Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!

No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement.

Waveland, MS

Population: 7,038
Founded: 1888
Average income: $30,052
Average price of housing: $354,500
Median age of the population: 36
Elevation: 16’
https://www.waveland.ms.gov/

Impressions

Geographically, Waveland is just south of I-10, in the southwestern corner of Mississippi. We also visited Bay St. Louis, the town to the east of Waveland.

We have explored Waveland twice and plan on returning. It is a thriving area with many restaurants, shops and businesses. There is a nice walking/biking path and a beautiful scenic drive along the waterfront and the gulf. Water access and parking are plentiful.

One of the things that impressed us the most about Waveland was the tenacity of the people who live here. Waveland was ground zero, a direct hit, from both Hurricane Camille (1969) and Hurricane Katrina (2005). It took years to rebuild from Camille and even longer to rebuilt from Katrina. As an example, the last Katrina damaged building was torn down in 2022. The resiliency and tenacity of the people in this area are a testament to the human spirit.

Food and Drink

Waveland: Sugar Pop Bakery is amazing! It is in the old Waveland Elementary School, and was the only Waveland historic building to survive Katrina. They had a variety of really, really good decadent bakery items including three varieties of King Cakes (we visited just before Mardi Gras). They have everything from bread pudding to cupcakes to peanut butter pie. Everything was good! Their home-made cheesecake was exceptional! We went back twice and bought way too much!

Bay St. Louis: Serious Bread Bakery has some of the best bread anywhere (Sadly it is now closed). The bread is dense, but not heavy. Our favorites are the jalapeno and cheese and the Kalamata olive. If you go on Saturday you can also buy their flatbread. You can take it home or you can have them make it into a pizza and eat it there! Exceptional!

Bay St. Louis: Cuz’s Old Town Oyster Bar and Grill is casual inside and outside dining. Attentive wait staff. The crab and shrimp bisque was probably the best we have ever had!

Attractions

Buccaneer State Park is not just a campground, but a destination, too. In addition to 275 full hook-up sites, there is a nature trail, disc golf and a 4.5 acre water park with multiple water features, rides and pools. We have not been to Buccaneer during the summer months, but everyone raves about the water attraction. There is a very large parking lot exclusively for the water park.

The park is named for Jean Lafitte, a French Buccaneer from the 1700s! Lafitte and his followers were active in smuggling and pirating along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The park site, also known as Jackson’s Ridge, was used as a base of military operations by Andrew Jackson during the Battle of New Orleans. Jackson later returned to this area and built a house on land that is now Buccaneer State Park.

100 Men Hall is a small historical music venue in Bay St. Louis. It was founded in 1894 by 12 civic-minded African American Bay Saint Louis residents who organized under the name “Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association” in order to “assist its members when sick, bury its dead in a respectable manner, and knit friendship.” In 1922, a cornerstone was laid and the existing 100 Men Hall was built. It was a place for Black musicians called “the chitlin circuit,” an historic network of performance spaces that eventually put the 100 Men Hall on the Mississippi Blues Trail map. Interesting place.

If you are anywhere near this area, you must stop at the Waveland Ground Zero Hurricane Museum. It is housed in the old Waveland School. It is housed in the old Waveland School. It is the only building on Coleman Street that was not decimated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The building has been renovated and the museum shares the building with Sugar Pop Bakery (who uses the old kitchen area as their cooking kitchen!!). As you walk into the building there is a blue line painted on the walls about ¾ of the way up to the very tall ceilings. This is the water line for how far Katrina’s waters rose. And the museum is about a mile from the gulf waters. Walking tours of the museum are given by volunteers who experienced Katrina. There are two short videos you can watch. Thank you for a fascinating, insightful tour, Lolia.

When we were there, the museum had just completed a quilt exhibition. It was not just any quilt show. Solveig Wells was a life-long quilter who lived in Waveland when Katrina made landfall. Solveig’s home and studio were demolished by Katrina. After Katrina, when she was finally able to walk the beach again, she found a piece of fabric she recognized as being hers from her quilting studio. She then dug around and found more pieces of fabric. She then had the idea to tell the story of hope through quilts: hope emerging from the chaos. Each quilt is a different size, some as small as a pot holder, one as large as 18” x 18”, all from scraps of fabric she found. Each tells a story.

Home Base: The Campground

For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers!

We stayed on site 207 at Buccaneer State Park. The park is clean and well-maintained. The staff was very accommodating. Simple check in. Our back in site was a FHU (water-electric-sewer) on concrete. The sites are wide apart with a wide grass separation. In the “new area” at the water front we had a wonderful view of the gulf, just across the street. 30 and 50 amp service was available. Good Verizon cellphone coverage. We had an open sky for our satellite.

Great location, great experience, our second time here. Please note there are two sections to the park:

• the older area with shade trees, gravel pads and picnic tables
• the new area between the water park and the gulf on cement pads, no trees and no picnic tables.

All 275 sites are now full hook-ups. The first time we stayed in the older section, this time the newer. Both have their benefits.

Fun Facts

Though not a fun “fact”, it is important to remember the impact of two hurricanes on Waveland. Waveland was a direct hit for Hurricane Camille on August 17, 1969. This hurricane made landfall as a Category 5 with incredibly high winds. Camille caused extensive damage to buildings from the high wind and downed trees. Rebuilding took years and billions of dollars.

While Camille was a wind event, Katrina was a water event that no one was prepared for.

Everyone has heard of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans, 48 miles to the west of Waveland. Waveland was actually ground zero, a direct hit, on August 29, 2005. When Katrina made landfall in Waveland it was “only” a Category 3 hurricane, but the storm surge was 30’ tall. Katrina’s water surge swept away everything that had been Waveland. Everything.

Summary

Waveland and Bay St. Louis are beautiful areas. Beach Boulevard runs the complete length of Waveland and Bay St. Louis. The speed limit is 25 m.p.h. for miles and miles! There is open access and unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico and the bay in Bay St. Louis.

Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads

It’s a lifestyle

Thank you so much for reading this blog. If you enjoyed the content, please check out other blogs at:
https://rvingnomads.com
https://relationshipsrelearned.com

To be notified of future posts, please enter your email address and click on the Subscribe button.

If you haven’t checked out our Special Places & Recommendations page, please do so. If you are in these areas, you may find these places as enjoyable and rewarding as we did!