Biloxi and Gulf Shores

[skim82]

Ok...

I was at a friend's house when some chick said that Biloxi has a "Casino Row" and that it was the shizznit...  I'm planning a trip soon, and my friends are all too broke (and married) to go to Vegas... She said that it was well worth the 13 hr drive, and that its comparable to a broke man's Vegas..

So....  Has anyone been to Biloxi's "Casino Row" and can someone provide some feedback???

Also, I heard Gulf Shores was a tight... anyone been there??? 

thanks 

[GRID]

Been there several times.  Have relatives in Mobile and have driven the Gulf Coast and FL pan handle many times.  Nothing special.  It's not Vegas, but that area of MS is really nice.

I would drive on by Biloxi and head toward Fort Walton Beach or something.

Stopped in Vegas last year on the way to LA.  Cool town, incredible architecture etc, not sure I would go back, unless we are driving to the west coast for some other reason though.

Of course I'm not a big fan of casinos.  I went to one here last weekend and didn't last 15 minutes.  They are boring, smokey, loud, annoying and they take your money too.   Watching monotone people dump hundreds of dollars or win hundreds of dollars into a slot machine while chain smoking without any emotion at all is just plain bizzare to me.  I don't get casinos, have nothing against them or those who like them though.

If your gong to drive 13 hours, I can think of better places than the casinos of Biloxi.

But that's just my opinion.

Gulf Shores is pretty cool.  Sort of a secret in the beach world.

[nota]

A few years back, I lost a huge (to me) $250 over 3 days in Las Vegas. All in the quarter slots.

I hate casinos, but every 5 or 6 years, I have to try my luck one more time. STUPID!

Then in the airport on the way home, I put my last quarter in a slot and won $80.

They know how to hook you.

A 13 hour drive would have to have Tom Selleck at the other end for me to even be halfway interested.

13 hours?!?!?!?!

If you sign up for SWA DING, sometimes you can find Las Vegas pretty cheap from KC.

And if you are going to gamble, Las Vegas beats all the wannabes hands down.

[Danny]

I've been to Vegas nonstop on Southwest roundtrip for just over 200 dollars one time.

Vegas was a blast. It was superficial, but that's how alotta people like it.

[chrizow]

A 13 hour drive would have to have Tom Selleck at the other end for me to even be halfway interested.

[KCN]

I've been to Biloxi a few times.  I went last year when I was chasing Hurricane Ivan, and even though they were boarding up and the people were really starting to freak out, it was still fun.  It's a nice little beach town and there are a LOT of casinos.  We went to a few and they were quite nice (much better than KC casinos), but not Vegas quality.  One had all you could eat crab legs for $3 and you can get quite a bit of entertainment.  Don't go if you want a good beach though, because it doesn't exist in Biloxi.  There are barrier islands that block all the waves and you still get influence from the Mississippi delta and the nasty water that comes out of it.  I went in 2000 with 5 other people and every one of us got stung by a jellyfish in the water at some point.  But it was still fun, and like grid said not too far from really nice beaches if you wanted to go gambling some days and swimming some others.

[Beermo]

http://www.gulfcoast.org/

[Beermo]

you might want to rethink your trip after today.

[KCN]

God, almost every structure along the shore in Biloxi and Gulfport has been completely washed away.  The casinos are sitting on top of hotels and houses now.

[Tosspot]

I heard there were peeps busting open the slot machines and taking the loot. I guess that means they don't use tokens in the Biloxi slot machines.

[KCN]

I heard there were people trying that.  I assume (and heard) the casino operators got the hell out with that cash before this.  Bet they're glad now.

On a more morbid note, rescue efforts in that area are being made more difficult by the overwhelming stench of the dead. 

[QueSi2Opie]

Skim82, sorry you didn't get to visit the Gulf Shores.  I actually interacted with those Dolphins from the Marine Life Aquarium, the ones you see being rescued from the Gulf on CNN right now.  Both Biloxi and Gulfport were delightful little cities with many amazing historical homes and surprising architecture.  The casinos were also pretty nice with a free trolley that would've taken you to each one of the resorts.  The beaches were dirty though.  If you wanted to relax on the beach, you would've needed to take a cheap boat ride to historic Fort Massachusetts on the Gulf Islands National Seashore.  Once there, you could've spent the day relaxing in the sun and enjoying the waves. 

Anyhow, it's depressing to look at my photos and talk about these places.  I miss New Orleans even more, but thank God the French Quarter and Bourbon Street were untouched by flood waters.