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Ryan Robinson takes you for a ride in the passenger seat of his RV, off the grid, deep among the dramatic rock formations of the Utah Desert. Robinson and friends chill by the fire, tell stories, and of course, rig a one of a kind highline over the Looking Glass Arch in Moab, UT.
What if I told you that having a white Christmas might not always be what you think. You think of fresh fallen snow on evergreens, cold temperatures, and turkey and ham when you think of Christmas. However, our fondest memory to date was spending Christmas in a place with sand instead of snow, short sleeves instead of jackets, and seafood as the main holiday dish. Have you guessed where yet? It is the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Also known as the secret coast, the coast of Mississippi is a hidden gem few are familiar with yet.
We are originally from Mississippi, but normally we load up the RV and head to Tennessee for our Christmas holiday. However, last year we wanted to be closer to family and decided to spend it on the gulf coast of Mississippi. I will not lie, but at first, we were afraid it was going to be a huge disappointment. Since there would be no snow or mountains, it just did not seem like Christmas, but we would find out that those things do not make it Christmas anyway. We found plenty of amazing things to do, places to eat, and memories to make. The best part was this year we could make some of these memories with family who would also join us during our time here. Here is how it went down.
Day 1: Arrival to Campground and First Impressions.
We chose to stay in Waveland, which is the quieter side of the Mississippi gulf coast. The Buccaneer State Park is a newly renovated campground with beach camping. Located across from the Mississippi Sound, they feature plenty of large cement campsites with full hook-ups. After setting up the RV, we started a fire and enjoyed watching the sunset over the water right from our front steps. The view was spectacular and the smell of salt water in the air provided such a comforting feeling. Later that evening, we enjoyed doing some night fishing for sheepshead right over the seawall.
Day Two: Exploring the Local Small Town
The impressive thing about staying at Buccaneer is the little town of Bay St. Louis is only 6 miles up the road. So, we took out our electric scooters and rode into town that morning to explore the shopping and food. This town is thriving with energy at all times of the year, but you will find it holiday-filled during December. Lights are hung and homes are decorated as well as streets making it a great sight to see day or night.
We stopped in for a bite to eat at Cuz’s Old Town Oyster Bar and Grill for some delicious seafood and then followed with homemade ice cream from Creole Creamery. This old home turned into an ice cream parlor has traditional as well as unique flavors that you can enjoy while strolling the downtown sidewalks. After enjoying an afternoon of shopping, we loaded up the kids and headed into Gulfport to see the Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival. As featured in the 2017 Hallmark Movie “Christmas in Mississippi”, this decorated park features over 2.5 million Christmas lights as well as carnival attractions, food, and Santa.
Day 3: Experience a Hockey Game
Did you know that they have Ice Hockey on the Mississippi Gulf Coast? The Mississippi SeaWolves are a FPHL league and have been around for quite a few seasons now. When we found out they had ice hockey, we made sure to book some tickets and enjoy a game. The kids really enjoyed watching the hype and excitement as the teams rallied to score and while we did not win, it was a memorable experience that just might have converted us into hockey fans.
Day 4: Book a Fishing Trip
One of our Christmas traditions is to take our kids out separately and make memories with them doing something fun. This Christmas we took our youngest and oldest coastal fishing. You cannot visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast without experiencing some coastal fishing. You might think, ‘its winter, there is no reason to fish in Winter.’ Since Mississippi temperatures are mild during the early winter months, fishing is an excellent choice for spending a day.
We chose to charter with Coastal Waters Outfitters where Captain Kyle Johnson took us to the back bay, and we had an exciting time catching sheepshead. After spending a few hours on the water, we got to take the fresh fish home for a nice dinner. Talk about from sea to table! This experience doubled as dinner.
Day 5: Catch a Christmas Play
Our next adventure was going to a Christmas play at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. Every year they do a Christmas play and musical to stir up the Christmas spirit in their viewers. After the play we all felt Christmassy, so we took a drive to find a local neighborhood that goes all out with lights for their community to drive through and the best part was it was free! I have the fondest memories from driving through decorated neighborhoods as a kid and was so glad we found one to share with our kids. I think they might have enjoyed it better than the play.
Day 6: Lights on the Bayou and Cookie Decorating
On our last day, it was time to meet up with family and complete our final Christmas tradition, a cookie decorating contest. However, these are not just any cookies, these are RV-shaped sugar cookies, and for 5 years now, we have had a competition to decorate the best and worst RV cookie. Afterwards, we were lucky enough to catch a yearly event that completed the holiday experience, Christmas on the Bayou. This event is put on by the locals for their communities by dressing up their boats with Christmas lights and playing Christmas music. It was a great way to end the night.
While visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast may not have seemed to make the season bright at first, it surprised our family by leaving us with memories and traditions we would love to do again. So, if you cannot head north for snow and mountains for Christmas, never underestimate the joy that can be found in little towns off the beaten path. You never know, it just might become your new tradition.
