Margaritaville Resort and Family Center
195 Beach Blvd., Biloxi
OK, let’s start with the obvious. Margaritaville Resort and Family Center is the perfect place to stay for all ages – it has everything you need. There’s a 55-foot arcade the family will love – we’re not talking about a mall arcade here, this is massive. There’s a ropes course, indoor roller coaster, climbing wall, VR simulator and, of course, arcade games. Outside, there’s a lazy river, two water slides, splash pads and, of course, a swim-up bar so you can enjoy a margarita on a lazy vacation day.
There are also plenty of food options. A Doe’s Eat Place (an iconic Mississippi restaurant), Margaritaville restaurant, pizza joint and several bars can be found on the resort grounds.
Scranton’s Restaurant & Catering
623 Delmas Ave., Pascagoula
Buffett was known to be a fan of Scranton’s, a funky bar/restaurant in Pascagoula, so much so that he name-checked it as one of his favorite beach bars in Garden and Gun magazine. “Scranton’s has been here as long as I can remember,” he told the magazine. “You can see the Pascagoula River there.” The restaurant is located in the town’s former firehouse/city hall, and it’s an eclectic spot. Try the shrimp and grits, she-crab soup and burgers.
Trapani’s Eatery
116 N. Beach Blvd., Bay St. Louis
Another spot Buffett name-checked in Garden and Gun? Trapani’s Eatery. “I had a roommate from Bay St. Louis, and Tony’s (Trapani’s) place still reminds me of the time I spent in the area during my not-so-stellar collegiate career,” he said. The two-story restaurant/bar has live music, a fun patio and great bay views – it’s exactly the vibe we expect from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And we can’t forget the food. The restaurant has excellent burgers and fresh seafood. We’re partial to anything with red gravy. (Pro tip: Make sure to try the calypso martini.)
The Buffett Bridge spans Baptiste Bayou. (Mike Kittrell)
Buffett Bridge
2001 Beach Blvd., Pascagoula
In 2015, Pascagoula dedicated a small bridge over Baptiste Bayou to the Mississippi legend. (And Buffett was in attendance and performed a show for the crowd, of course.) It’s a significant spot – not only did he love to go crabbing there when he was younger, but it’s the area where he received significant inspiration from his grandfather, a ship captain. As explained by then-mayor Harry Blevins at the ceremony, “(Buffett’s) grandfather … pulled out a map and asked Jimmy, ‘Where on this map are we?’ And Jimmy pointed, ‘Right here in Pascagoula!’ His grandfather said, ‘Well, let me show you a bit more, and he showed him this little blue stream which was Baptiste Bayou, where we named the bridge after Jimmy, and he said to him, ‘You follow this to the Gulf and beyond and you can do anything you want to do in life.’”
After he died, people left margaritas, sandals and more trinkets in his memory on the bridge.
Buffett’s childhood home
If you’re interested in Buffett’s very beginnings, you can view the exterior of his childhood home. We recommend seeing it by bike via the Historic Pascagoula Bike Trail. There are more than a dozen points of interest across the trail. Not only will you see the cozy home he spent some of his childhood in, but you’ll also see other cultural hotspots, like the site where author William Faulkner wrote “Mosquitoes” and the Round Island Lighthouse.
Jimmy Buffett, left, joined his sisters Lucy Buffett, center, and Laurie Buffett-McGuane in christening a 33-foot vessel, Miss Peetsy B, with Land Shark beer at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs in 2011.(Harlan Kirgan)
Miss Peetsy B.
Want to explore some of South Mississippi’s environmental treasures? Buffett and his sisters, Lucy Buffett and Laurie Buffett-McGuane, donated a 34-foot vessel to the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. The vessel is named Miss Peetsy B. after their mother who was a huge proponent of education. The 34-foot fiberglass vessel seats 32 passengers and is available for charters. Here’s where you can find more information.
Mary Mahoney’s Old French House
110 Rue Magnolia, Biloxi
