October 28, 2013

Davis Bayou CG

Ocean Spring, MS

A Visit to the Biloxi Visitor Center & a Margaritaville Buffet.

After pretty much doing nothing the last couple of days I was looking forward to getting out to do some exploring. 

On the road leading away from the campground we stopped to see if the resident gator was present. 

 

 

  

 

And there he was sunning himself along the bank with a great blue heron for company. 

Our first stop was at America’s Thrift Store.  Not needing any house wares or clothes I headed directly for the books.  (Just before beginning our new lifestyle on the road I had purchased a Samsung Tablet with the intention of using it as an E-Book.  BUT I just can’t help still wanting to hold a real book in my hands and it gives me such pleasure to look through shelves of books at a thrift store and am really thrilled when I find books I haven’t read yet by my favorite authors.)

I definitely scored big finding 11 books by the same author.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After leaving the thrift store we headed across the bridge into Biloxi.  On the surface it is hard to believe that just a few years ago the city was hit with a devastating blow by a hurricane named Katrina.  BUT placards such as this one stand as reminders and are a testament to the grit and determination of the residents to rebuild and take back their city.

Our camp hosts had suggested that we check out the buffet at Margaritaville as they offer a buy one get one (only available to first time visitors).  But in order to get the coupon needed we went to the Biloxi Visitor Center first.

The Biloxi Visitor Center, located on U.S. 90 across from the Biloxi Lighthouse, is housed in a beautiful building. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I felt like I was entering a private home built back in the 1800s so I was surprised to learn the Visitor Center was built a couple of years ago.

 

The Visitor Center, besides offering a wealth of information about visitor amenities in Biloxi, is also a museum housing several multi-media exhibits that tell the story of Biloxi and its people as well as its cultural diversity and its connection to the water. 

 

 

 

The Biloxi Lighthouse was built in 1848.  It is the only lighthouse in the United States to stand in the middle of a four-lane highway.  It survived the Civil War and more than 20 hurricanes and is still operating today as a private aid to navigation.

On the second floor there are convention meeting rooms and a 67-seat movie theater that usually shows a 10 minute film, “We are Biloxi” and a 20 minute film on the devastation that Katrina wroth.  Unfortunately, the theater was closed for repairs.

 

 

 

The second floor porch offers spectacular views. 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed our time in the museum until a tour bus full of boisterous teenagers arrived. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After obtaining our discount coupon we headed over to Margaritaville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first thing we noticed as soon as we walked inside was the stale smoke.  We held our breath as we made our way over to the Players Club window.  After signing up for the card I was given a certificate for the buy one get one free buffet.  We were also given instructions for obtaining our free $10 slot play. 

 

 

Within minutes of playing Monte had won $20 in addition to the original $10 free play.  He cashed out and paid for our buffet so we ended up with a FREE lunch courtesy of Margaritaville.

 

 

 

 

 

The buffet included fried chicken, grilled chicken, catfish, ham, sausage, corn on the cob, etc. in addition to a full salad and dessert bar.  Even though the food was delicious, I only made two trips up to the bar so I was proud of my restraint. 

After eating, we tried finding an area that didn’t reek of smoke. 

  

I found a slot in an area that was tolerable but after a few minutes, Monte said he was going to take a walk outside to the water.

I was up by $25 at one point and then within a half hour had fed it all back into the machine and that was my cue to leave the casino. 

 

We took a ride into downtown Biloxi.

 

 

On our way back to the campground we drove through downtown Ocean Springs and along the water.

There are a few trees with warnings of low clearance (7feet) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monte watched this little guy climb the tree near our site. 

In the early evening I glanced outside and saw Monte rolling up our patio mat and putting our bikes on the rack.  When I asked him why he said he wanted to get a jump start of his prep for our morning departure.

I tried to suppress my giggles as I informed him that we weren’t leaving until Wednesday.