Snowbirds come to roost in Long Beach, Mississippi in the fall, winter, and spring. You have many choices but not at the pricing or with the beauty of the Mississippi Gulf Coast offered by Long Beach vacation properties. Vacation homes are popular in Long Beach most within walking distance of the beach. Long Beach is one of several small towns that are not crowded and offer restaurants, shops, and yes, a great public beach. Long Beach is your perfect home base during your stay away from the frigid North. A little secret is that any time is a great time to visit Long Beach, Mississippi.
Christies offers several properties in Long Beach and nearby communities. Special pricing is offered for Snowbirds who stay for 30 days or longer. Mississippi and local taxes do not apply to stays of 90 days or longer saving 12%. The special Snowbird rates are designed to attract people who are what we call extended-stay guests more than the typical weekend renter.
Not only are these special rates very attractive but rates in general in Long Beach and the Mississippi Gulf Coast are lower than Alabama and Florida or in other United States beach communities.
Where Snowbirds Come to Roost
Long Beach caters to the snowbird lifestyle. You can walk the beautiful streets or take a long walk on the pristine beach. The water is cooler in the winter but many Snowbirds find it swimmable. One reason why Long Beach is a great place to come for your winter vacation is that many of the homes we offer are second homes for the owners. This means that the furnishings are usually more upscale and there is a homey feeling that the property is lived in and well-kept.
Unlike beach communities in other states, Long Beach does not have wall-to-wall condos on the beach and lots of traffic. You could say that Long Beach is a bit of a sleepy city. If you want lots of excitement in a big city, Long Beach is not for you. That said, there is plenty of excitement in the area. Casinos have entertainment and dancing.
Some of the local pubs in Long Beach are known to be active on Friday and Saturday evenings. In short, you can find what you are looking for without having to live in the middle of it. You can find a table at a local restaurant on the weekends without having to contend with crowds. This same goes for the beach.
Because so many vacation rentals are a 2nd home, the owners pay attention to every detail of the property. This is not to say that homes offered by investors are not well maintained, but there is at least a subtle difference when new owners decorate the property often with personal items.
Christies offers great properties in Long Beach for the winter
At present all of the properties offered in Long Beach are houses offering multiple bedrooms some with a king or queen bed (some with multiples), plenty of parking, and yards. The City of Long Beach considers anyone staying over 30 days to be a long-term rental and over 90 days to be tax-exempt. Take a look at what Christies offers in Long Beach and this does not include new properties in the process of being added to our site.
Just click on one of the properties below to visit and see the photos. You can book from the property page on Christies GulfBeachRentals.com website.
One such property is the Magnolia Place which is a four-bedroom house complete with a full kitchen and a nice large yard. This is a ground-floor property with easy access. Another property is the Sand Dollar. This is a raised house which means walking some steps to the living floor. There is a picnic area under the house and lots of parking. Surfside Escape is a two-story townhome located a few steps from the beach with a swimming pool.
Click on the properties above that you may want to view or click on the button below to see Christies Gulf Beach Rentals website. Most of our properties are just a short walk to the beach. Some have an outdoor pool and even tennis courts. Several are inside a gated community.
Long Beach is centrally located on the MS Gulf Coast
All of the properties are located not far from grocery stores and other retail venues. A large Walmart is a popular destination for beach items including fishing equipment. You can probably become a beachcomber by buying a device that scans for metal on the beach.
Long Beach is located not far from Bay St. Louis with its nightlife or Gulfport with its casinos and restaurants. Of course, just a short distance from Christies properties in Long Beach are some great local restaurants. Of course, you can find Burger King and McDonalds but the local seafood restaurants and others offering local food and daqueries may be the way to go if you are new to the area.
Get up early and watch the beautiful sunrises in the East. The sun goes down in the West offering equally beautiful sunsets. Of course, the best places to view sunrise and sunset are from the beach. Winter visitors will be greeted with great weather most days. While locals believe it may be a bit cool if you are from the far North and even Canada, you will probably find the temperature very moderate if not warm.
Stop by the Long Beach Yacht Club for breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico. If you belong to a Yacht club anywhere this club may recognize your membership. The Yacht Club has great activities during the year. The club also has a restaurant.
Shorts or pants
Locals who have acclimated themselves to the weather start wearing pants in the winter after a full summer of wearing shorts. On occasion, I will see a couple walking the beach in shorts when it’s 55 degrees out and smile. I know that they are feeling warm in the sun and thinking what if they were in Minnesota? Sorry that Long Beach makes it so hard for Snowbirds by making you choose between wearing sorts and pants when you leave your Roost.
There are popular attractions during the winter as there are all year. Starting with the Jones Park Christmas light event through to Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Mardi Gras Parades. In between these holidays are many events. Seafood cookoffs, fairs, arts and crafts events.
In addition to the many events and things to do on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, you can take a day trip to New Orleans. A trip to New Orleans is just an hour and you will find that it’s far less expensive to stay in Long Beach than to stay in New Orleans. Very soon, Amtrak will begin twice-daily passenger service from Gulfport and Bay St. Louis to New Orleans. If you drive to New Orleans stop by the NASA facility on I10 and visit actual rockets.
It’s a short drive to casinos if you are interested in some adult fun. The casinos host entertainment all year long in addition to offering great restaurants. There are 12 casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The closest one to Long Beach is the Island View. The Island View is a casino on the North side of Beach Blvd and the Beach View casino is on the South side of Beach Blvd. Both casinos are connected by an overhead enclosed walkway.
Pricing vs Alabama and Florida
It’s easy to compare prices on other coasts with those in Mississippi. Just open any third-party application such as Airbnb look at the map, and check out all of those prices. Then quickly change to Long Beach MS and look. You will see a big difference. I was going to post them here but it would not be fair to property owners in other states. Plus, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is closer to most of the North than the other states beaches
This is just one reason and a big one to stay in Long Beach for your winter visit. Further, there are many more things to do in Long Beach and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When you have finished your walk on the beach, go to a restaurant that is not crowded for breakfast.
Parking on the beach is free even for RV travelers. You can not stay longer than 24 hours. There are RV parks at several casinos along with independent operators along Beach Blvd. You must go to Gulfport and Biloxi for the closest RV parks on or near Beach Blvd.
Golf courses are located all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you are a golfer, you will not have a hard time finding a first-class course to play. According to a friend who is an avid golfer and who has played all of the courses on the Coast, you have great choices. Most of the courses are open to the public.
Long Beach, MS Average Temperature Calendar
| Month | Average High | Average Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 67°F | 46°F |
| February | 73°F | 51°F |
| March | 77°F | 56°F |
| April | 81°F | 61°F |
| May | 85°F | 66°F |
| June | 90°F | 72°F |
| July | 95°F | 78°F |
| August | 95°F | 79°F |
| September | 91°F | 75°F |
| October | 79°F | 61°F |
| November | 70°F | 51°F |
| December | 63°F | 46°F |
The best beaches anywhere are in Long Beach
A little bit about our beaches. They were man-made by the Corps of Engineers after Hurricane Katrina (see the story below) The Corps did an excellent job. The sand is white and groomed frequently. With over 4 miles of beaches within the City of Long Beach, you will not have an issue with crowding.
Dunes are here because of the Sea Oats, Bitter panic grass, Saltmeadown cordgrass, and more that have been carefully planted by volunteers. The dunes look spectacular and prevent sand from covering U.S. 90 or Beach Blvd. The dunes are one of my favorite features of the beach.
There are fire pits, a walkway, and benches along the beach. Located about the dead center is the Long Beach marina. It’s an ideal place to catch fish. The city is in the process of reinventing the harbor with new boat slips, and other amenities. They just installed new monuments. Most of the major events held in Long Beach are held near the marina. Several fishing charters leave from Long Beach including:
Dailey Charters, Still Water Fishing Charters, and Fishing Frenzy Charters. These fishing charters will take you out beyond the barrier islands to get some very big fish. The variety of fish available just off of Long Beach is very impressive. You can always throw a line in at the beach or the marina. Many people go to the beach to catch Flounder when they come into the shallow water. Did I mention the views of the beautiful sunrise from the marina?
Some Snowbirds come to roost for good
Your excellent stay in Long Beach will consist of many memories that you will carry for years to come. Some visitors come back and buy real estate. You can build a house near the beach in Long Beach as some of our clients have done. Or you can buy a second home in Long Beach. Many consider retiring in Long Beach. A friend who retired from the Navy has a very nice house in Long Beach and loves it. He is one of the snowbirds who came home to roost in Long Beach.
Consider this. The average price for a single-family, 3 bedroom, two-bathroom house in Long Beach is only $223,455. If you are in the Seattle metro area reading this is $826,592. How about Orange County, CA at $1,162,402?
I have already told you about the city in terms of places to see and go but I did not mention the people. Long Beach is a small city and community. It’s more like a village. A large portion of the population was born and raised in Long Beach. It seems that everyone knows everyone else.
This is a very good thing. Snowbirds who visit Long Beach are made to feel welcome. Many great people are living within just 10 square miles. Many Snowbirds come from areas with populations much greater than the 16,000 residents of Long Beach. If you have never lived in a small town, you will learn a lot about pride.
Activities regularly
Recently the City of Long Beach held a parade as part of Cruisin the Coast. The only city on the Coast to sponsor a parade. During the July 4th weekend, they hold a fair and fireworks display. All year something is going on in Long Beach. I do not want to forget the night parade held the Saturday before Fat Tuesday during the Mardi Gras season. If you come to Long Beach on the first Saturday in August, you can attend the biggest event of the year. The Long Beach Sea Fest.
The Sea Fest includes a boat parade, a seafood cook-off, live music, and arts and crafts vendors. The festival is also a popular spot for families, with activities such as face painting, balloon animals, and a petting zoo. Sea Fest is a free event and is open to the public. It is one of the most popular events in Long Beach, Mississippi, and attracts thousands of visitors each year. Snowbirds usually miss the hotter months activities but some may come back to roost for a shorter term in the Summer.
The City of Long Beach is constantly offering its residents things to do. Scraping the Coast, and Jeeping the Coast are just two of several events that span the entire coast where Long Beach residents join in. There is much more to do than you have read here.
A little history
the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) played a major role in rebuilding the city of Long Beach, Mississippi, and its beaches after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm caused widespread damage to the city, including its beaches, which were almost completely eroded.
The USACE began work on rebuilding Long Beach’s beaches in 2006. The project involved pumping millions of cubic yards of sand onto the beaches to restore them to their pre-Katrina condition. The project also included the construction of a new seawall to protect the city from future storms.
The USACE completed the Long Beach beach restoration project in 2011. The project was a success and the city’s beaches are now wider and more resilient than they were before Katrina. All of this was done so that Snowbirds could come to Long Beach to roost.
Please read other articles on this site about the Mississippi Gulf Coast and do not forget to book your favorite property on ChristiesGulfBeachRentals.com. We have several properties located in Long Beach and elsewhere on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Canadians and Europeans are most welcome, particularly in the winter. Contact us for special longer-term pricing.
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