The secret white sand island of the south will reopen to tourism this spring

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Avoiding the noisy crowds of Florida this spring is a lot easier than you think.

All you have to do is travel west to a neighboring southern state to discover pristine waters and shiny white sands.

At first glance you might think of Gulf Shores, Alabama, but that’s not the right place either. We all know that Flor-Bama also attracts hordes of visitors of all ages during spring break.

Despite much of the unsightly water on the Mississippi coast, this state has become one of the South’s biggest surprises in beach vacations, even ranking in the top 5 most visited states.

That said, there is a secret oasis outside Gulfport and Biloxi that is closed to visitors part of the year, but set to reopen for tourism this spring.

Think of this island as the “anti-Mississippi” – very different from what you might expect, as it is more similar to Florida’s vibrant seascape, except there is no sign of crowds in sight.

Up your beach game

There’s nothing wrong with choosing Mississippi’s cluster of beach towns along its white-sand beaches.

We at Travel Off Path have reported on almost all of them, ranging from the most popular Biloxi to the little-known Long Beach.

That said, all of Mississippi’s beautiful coastal towns all have one thing in common: it’s not quite the paradise you’d hope for for a typical white-sand getaway.

Sure, you can fish, boat, relax, and work on your tan, but snorkeling and maybe even swimming, depending on how squeamish you are, are off the table because you often can’t see your feet once you’re thirty feet out in the Gulf.

That’s true Ship island comes in as Mississippi’s exception to the rule. A visit to this quiet hideaway, which southern locals like to keep secret, will up your beach game from one white-sand beach to another, except it’s even clearer with clear, blue-green water, perfect for swimming, snorkeling and even wildlife spotting, as many visitors report seeing dolphins.

Definitely stretch out Swimming beach for obvious reasons…

You may not see starfish, but you can turn into a human starfish with so much room to stretch out – something that can’t be said for Biloxi, Gulf Shores and much of Florida, especially during the summer.

Lonely Ferry to Ship Island will resume service in March

Excursions on ship island is the only option to get here unless you make friends with a boat owner at a Gulfside marina.

Then Ship Island is open all year round. However, a majority of Ship Island customers choose the ferry during the sunniest months of the year.

This service gets rave reviews across the board. There are no hotels on the islandso this will definitely be a day out.

That makes the $44 round trip cost for adults and $38 for children worth the price of admission.

The most recent reviewer claimed: “We went in August, THE WATER WAS CLEAR LIKE THE CARIBBEAN, we saw so many crabs, stingrays, etc. The island tours are all so friendly and helpful. The boat has a very nice air conditioned cabin”.

You can now book your trip from March to November with a start date of March 14, 2026 and an end date of November 1, 2026.

Please note that the ferry leaves from Gulfport Harbor and does not Open on Mondays and Tuesdays until the summer season.

There are officially 3 service seasons. As such, schedule times are subject to change:

• Spring: March 14 – May 15
• Summer: May 16 – August 9
• Autumn: August 12 – November 1

No hotels, but full of history

Ship Island is run by the National Park Service as part of the National Seashore, which straddles Florida and Mississippi.

Fort Massachusetts helps visitors distract from what the island lacks: hotels, shade and beach bars.

Dating back to the 1850s, this Civil War masonry fort is worth a visit (and guided tour) not just to get away from the sun, but to delve deep into Ship Island’s strategic role in the Civil War.

In addition, NPS rangers not only provide insightful tours, but they also have a stand rent beach chairsreserve picnic tables and sell snacks and drinks at a local supermarket.

Sam Sears

Sam, our lead writer and San Diego-based journalist, has visited 36 countries and written more than 1,000 articles with an emphasis on sharing his own travel experiences and highlighting lesser-known gems.