Page 9 - Hancock County Tourism ~ 2024

Hancock County is known for many things including sandy beaches, an abundance of water activities, gaming, cycling, golfing, historical sites, interesting walking tours, museums, plenty of outstanding food and celebratory festivals.
What may come as a surprise is INFINITY Science Center “where fun meets fascinating.” Hancock County is the home of NASA’s Stennis Space Center, a test facility for rocket boosters for NASA’s space launches. The saying goes that “you can’t go to the moon without going through Hancock County, Mississippi.” Fifty years of space history is on display at INFINITY Science Center.
Hancock County has Mississippi’s first craft brewery, Lazy Magnolia in the Kiln. Winner of a world beer bronze medal, the brewery hosts events and regular tours. The Kiln is also known as the home of Hall of Fame professional football player Brett Favre and the Broke Spoke, a place that’s an original piece of Americana.
For active outdoor enthusiasts, there are rentals for golf carts, bicycles, kayaks and paddle boards in Old Town Bay St. Louis. In this charming area you can walk from shop to
shop or take historic self-guided walking and biking tours. In addition to the shops, there are art galleries and many enchanting coastal cottages to see around town.
If live music is your thing, there are several hot spots in cozy cafes and round-the-clock casinos. Of course the casinos’ slot machines and table games are plenty lively, too.
Kicking back and taking it slow is just the thing for some visitors. It’s easy to do all around Hancock County. Take a stroll on the beach or stop and build a sand castle. A drive along the Scenic Byway on the 13-mile stretch of beachfront and 30 miles of roadways in the Stennis Space Center Buffer Zone will take you past a captivating coastline, winding rivers and miles of pristine marshlands. Hundreds of historic homes, heritage sites and landmarks add to the ambiance.
National magazines recognize what Hancock County has for visitors. Coastal Living said, “One of the top 10 beach communities in
the United States.” Budget Travel calls our municipalities “top three coolest small towns in the country.” The Heritage Trails Partnership says of Bay St. Louis, “Most walkable/bikeable city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”
Bay Municipal Harbor
www.playonthebay.org
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Gallery 220
Bay Town Inn