SIMPLY THE BEST! Ocean Springs, Bay St. Louis win top two spots in USA Today’s Best Coastal Small Town Award

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) - The rest of the world is learning what South Mississippians already knew: Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis are two of the best small towns in America!

The two coastal towns were both in the running for USA Today’s Best Coastal Small Town award. The Readers’ Choice award ranks coastal towns with fewer than 25,000 people as of the last census. According to the website, each of the 20 nominees offers “unpretentious and affordable seaside fun without the crowds, proving that bigger isn’t always better.”

This year, Ocean Springs topped the list at #1, while Bay St. Louis finished in the #2 spot.

“Ocean Springs is a cozy seaside town overflowing with unparalleled arts, festivals, culture, restaurants, shops, and galleries,” says Cynthia Sutton, executive director of the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce-Main Street-Tourism Bureau. “We are truly honored to have two coastal Mississippi communities recognized for their unique character and quaint community feel. This really does help visitors feel welcomed to town.”

Both cities have been nominated for this award before. On 2021′s top ten list, Ocean Springs took the #5 spot while Bay St. Louis was right behind at #6. The Bay was #5 on USA Today’s rankings in 2019 and 2020.

Ocean Springs was also nominated for a second award - Best Small Town Cultural Scene. In that contest, the city finished at #4.

And two other South Mississippi spots are up for recognition: Majestic Oaks RV Resort in Biloxi is nominated for Best Luxury RV Resort. and Davis Bayou Campground in Ocean Springs is nominated for Best Campground. The voting has closed for those categories, and the winners are set to be announced July 1.

Want more WLOX news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.