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Old Biloxi , starting at the far end of Lameuse Boulevard, consists of narrow streets of stuccoed buildings, in a tree-shaded tranquility that seems miles from the hustle of US-90. Across the highway, shrimp and oyster fleets unload their catch at the Small Crafts Harbor . You can rent boats to visit windblown Deer Island , half a mile offshore, or just to go fishing (70-minute shrimping tours; $11; tel 228/385-1182). A mile west, a glut of the usual shops selling T-shirts, seashells, trinkets and other ephemera marks the approach to the most popular stretch of Harrison County Beach , in front of the Broadwater Resort East . Five miles west of Main Street, the compact white raised cottage of Beauvoir (March-Oct 9am-5pm, Nov-Feb 9am-4pm; $7.50), set in beautiful wooded grounds across from the ocean, was the final home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, who lived here until his death in 1889. Though not sponsored by the federal government, a presidential library has been opened there in honor of Davis, and includes an interesting museum chronicling his life. The area's role as a shrine for unrepentant Confederates is typified by the grandiose title of the Civil War museum - "Experiment in Nationalism" - and a bookstore that's bursting with back issues of Southern Partisan , a magazine featuring such editorials as "Why the South Was Right."
Biloxi's visitor center is at 710 Beach Blvd at Main Street (tel 228/374-3105 or 1-800/245-6943, ). Greyhound buses from New Orleans and Mobile come in at 322 Main St, very near the Amtrak station on the New Orleans-Miami line. Coast Area Transit (tel 228/896-8080) runs an hourly trolley service, the Beachcomber line, along the coast to the unspectacular business center of Gulfport; all-day passes cost $4. You can also get great lunch specials and drink a local specialty, Barq's Root Beer, from the original long-necked bottles, at the homey Ole Biloxi Schooner's Restaurant , 159 E Howard Ave (tel 228/374-8071), or enjoy excellent upscale dining at the 1737 Mary Mahoney's Old French House , 116 Rue Magnolia (tel 228/374-0163, reservations recommended). |
Biloxi 