Plan your spring break around low cost and safety yet a location with lots of things to do. How can you save money yet go to a great place and have fun? Drive to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the best value for spring break destinations in 2025. Take a road trip. Driving will save money over flying and there are no delays.
Four people in a car sharing the expense of gas is a great start. Share a vacation rental property and divide the cost. I know of several that can sleep 10 people.
If you want beautiful beaches with plenty of options, you need to stay on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is a short drive from much of the United States. Forget the most popular spring break destinations, Key Largo or Daytona Beach.
If you want a memorable Spring break vacation a great option is the Mississippi Gulf Coast the home of Mardi Gras. The whole family can come or just you and your friends from college.
Check the list of best things to do including outdoor activities:
- 1. Small towns with cafes, pubs, and shops
- 2. New Orleans is an hour away
- 3. Live music is played in Ocean Springs, Bay St Louis, and other local destinations. You can walk around entertainment districts with open containers.
- 4. Beautiful clean white sand beaches open 24/7 that permit alcohol in non-glass containers always free parking
- 5. National Seashore where you might see alligators, turtles, and other animals
- 6. In warm weather, walk along the beach boardwalk in Biloxi
- 7. Take a boat to a barrier island for the day
- 8. Rent jet skis and other beach toys
- 9. 12 casinos with entertainment and restaurants open 24/7 where you can have a great time
- 10. Art galleries and shops in downtown area cities
- 11. Take a scenic drive along the beach, miles of sand without highrise buildings. See beautiful estates on the North side of Beach Blvd
- 12. Rent a pontoon boat and explore the bayous
- 13. Fishing is great during the Spring from the beach, pier, or boat
- 14. Mardi Gras parades, St Patricks Day parades, and Easter parades
- 15. Use one of the many fire pits along the beach for a night gathering. Many vacation rentals have fire pits as well.
- 16. Rent a golf cart and drive around one of several cities that permit this.
- 17. Golf at any one of several great courses in the area
- 18. Bring your guns and go shooting at one of several shooting ranges including one at a National Forest a few minutes from the Gulf Coast.
- 19. Hang out at a well-appointed vacation rental house with a fire pit and bbq, Watch a game, and catch up with friends.
- 20. take a short one-hour drive to Mobile and visit the Battleship
- 21. Paintball, bowling, and other activities at one of several facilities.
- 22. Enjoy Cajun and Creole food found only on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, try some Gumbo and alligator sausage or even sushi
The Mississippi Gulf Coast is less expensive
You can have a good time on the Mississippi Gulf Coast it’s a great destination that is less expensive than Florida or Alabama. Not just the cost of accommodations but food, fuel, and other entertainment costs will be lower. The best way to make the trip affordable for a group is to rent a vacation rental property at ChristiesGulfBeachRentals.com you will find that by dividing the cost (which is already reasonable) by the number of guests, the cost per person will be very low.
Spring breakers need not break the bank by spending particularly with high inflation. For those of you 21 years and older, the 12 casinos offer nightclubs and great restaurants including gambling. This is something that other destinations do not offer.
Casinos are just one thing that makes the Mississippi Gulf Coast a great spring break destination. College students come to the Mississippi Gulf Coast because it offers everything that you can find at other beach destinations and more for lower prices and without the crowds.
Spring break is the perfect time to visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Christies has vacation rental properties in Gulfport, Long Beach, and Waveland any of which will be the perfect place to stay and yet be close to other venues. Spring break is the perfect time to come to the Mississippi Gulf Coast because of the weather. Low humidity, warm days, and lots of sun.
You should consider easy access to the Mississippi Gulf Coast which is closer to much of the mid-west and even the east coast than Florida. Why spend more money and time traveling from New York City to Fort Lauderdale when you can drive to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in less time at less cost?
The best beaches at any time of year can be found on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The sandy beaches here lead to the Gulf water which is shallow with a hard bottom and no rocks. Jellyfish are a rare occurrence here. Sit on the beach or on one of the many public piers and enjoy the scenic views of the barrier islands and shore birds. You can often see dolphins swimming around. The area is a nature lovers’ destination, particularly on the bayous.
Historic districts are reinventing themselves
The historic districts in Gulfport and Biloxi are reinventing themselves with restaurants, pubs, and entertainment (new main street development). The Mississippi Aquarium which opened a couple of years ago is a popular destination in early April or for that matter all year.
Events are held all year and many during Spring Break. Gumbo Festival, Seafood Festival, and many more. Check our “events” tab on the Christies Gulf Beach Rentals website for more information. The events section will list the best places to go during your stay.
Have a meal at one of the many restaurants on the beach. McElroys is a great spot high above the marina in Biloxi to watch people and boats while having an adult beverage on their large deck. The view is just across from the largest island in the area. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is the perfect spring break destination, a beautiful place to relax and recharge. The best time to visit is anytime. The food on the Mississippi Gulf Coast must be experienced.
You want your children to be safe on Spring Break
Parents want to be sure their adult children are safe on Spring Break We have all heard about crime and other issues with some of the many popular destinations in other countries and even the Caribbean. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is in the United States and is a safe place for your family to stay and play. The Mississippi Gulf Coast does not have a reputation as being a jam-packed party destination where arrests are made frequently and in some cases in another state, the beach was closed.
Did I mention that the best value for spring break can be found on the Mississippi Gulf Coast? Let me show you below what I mean about low prices compared to high prices for your 2023 vacation rental. Start with Fort Lauderdale. The snapshot from Airbnb for spring break in March 2023 for 8 people lists various options.
Prices in Fort Lauderdale range from a low of $228 in the North area to $1,500 per night with an average of about $450 per night. I strongly suspect that the properties are similar to properties on the Mississippi Gulf Coast so let’s compare prices there.
Prices on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are lower
Prices on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the same time period and 8 people are shown in the snippet below taken at the same time as the one above for Fort Lauderdale. The highest price shown is $635 per night and the lowest at $161 per night. The average is around $300 per night.
Based on this information, you would save about $150 per night by staying on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. A 33% savings is just the start. It will take less fuel to reach the Mississippi Gulf Coast from Chicago than it will reach Fort Lauderdale. 19 hr and 55 minutes or 1,359 miles from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale.
It takes only 13 hours and 10 minutes to reach Gulfport, MS, and 900.5 miles. The difference is that the Mississippi Gulf Coast is six hours closer and at least 20 gallons of fuel closer than Florida. A round trip will save 40 gallons of fuel and 12 hours of driving time. Even driving from New York City to the Mississippi Gulf Coast is one hour closer and less expensive.
Price is not everything, that hour waits for a table and parking.
Of course, price is not everything. Compare the list of things to do above with any beach in Florida or Alabama and you will quickly see that in addition to the fact that the Mississippi Gulf Coast is less expensive, it is actually more active than those other beaches. More things to do on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Less crowded meaning you can actually get into a restaurant without waiting an hour for a table.
About those long lines in Alabama and Florida. I have been there and it’s not a pretty sight when you are hungry. It’s possible that there may be a wait on the Mississippi Gulf Coast but not probably and if there is it’s not long. You want to have a good time not spend 15 minutes looking for a parking spot and then waiting an hour or more for a table.
A recent article about beaches and improved health benefits might lead you to a beach vacation rather than a vacation in the mountains or another location. Check out our website for more about restaurants and places to visit.
Christies Gulf Beach Rentals
The best place to find your Spring Break Value. Christies has houses, townhomes, bungalows, and more which are perfectly situated near the beach. Bring friends or family, most of our properties sleep large parties. A few accept small dogs with advanced approval. Reserve before they are all gone. Click here to view our properties
