Gulf Coast State of Mind

Come along as two big fans of the Gulf Coast revisit their favorite spots-and discover new ones-from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Louisiana's Cajun Country.

First Stop: "The 'burg"

En route to Biloxi from Birmingham, we decided to explore downtown Hattiesburg. Home of the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), Hartiesburg enjoys that special blend of grand old traditions and a young, energetic vibe that sets many of the South's college towns apart. A friend at USM pointed us to several nifty finds, including New Yokel Market & Side Door Cafe for organics; Main Street Books, a fine independent bookstore; and The Bottling Company, a popular music venue in a renovated warehouse.

We sampled terrific sandwiches in a cool, urban atmosphere at Brownstone's, where locals come for live blues. (My pick from the menu was a tasty chicken salad sandwich, $8.99, with a side of honey-pineapple coleslaw.) Just up the street from Brownstone's is A Gallery. Owner Gail Albert offers an eclectic collection of paintings, jewelry, photography, art glass, pottery, and other works by Mississippi artists, and she spotlights an artist of the month. Her June artist is Impressionist painter Joyce Bradley, who has an affinity for beautiful, distinctively Southern landscapes filled with flowers. I asked Joyce if she's a gardener. "No," she said with a grin and a nod to her canvas. "I do my gardening in the air-conditioning." (For an interview with Joyce, visit southernliving.com/ june2007.)

Living Luxe at the Beau

Next we headed to Biloxi and "the Beau." As much as Dave and I love traveling off the beaten path, some places are famous for a reason. We can't resist Beau Rivage and made it our base camp for exploring several coastal towns.

This is one fabulous resort with a stunning lobby and shopping promenade, plenty of restaurants and nightlife, an elegant spa, a brand-new golf course, and (our personal favorite) a drop-dead gorgeous pool overlooking Mississippi Sound so you can watch shrimpboats go by while you work on your tan. (For those of us who grow weary of dingding-ding casino noise, the Beau is arranged so that you can easily dodge the gaming floor.)

We were eager to see what a $550-million renovation could do to an $800-million hotel. The short answer? A lot. They've added a variety of new restaurants and shops (don't miss the $10 Boutique for budget baubles). Guest rooms are downright plush now with 32-inch flat-screen TVs, deliciously poufed pillows and linens, and marbled baths with separate showers and soaking tubs. We booked an upper-floor room that faced the water and woke up to incredible views every morning.

Laid-back in Ocean Springs

Just a stone's throw from the Beau is one of our favorite small towns, Ocean Springs, Mississippi. With its cottagey storefronts, streets lined with live oaks, and an eclectic mix of galleries, restaurants, and shops, it is a great place to stroll, chill, and chat up the locals. This old coastal community attracts lots of artsy types, making it both charming and hip at the same time.

It's also a pedestrian traveler's dream because many of its best offerings line two main drags, Washington Avenue and Government Street, which inter sect in the heart of town. Among our favorites are Two Dogs Dancing, jampacked with gifts for pets and the people who adore them; On the Menu: A Kitchen Gallery, a mix of fun and function with great kitchen tools, colorful tableware, and more; the famed Walter Anderson Museum of Art; and The Art House on Cash Alley, a gallery for a local artists' consortium. Many more shops and restaurants are sprinkled about the heart of Ocean Springs.

Our delicious, down-home breakfast at McElroy's on the Bayou fueled us for a day's shopping. For dinner, we tried the ultracasual Government Street Grocery, which has patio dining. Dave discovered the wonders of the muffuletta, an Italian-inspired, native New Orleans sandwich made with salami, ham, provolone cheese, and olive salad. The Grocery can attract a young crowd, so we over-40 types felt a little like the hall monitors, but we got over it when we tasted the food and saw the low prices.

It's All Good in Bay Saint Louis

Remember the "class favorites" section in your high school yearbook? If there was a yearbook for towns, Bay Saint Louis would get "Most Fun-Loving."

Katrina hit Bay Saint Louis hard, particularly the waterfront Old Town area. Strange as it may sound, though, that's one of the reasons why everybody should go. These folks have lost a lot, but they remain one of the most colorful, upbeat, creative, welcoming communities we've ever found.

Take Trapani's Eatery. Temporarily on U.S. 90, Jolynne and Tony Trapani hope to move their restaurant back to the bayside in early 2008. The couple married and opened their restaurant in 1994, with Tony running the kitchen and Jolynne handling the business side. Together, they've created one of the best restaurants on the coast.

Dave and I love Tony's fried green tomatoes (topped with lump crabmeat and hollandaise sauce). The Trapanis offer fresh seafood, salads, pasta, and other specialties of the house, all with Tony's creative spin. Their decadent desserts are surely a sin. We suggest ordering the Dinwiddie Deluxe-but loosen your belt (and call Weight Watchers to ask forgiveness) first. It involves ice cream, amaretto, and toasted almonds, plus some other ooey-gooey fabulous stuff.