Mississippi is home to the world’s largest man-made beach

(Story by Stephanie Huynh and video by Zack Eddy)

Did you know that coastal Mississippi has the largest man-made beach in the world? From Biloxi to Henderson Point, which is just east of Bay St. Louis, there are 26 miles of sandy paradise.

With the help of non-native sand being brought in to create the beautiful beach that many know and love, the coast’s tourism industry has grown (and continues to grow) immensely. Beach-front shopping centers, lodging, casinos, and dining have developed left and right. Whether you’re celebrating or relaxing, the beach offers a great, free venue for all sorts of activities. Best of all, there’s a marathon’s worth of miles to choose from!

Natural occurrences demand the continual upkeep of beaches. Wind gusts and wave patterns constantly move sand around, so if you see a random pile of sand along the beach’s scenic roads, it’s just nature doing its thing! The frequent replenishment of the coastal Mississippi beach is another reason why it’s classified as “man-made.”

Don’t let the brown hue of the water deter you from making the most of your beach getaway! Those notorious brownish tones are caused by sand, nutrients, clay, leaves, and other materials all jumbled together from various waterways that lead to the Gulf. The barrier islands, which protect us from an onslaught of hurricanes, also prevent this brown water from straying too far from the mainland. Now you may be thinking, “Why are Florida’s waters so blue if they’re so close to us?” Longshore drift causes water to move from east to west, and this takes water from the Mobile Bay towards the Mississippi coast. This means that Gulf Shores and everything east of it will be lighter.

With the summer season at its peak, escaping to the beach sounds more and more appealing by the day. This is your sign to listen to the Gulf Coast sirens and head down to the largest man-made beach in the world!