Have Kids, Will Travel: The Secret Coast (Gulfport, Biloxi & Ocean Springs, Mississippi)

I confess: previous to this summer, Mississippi's Gulf Coast is a spot that we had always driven right past on our way to the beaches in Alabama or Florida. This summer, we decided it was time to stop and explore The Secret Coast!

Our vacation to the Mississippi Coast 2021

Mississippi's Gulf Coast: The Facts

- Mississippi's Gulf Coast is a string of 12 communities and 62 miles of land where the Gulf of Mexico meets the shoreline of Mississippi.

-The Gulf Coast is about eight hours by car from Arlington. You can take the north route through Hattiesburg, which will take less time, or the south route and come through New Orleans, which will take longer.

Biloxi, Mississippi!

-The Secret Coast has something for everyone in your family. You can shop in Ocean Springs or Bay St. Louis or gamble at the casinos in Biloxi. Kids can head to the waterpark or the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. You can hang out on the beach or go out on a boat excursion. There are lots of fabulous places to eat and spots to explore. The Gulf Coast will entertain everyone!

-The beaches or Coastal Mississippi are man-made! In 1951, the Army Corps of Engineers trucked in tons of sand to make beaches where the water meets the land.

-Hurricane Katrina did a significant amount of damage to the Gulf Coast in 2005.

Mississippi's Gulf Coast: Things to Do

Lynn Meadows Discovery Center-  Let your kids run, jump, climb, play and explore until they wear themselves out! Kids can host a talk show, run a grocery store, create art projects and so much more. This spot is great come sunshine or rain! Best for ages 0-12.

Mississippi Aquarium- Encourage your kids to learn as they play at the new Mississippi Aquarium! See alligators and crocodiles, catch a show about dolphins, see birds in the aviary, interact with sharks and crabs and more! The on-site cafe has yummy food, so feel free to stay for lunch! Best for all ages.

Fun at the Mississippi Aquarium. 

Ship Island Excursions- Kick back and relax on this 90-minute cruise that will teach you all about the shipping canal in the area. Watch for dolphins, grab snacks and drinks on board and get your camera ready! Best for all ages.

Biloxi Shrimping Tour- This tour is a must-do when you are on The Secret Coast. Learn all about shrimping in the Gulf. After you drag the net to catch shrimp, you'll get to learn about everything else you pull up with the net! You'll probably get to see dolphins, too. Highly, highly recommend. Best for all ages.

Posing with the Biloxi Shrimping Boat.

Gulf Islands Waterpark-  Splash, swim, slide and play at this fun waterpark in Biloxi. Don't forget your sunscreen! Best for all ages.

Beach time- Spend time on the beach with the family! The beaches in the area may be man-made, but they are still fun! Dip your toes in the Gulf and have a great time. My girls spent four hours catching hermit crabs. There are also plenty of spots where you can rent jet skis and other watercrafts. Best for all ages.

Catching hermit crabs on Gulfport Beach.

Biloxi Visitors Center- Stop by the visitors center to learn about the history of the area. We enjoyed learning about the significance of the lighthouse on the Gulf and got to understand the impact Hurricane Katrina had on Coastal Mississippi. Best for ages 5 and up.

Gamble- If you love a good casino, Biloxi has some great options for you! My husband didn't make this trip with us, and he's the gambler in the family... So I don't have a personal opinion on the casinos. But if you want some adults-only entertainment, there’s a place for that in Mississippi! Best for 18 and up.

Mississippi's Gulf Coast: Places to Eat

It's not a secret that the EA crew loves to eat. Here were our favorite stops of the trip!

Shaggy's- We saw so many people wearing Shaggy's shirts when we were in Hattiesburg that we couldn't wait to check out this beach spot. Our margs were delicious, the kids' meals came in frisbees they got to keep and the whole place had a fun, it's-5-o'clock-somewhere vibe. Highly recommend!

Dinner at Shaggy's in Biloxi, MS.

Burger Burger- Need something fast and inexpensive? Give Burger Burger a try! The po'boys were fantastic and the whole meal was laidback and unfussy.

The Green House Biloxi- Stop here for great breakfast biscuits. We tried simple biscuits with honey butter and devoured every bite. Plus the coffee. Yum!

Patio 44- Ever have one of those meals with great food and even better company? That was our experience at Patio 44. The food was exquisite (try the pea saute. Don't ask questions- just trust me!) and the ambiance fantastic. Their servers were super attentive and we didn't want the meal to end! Head here for a classy meal in your cutest rompers (see the pic of my girls for reference!).

Fancy girls in rompers at Patio 44 in Biloxi. 

                                

Coast Roast- One great cup of Joe. I shouldn't have to say more. But a good cup of coffee should be shared!

Mississippi's Gulf Coast: Shop til You Drop!

If you love to browse the racks like I do, there are some great places to shop in Mississippi!

Ocean Springs- If you want to browse cute boutiques and local items, head over to Ocean Springs! We dropped some cash at the toy store there, called Miner's Doll and Toy Store. We dropped some serious cash at the adorable kids clothing store Sugar and Spice (because RuffleButts was on sale and I love RuffleButts!). There are lots of spots to rest your legs and grab a drink while you shop, too.

Bay St. Louis- This cute stop near the Louisiana border has lots of fun boutiques. We stopped at Fleurty Girl and loved all the Nola-inspired items!

Sharkheads- Find every souvenir you never knew you needed at this souvenir megastore!

Mississippi's Gulf Coast: Where to Stay

We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott in Gulfport. It was clean and right across the street from the beach. The pool had a deep end where kids could dive and play, and we could walk to Shaggy's. We were very happy with this pick! 

We really loved our time in Mississippi. If you can't make the drive all the way to Florida but want something a little different than Texas beaches, it might be time to consider the Mississippi Coast! If I left your favorite MS spot off this list, please let me know! We love The Secret Coast!

*Please note: we were hosted by Coastal Mississippi Tourism. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Have Kids, Will Travel: Legoland! (Winter Haven, Florida)

I was dying to book a fun summer getaway when Legoland in Winter Haven, Florida, popped up on my radar. My youngest is Lego-obsessed, and I'm a sucker for vacations that focus entirely on my kids (and if the place serves adult beverages, well, even better!). After some research, I thought that Legoland might be a great summer roadtrip for the EA Crew.

Smiling in front of the Legoland Hotel in Florida. 

Legoland Florida: The Good

Legoland in Florida had some amazing rates this spring when I decided to book. Full disclosure: they did offer me a media rate when I booked in exchange for coverage on my social and blog pages, which amounted to about a 10% discount on my package. They also comped dinner my first night.

- Legoland Florida was less than half the price of other Florida-area theme parks for five people. This is if you stay on property and purchase a package.

- When you stay on property, breakfast is included in your package price each morning of your stay. And it's a full, hearty breakfast! We ate about 9:30 am each morning and then had snacks at the park around 2 and dinner around 5. It saved us money and kept us happy!

Free breakfast included with your stay at Legoland Florida. 

- Unlike other hotels and theme parks, this spot accommodates up three kids in one room! We had a room with one king size bed and a separate area for kids with a bunk bed and a trundle. The kids' area also had a TV and Lego-building area. We were all happy in this room! 

- Legoland had lots of areas for kids to climb and roam. My biggest complaint with other Florida theme parks was that my kids spent all day waiting in line. We'd go from one two-hour line to the next, and, at the end of each day, my kids were NUTS. There was nowhere for them to let out steam at the end of the day (that wasn't a pool, anyway) and nowhere for them to just climb and play between rides. Legoland has tons of spots for kids to run around and be crazy, both at the park and at the hotel. My kids loved playing in the Lego castle in the lobby with other kids each night once the pool closed.

- No having to wait in line to take a shuttle to the park at Legoland. The hotel is about a two-minute walk from the theme park. Seriously. Two minutes. Even my kids couldn't find a reason to complain!

- There are plenty of rides to suit all ages. Rollercoasters, water rides, stunt shows, a carousel, virtual rides... My girls each found their favorites. 11: Flight School (a rollercoaster); 9: Battle of Bricksburg (a water ride); 7: Mia's Pony Ride (a horse-themed ride from Lego Friends).

Posing at Legoland. 

- Kids hate lines? Mine too! At Legoland, most of the rides have Lego play areas in the middle so kids can play while Mom or Dad wait. This kept whining to a minimum, which kept my happiness level much higher than normal!

- Plenty of onsite evening entertainment at the Legoland Hotel kept my kids engaged once the theme park shut down.

Indoor play area at Legoland Hotel Florida. 

- There is minigolf at the hotel for an additional fee (we didn't play), as well as a fire each night to roast smores (you can purchase a kit at the front desk). 

Legoland Florida: The Bad

Like any vacation destination, Legoland Florida isn't perfect. It has it's drawbacks and less-than-desirable features.

- It is really geared toward younger kids. I would say ages 2-10, in a perfect world. My 11-year-old enjoyed it, sure, but in large part because she had little sisters with her.

Duplo Valley play area for younger kids at Legoland Florida. 

- It lacks the sparkle of other Florida theme parks. During our visit, many rides and shops and eateries were closed. The grounds were not as impeccably maintained as competitors. The staff wasn't as happy to be there.

- The two on-site pools were small-ish for the size of the hotels.

- The hours of the theme park were limited, and there were no bonus hours for staying onsite. The theme park is open 10-6 on weekdays, and the water park is open 11-5. Hours are longer on the weekends. 

Legoland Florida: The Ugly

The most significant drawback of Legoland, in my opinion, is the location. Legoland Florida is located in Winter Haven, Florida, about halfway between Tampa and Orlando. You can easily fly into either airport but are then on your own for transportation. You can rent a car (prices are currently insane) or charter a private car (about $100 each way for my family of 5) or find an Uber (way out of my price league). Legoland doesn't offer any options itself for transportation from either airport, which is why we drove.... 17.5 hours from Arlington to the hotel. Not ideal... But we made it! We did stay at Mobile overnight en route to Florida.

Legoland Florida: Tips & Tricks

Despite the drawbacks of a Legoland vacation, I would highly recommend it to anyone with young kids!

Posing with Lego Friends at Legoland Florida. 

My advice?

1. There is a Publix across the street. Buy all your snack items there. Food choices- especially snack choices!- onsite are limited (although they do have fantastic plant-based fare!). 

2. The pirate-themed hotel is fun... but if you are looking to save money, stay in the Legoland Hotel. Why? It's actually the same building! And if you stay onsite, you can access all activities at either spot. Unless you have a pirate-obsessed kiddo, save the money and stay at the hotel. (The difference when I booked was about $150)

3. Bring water and snacks to the park. You can purchase a refillable cup onsite, though. $16 for one with free refills the day you purchase and then $8 each day after that to refill it. This includes ICEEs. 

4. Have the fried apples. Seriously. They were SO good. We ate them both days. With caramel. You won't regret it!

Apple fries at Legoland Florida! 

5. Have fun! The kids get Lego Minifigures each day of their stay. And the Master Builds at the hotel are a fun activity where they get to keep the Legos.

6. Always where shoes. The amount of Legos on the floor at any given time... Just always wear shoes.

Have you been to Legoland? Would you go back?

 

Have Kids, Will Travel: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Vacationing in Cabo with Kids

When you think of a Mexico vacation, you probably don't think about bringing the kids along.

Don't worry- I didn't either. 

Posing at the Cabo sign at the marina!

Mexico makes me think of margaritas at the swim-up bar and digging my toes into the sand while nursing a Modelo. I don't so much think of chasing my kids through the neighboring country to the south.

But Cabo with kids is actually really fun! It turns out there is plenty for families to do in Cabo. Although if you were expecting an inexpensive Mexican holiday you're probably headed to the wrong spot...

Things to Know about Traveling to Cabo

- Cabo San Lucas is on the west side of Mexico, at the southern most point of the Baja California peninsula. 

- Cabo is about three hours by direct flight from DFW. Cabo is on Mountain Standard Time, so you gain an hour going and lose an hour coming back.

- You do not currently need a Covid test to get to Cabo but you will need one to return to the United States.

- Cabo is not the spot for you if you want to spend time on the beach. Because the Pacific Ocean brings big waves and strong undertows, there are very few areas of Cabo where you can swim in the ocean or Gulf.

Kids Activities in Cabo

Boat/Snorkeling Tours: We booked a snorkeling tour with Caborey and loved every minute. We paid $215 for three kids and two adults. The tour was four hours- we boarded at 10:30 and set sail just after 11. We sailed for about an hour and got to see Cabo's famous "el arco"- called this because it means land's end in Spanish, and this is the point where the Gulf of California becomes the Pacific Ocean. We got to snorkel in Chileno Bay for about 30 minutes and saw tons of gorgeous fish. After snorkeling, we got back on the boat and had lunch- teriyaki chiken, rice, veggies and bread, plus unlimited drinks. We got back to the marina around 3 pm. The girls had a blast!

Posing at the Arch before snorkeling. 

Swimming with the Dolphins: Swimming with the dolphins is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences I think everyone should try. I paid a ton for our experience- $285 for 30 minutes for 4 people- but my girls loved every. single. second. We arrived at 9:45 for our 10 am experience at the Cabo Dolphin building on the marina. At 10, we were given life jackets and instructions and then went up to meet our dolphin, Ali. We were placed with three other people. Each person in our group got to dance with the dolphin, ride the dolphin holding his fins, get a kiss from the dolphin and hug the dolphin. We were cleaned up and ready to leave by 11. It was an expensive but worthwhile experience. Just don't ask how much I paid for the pictures...

Swimming with dolphins! 

Cabo Adventure Park: The Wild Canyon Adventure Park came highly recommended by a friend of a friend who lives in Cabo. We debated partaking in this all-day experience but, in the end, decided not to. Not because it doesn't sound amazing! You can ride camels, go zip-lining, play at a splash pad, ride UTVs, run (or ride) across a crazy suspension bridge. My girls would have loved every single one of those experiences. In the end, though, we decided that the cost was just too much. We figured it would have been about $650 for the five of us (two kids and three adults because my 11-year-old would be an adult). But we've heard such good things! Next time...

Beaches in Cabo

Again... Cabo is not the spot to go if you are wanting to hang out at the beach. Florida or Alabama will give you show stopping beaches... And closer to home! But if you want a beach fix on your Mexican getaway, here are a few spots to try:

- Medano Beach - A sweet spot where you can rent an umbrella from a beach vendor for $20 and get drink (and food) service from an on-the-beach restaurant. Just beware: this beach is packed with vendors trying to sell you everything from hats to bracelets and so much more. They will drive you bonkers for sure!

Checking out the water at Medano Beach. 

- Chileno Bay Beach - This beach, located closer to the airport than the "downtown" area of Cabo, this beach doesn't have vendors (beyond the guys that will help get you set up with an umbrella because the sun is relentless!). There is a rocky area where kids can climb and play and a laidback atmosphere as well as free parking on site. 

- Costa Azul - This gorgeous beach is also located closer to the airport than downtown and is truly beautiful. There are spots here where you can try surf lessons! You can watch the waves roll in and man are they big! The girls loved working on cartwheels here and dipping their toes in the sand... I just wouldn't let them go out too far!

- Pedregal Beach - This is another beach closer to the downtown area where kids can climb on rocks and play around. We didn't make it to this beach but it does come highly recommended.

Places to Eat in Cabo (with kids!)

7 Seas Seafood Grill- Gorgeous spot situated looking down at the water. Located near the airport, 7 Seas has delicious seafood and drinks. 

Zipper's Bar and Grill- Zippers is the place to go if you want to eat and the kids want to play. They can play in the sand while you have a drink and wait for the food. This spot had the best portions and prices of any spot we ate in Cabo. The nachos fed three of us and were so so good!

The Office- The Office is a fun spot on Medano Beach with yummy drinks and decent food. Just beware- don't let them sit you next to the fence barrier between the restaurant and the beach or vendors will drink you batty your entire meal. 

Smiles after our meal at The Office! 

Cascadas- We went to Cascadas our last night in Cabo for a fancy, festive meal and Cascadas did not disappoint. Although this spot in on Medano Beach, it is far enough away from the vendors that they won't make you too crazy! My oldest had lobster for the first time at Cascadas and loved every bite.

Lobster at Cascadas in Cabo! 

Mi Casa- We loved Mi Casa because, honestly, it felt like stepping onto the set of Coco! The experience felt authentically Mexican from start to finish, with a mariachi band roaming during our meal and flan cake served to my daughter to celebrate her ninth birthday. The food is a little less traditional but I found it delicious. Highly recommend!

Cabo Wabo Cantina- If I'm being honest, this is one of the few spots we ate that I wasn't impressed with. The menu is small, the service was eh. It's definitely a tourist trap, fueled by Sam Hagar's name attached to it. I could see it being a fun place to enjoy pricey drinks and party with adults- but you can skip it when you bring the kids to Cabo.

Flora Farms- Guys. If you don't take my advice on anything else on this list... This is the one recommendation you shouldn't skip out on! Flora Farms is farm-to-table food and drink that will knock your socks off. The food is delicious and reasonably-priced, there is a playground for the kids (and games on the placemats!), everything is wide open and fresh and green. There are shops and Instaworthy spots galore. Highly highly recommend! 

Instaworthy photo spot at Flora Farms. 

Need a sweet treat in Cabo? There is a Haagen Daz on the marina and a Dairy Queen downtown. We also ate at the gelato stop at our condo and they had the best green tea ice cream ever!

Where to Stay in Cabo

We stayed at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach. There is a market for quick shopping on site as well as a gift shop. There is a large food hall with sushi, a bar, American fare, an ice cream shop, sweets shop and more. There's a golf course and multiple pools- and staff is happy to zip you around the resort, which is incredibly hilly, in golf carts. We loved it! 

Enjoying the infinity pool at our resort. 

What do you love to do in Cabo?