24 hours in Bay St. Louis: Everything I ate, drank and discovered on a daycation from NOLA

A beach getaway to Bay St. Louis is hardly a best-kept secret for New Orleans locals these days.

What was once a hidden gem along the Mississippi Coast — a quaint beach destination for those looking to kick back and relax — has quietly turned into a hot spot for city goers to make an easy escape.

And for good reason. With just an hour drive from the Crescent City, locals looking from a break from their daily routine can find a small but relaxing oasis, fitted with eclectic boutiques, a variety of restaurants and, of course, a gentle sea breeze. 

I decided I needed to find out if all of these rumors were actually true, so I set out on my own daycation to the Bay. I spent 24 hours there, with the goal of exploring (and eating) at as many places as possible. 

Spoiler alert: by the time I left, I was ready to plan my return. 

Brunching and browsing

I started out my trip with one of the most recommended spots, Mockingbird Café, which is on Second Street in the middle of Old Town Bay St. Louis, the city’s downtown area.

Since choosing a brunch location was about the most amount of planning I did for this daycation, I ordered a hashbrown bowl with avocado at the recommendation of the barista, along with a latte. 

The bowl, made up of diced potatoes, onions, bell pepper, bacon, cheese and a fried egg, was of course delicious. But what really made the dish stand out was the curry powder the potatoes were dusted in, which transformed the relatively normal brunch item into a flavorful fusion dish.

The potato bowl proved to be great fuel for what I was unaware would be a bit of a marathon antiquing journey. 

As I walked out of Mockingbird and into The Shops of Century Hall next door, I realized I was going to be in for quite the day of shopping, something I always welcome,to be clear. After browsing through the dozens of boutique shops inside the mini-shopping mall, I made my way down Second Street to Magnolia Antiques and Antique Maison, where a host of other treasures awaited.

I took a break to treat myself to a beautiful custom bouquet from the flower bar at The French Potager before I got back to the antiquing game, ultimately making the 10 minute drive up to Waveland to hit up a few more shops recommended by the florist, Martha-Whitney Butler.

The culture of the Bay

Around mid-afternoon, I was ready to explore more of what Bay St. Louis had to offer.

I made a stop at historic L&N Train Depot, a mission style building that once served as a stop for passenger trains and was even featured in Robert Redford and Natalie Wood movie “This Property is Condemned.” Inside the old train station were several exhibits showing off the town’s culture, including an exhibit on folk artist Alice Moseley.

The Bay itself has a little bit of New Orleans flair given its proximity to the city, a fact I heard many locals share with tourists around town. That connection was certainly shown off through its Mardi Gras museum, detailing its deep ties to the party most typically associated with the Big Easy. 

After my time at the train depot, I decided it was time to visit the water the town is actually named for and took a trip down to the sandy shores.

Now listen, was the sand as fine as Destin? Was the water a beautiful shade of sparking blue? No and no. And guess what? It didn’t matter at all. 

With a speaker, a cold drink and the hot afternoon sun, the Bay St. Louis beach was the perfect spot to unwind from the day. And though the beach only spanned for a few miles, it was certainly much less crowded than larger Gulf Coast destinations. 

Dive, dinner and dessert

Before I went up to my room for the always amazing post-beach shower (if you know, you know), I decided to stop by a dive bar situated behind my hotel, The Pearl, for a few happy hour drinks.

Karako’s, a dimly-lit sports bar fitted with a pool table, was clearly a spot for the locals. But the guests and my bartender made me feel welcome as I sat down at the bar for a few drinks. 

It was the perfect wind-down before I got back to my favorite part of visiting a new town: eating.

I decided I wanted something a little more upscale so I walked over to 200 North Beah Restaurant and grabbed a table on the balcony overlooking the street and nearby harbor. 

There I paired a bright, beachy cucumber cocktail with some shrimp cakes and finished off with the Pasta Ann, a dish breaming with seafood including shrimp, crawfish, crab and two large fried oysters. Pro-tip: get the pasta with the creole cream sauce instead of the alfredo for some extra kick. 

And after a little stroll around the Bay to walk off those dinner calories, I grabbed dessert at Creole Creamery for a little taste of home. 

I made a relatively early return to The Pearl so I could use the rest of my daycation to relax in my room’s large king-size bed.

Farewell to the Mississippi Coast

Before I made my way back over to the Louisiana side of the border, I made one extra stop on the Mississippi Coast and drove through Pass Christian, which is just a short ride over on the other side of the Bay.

There I soaked up the last bit of beach views over coffee and breakfast at Cat Island Coffeehouse, an adorable bookshop café that also, thankfully, made a great latte. 

Sitting on Cat Island’s porch, warming up in the morning sun made for the perfect end to charming trip to the Coast.