ocean Springs Parks & Leisure Department offers a variety of programs for youth and adults including after school camps, dance, karate, pottery, and tennis. Athletic programs include football, basketball and kickball. Athletic fields at Alice Street, Clay Boyd Fields, Freedom Field, Gay-Lemon Complex, Steven Parker Fields and Sports Complex at Highway 57 and nearly a dozen more city parks. If you are looking for a site to host your family reunion, wedding reception or birthday party Ocean Springs has rental facilities including Ocean Springs Community Center and Civic Center. Visit the parks page here for more details.
Beaches
Ocean Springs is situated on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Known as a family beach, Ocean Springs Front Beach is filled with white sand, fire pits, volleyball nets and even an oversized chess board for kids via the Ocean Springs Parks & Leisure Department. Fort Maurepas park is the highest point on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and site of the former Fort Maurepas. Today, the site serves as a community park with restrooms, grills and amphitheatre. Bring your beach blanket, chair and umbrella and enjoy.
Fishing
Known as a seafood destination, Ocean Springs and the Mississippi Gulf Coast is flowing with gulf fresh seafood at most of its restaurants. With rich waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Ocean Springs is a prime destination for fishing. Front Beach overlooks the gulf with a beautiful beachfront. Bring your fishing poles and fish off the Chester McPhearson Fishing Pier. Be sure to follow the rules and regulations of recreational fishing with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources here.
Blueways & Greenways
The blueways of Ocean Springs consist of the numerous bayous throughout the community. Bring a kayak and enjoy a ride through Fort Bayou waterways or grab a paddleboard and work your way across the sea line on the Gulf of Mexico. Explore the greenways of town by taking a ride on the Live Oak Bicycle Trail throughout downtown and venture through Gulf Islands National Seashore. Visit the Seashore Park and stop at the William Colmer Visitor Center to learn more about the nature of town. Visit the Alligator Park, walk through the park’s nature trails or join in on one of the ranger programs. Known as a great camping spot, the grounds include a campground, bayou and more.
Golf
Enjoy the lush greens of Gulf Hills Hotel Golf Club located near the Gulf Hills Hotel and Conference Center or The Preserve Golf Course located in and around Ocean Springs.
The Preserve Golf Club is eighteen holes of “pure golf.” The course encompasses 245 pristine acres, surrounded by an additional 1800 acres of dedicated nature preserve. Designed by U.S. Open champion and award-winning course designer Jerry Pate, the native surroundings of pitcher plant bogs, cypress swamps, longleaf pine savannas, live oak groves and native grass prairies are ingeniously integrated into the design of the 18-hole, par-71 layout.
Located on Fort Bayou, the Gulf Hills Golf Course consists of rolling hills that carry you through the beautiful residential community. You will be enchanted with their well manicured, velvet greens complimented by the ever present, gentle gulf breeze. Over hill and dale, through forests and streams, Jack Daray carved one of the handsomest and sportiest 18 hole golf courses in the South. The 17th hole was once regarded by Golf Digest as one of the top 5 most beautiful and challenging in the entire Southeastern Region.
Birding
Ocean Springs is filled with a variety of diverse habitats and is home to hundreds of species of birds. From exploring our town’s bayous to the beach front overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, this community pays tribute to its bird population. For example, artist Walter Anderson’s pelican artwork can be found flying above the downtown streets on the numerous street poles. Local roosters can be found from time to time strolling throughout downtown. Sandhill cranes are closely watched by the wildlife reserve as they frequent town and gulls are always ready for a bite to eat downtown, uptown and all throughout town.
Visit Gulf Islands National Seashore Park and venture through its nature trails snapping pictures of some of the most beautiful species around. Grab the annotated checklist of the birds of the coastal counties from the Pascagoula River Audubon Center or take part in Mississippi Coastal Birding Trail. Click here for more information.