Gulfport Biloxi Family Travel Guide: Things to Do & Eat
Gulfport Biloxi Family Travel Guide: Things to Do & Eat đ¤ď˝4 Nights of Christmas & Rainy Season Fun with Kids! We stayed in Gulfport Biloxi for 4 nights, right around Christmasâmany restaurants and shops were closed, and we also hit the rainy season đ§ď¸. We didnât get to try too many things, and most of the time was spent taking the kids to dig in the sandď˝ But we still found 3 amazing spots perfect for families, especially if you have kids who love trainsâtheyâll never want to leave! đ Must-Visit Kid Spot 1: TrainTastic! (Formerly Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum) Weâve seen quite a few model train displays before, but the number of models here really blew us away! They fill the entire exhibition hallâfrom city streets to country fields, bridge tunnels to train stations. The details are incredibly realistic, even including the lights and train whistles when the trains pass byâitâs like a mini âtrain worldâ đşď¸! The best part is the maxed-out interactivity! Buttons are everywhere: press one to switch the trainâs track, another to turn on the station lights, and some even simulate âtrain unloadingââtotally different from the usual model museums with âonly 3-5 buttons for show.â Our kidâs curiosity was totally sparked! Thereâs also a train-themed playground in the museum. My kidâs favorite was the âride on thomas trainâ âitâs an electric train they can control themselves, a first for us! The kid held the steering wheel and drove around the track, with a non-stop smile on their faceď˝ There are also several different train building tables where kids can assemble tracks and trains by themselves. My 4-year-old son was super focused, and my 1.5-year-old daughter joined in tooâthey got along so well đŤ! In short, if you have a son who loves trains, donât miss this place! We planned to stay for 1 hour, but the kids refused to leave after 3 hours. If you have time, spending a whole day here is totally doableď˝ đ Must-Visit Kid Spot 2: Lynn Meadows Discovery Center It looks small from the outside, but inside itâs full of surprises! First, the outdoor treehouse đłâa wooden structure with small slides and climbing nets. My kids climbed up and didnât want to come down; they played hide-and-seek with other kids up there, sweating happilyď˝ The indoor train model is also super creative! Unlike the empty frames you see in ordinary venues, this train has tons of âimmersive featuresâ: small shovels to âadd coalâ (actually foam pellets) to the boiler, a mini ticket counter, and even a âafternoon tea carriageâ where you can pretend to drinkâno boring, plain decorations. Every detail lets kids participate, and even I found it funď˝ The biggest surprise was the girl-friendly immersive area! It combines hotel check-in, stage dress-up, and afternoon teaâthere are tons of princess dresses, small hats, and toy tea sets. For girls over 3, putting on a princess dress, a little hat, âdrinkingâ fake tea, and âeatingâ toy desserts is like stepping into a fairy-tale paradise đ! My 1.5-year-old daughter even grabbed a dress and tried to put it onâtoo cute! No matter if you have a son or daughter, the huge supermarket play area is a must-see! Shelves are filled with toy food and daily necessities. Kids push small shopping carts to âshop crazily,â throwing everything into the cartâthey were so excited! Older kids sat at the checkout counter, scanning items seriously to âring people upââthe experience was awesome! Luckily, parents were thoughtful and cleaned up after the kids; otherwise, the staffâs workload would be unimaginableď˝ đŹ Must-Visit Kid Spot 3: Institute For Marine Mammal Studies This was the only âhardworking spotâ open during Christmasâdefinitely deserve a big thumbs up đ! Weâre so grateful it was open; otherwise, we wouldâve had nowhere to go on Christmas Dayď˝ đ Tips: If visiting during Christmas, check venue hours in advanceâmany places close or shorten hours; Bring rain gear and non-slip shoes for the rainy season. Occasional rain wonât affect indoor activities, but stay safe outdoors; For sand-digging, bring tools, extra clothes, and sunscreenâthe UV rays on the beach are strongď˝ Even though we didnât try many foods due to the holiday and weather, these 3 spots kept the kids super happy! If youâre taking kids to Gulfport Biloxi, these places are totally safe to visitď˝ #NorthAmericaFami