Have you ever wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Dreamed of spending a day on a private uninhabited island overflowing with pristine beaches? You can find this and more during an excursion to West Ship Island, located twelve miles off the Mississippi coast. Teeming with natural beauty, this island offers a peaceful retreat from the cares of the world.
To Get There:
West Ship Island, a branch of the National Park Service’s Gulf Island Natural Seashore, is only accessible by private boat or a seasonal passenger ferry which runs from mid-March until late October. Private boats are welcome to dock at West Ship Island year round during daylight hours. The seasonal passenger ferry leaves daily from Gulf Port, Mississippi. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the dock on the day of the excursion. Once the ticket is purchased there is no further admission charge to the island.
History of West Ship Island
The island has a long and storied past with countries from around the world claiming possession. Originally claimed by the French when discovered by explorer Pierre de Moyne d’Iberville in 1699, the island was officially christened Ile aux Vaisseaux (French for “Ship Island”) in 1702. The island served as an important port for French immigration to the new world for several years but was later ceded to England in 1763. England held the island for twenty years and then gifted it to Spain in 1783. Spain held the island until it was claimed by the United States in 1810. The island was reclaimed by the British during the War of 1812 as a base for the British Navy.
Claimed once again by the US Government, the army began construction of a fort in 1859. Building on the fort continued until the Civil War when the island was captured by the Confederates and the fort renamed “Fort Twigg.” In 1861, after a brief battle, the Union army recaptured the fort from the Confederates who were grateful to escape the heat, humidity, and insects. Work resumed on the Fort, which was later used for a Confederate prison and a garrison for a group of African- American soldiers. Construction was halted for the second time in 1866.
Over the years the island served as the country’s first quarantine station and as an anti-submarine beach patrol by the Coast Guard during World War II. The island was split into two sections, West Ship Island and East Ship Island, by Hurricane Camille in 1969. The land was dedicated as part of the National Sea Shore in the early 1970’s.
Things To Do On West Ship Island:
1. Fort Massachusetts- Open seasonally, the fort holds artifacts of the islands’ history. Free guided tours are given by Park Rangers and are available most days.
2. Picnicking- A Covered Picnic area is available along with restroom and showers, which are open seasonally. A snack bar is open seasonally, but it is probably best to pack snacks and a lunch and leave the cooler in a shady spot on the pavilion while exploring the rest of the island.
3. The Beach- A beautiful beach surrounds the island. You can walk along the shore, play with the kids, or rest and relax. The beach near the boat dock is an excellent place for spotting marine life, such as stingrays, dolphins, jellyfish, and fish.
4. Swimming- A designated swim area is available although life guards might not always be on duty.
5. Wildlife Viewing- The island is perfect for bird watching. You can find a guide of birds you might see in the area and pictures of the birds in this free guide. A free guide to the botanical life in the area is also available.
Things To Know Before You Go:
* The Mississippi Sun is hot! Pack plenty of water and liquids to stay hydrated.
* Be sure to pack sunscreen and bug spray.
* Coolers are allowed and there is a covered picnic area available.
* Pets are permitted If on leashes of six feet or less but are not allowed on the North or South beaches, in the fort or in pavilions or rest rooms. To be honest, this is one time it’s best not to take a pet as they would be in the sun for the entire day.
* Be aware there is no way to leave the island except during scheduled ferry departure times. Plan accordingly and be back to the boat dock in enough time to make the ferry.
Whether you plan to spend a day with family, commune with nature, or spend a romantic afternoon, West Ship Island provides it all in a beautiful natural setting. No wonder it’s the most visited of the Mississippi areas in the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Have you visited West Ship Island? How did you spend your day? What wildlife did you see?
You might like these posts
Never heard of this place looks interesting. Love the scenic views.
I’ve been to Mississippi before, but never to the Gulfport area. I’ll have to check it out the next time I plan a family trip to the state – looks like a lot of fun!
My husband just loves history and visiting places like this. We have been wanting to visit MA for awhile now, and this is just another place I’d love to see.
Looks absolutely serene and a wonderful way to reconnect with nature. I’d love to visit one day!
I have heard it’s hot in MIssissippi. I’d love to visit though, even in the heat. 🙂
My husband would love to visit the place. He is such a history buff and he always enjoys going to places like that fort. Let me check if we can squeeze in a trip to the West Ship Island this year. Thanks for the information you provided. I will let my husband read this post too.
Wow this looks incredible. I have always wanted to visit the south, this looks so fun!
This is my kind of place to visit, it looks education and relaxing at the same time. West Ship Island is added to our bucket list now.
I have always wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and we love traveling. Have not been to West ship island and I guess this would be an ideal place to relax and be away from the daily routine.
That is so cool! I love old forts, so I’d definitely have to check that out. It’s great that they allow pets, too!
This looks like such a beautiful destination. My family and I would love to take a trip here and explore the beach & boardwalk.
I’ve never been here before. It’s a beautiful place for the family and I love that there are plenty of things to do. Picnics here would be so relaxing and nice!
How interesting! I would like to visit Fort Twigg, the architecture is so very beautiful. I would also love to do some bird watching there!
I’ve always wanted to visit Mississippi. This sounds like an interesting place to spend a day with the family.
What a picturesque place to spend the day with your family. I love lighthouses!
This looks like the perfect place to have a family vacation. The pictures of the Gulf are beautiful. I can just imagine spending time at the beach and site seeing at the fort.
Have you ever wanted to get away? Yes, EVERYDAY haha! And this looks like the perfect place to do it. So chill and peaceful.
Seeing the fort would be really cool. The area looks really pretty too and it would be nice to have a picnic and relax.
What a fantastic looking place to explore, I would love to go for a picnic on the beach myself, it sounds like the perfect thing to do on a summers day.
This looks like so much fun! I would love to check out West Ship Island. I love the lighthouse. It looks so peaceful.
This looks like a great adventure! We don’t have any travel planned for the south/southeast, but I’ll definitely keep this in mind for when we get to that neck of the woods.
I’ve never heard of this place but it looks like it would be a fun place to check out. It looks beautiful and I would love to explore the entire island.
West Ship Island looks like a lovely seaside retreat. So relaxing to be near the water. My family would love to visit the forts as we are history buffs at heart. Learning new things combined with heritage is a plus for us when choosing a destination to vacation.
The place is such a strategic hub which is why it has transferred from one colonizer to another. It would really be nice to see the combined heritage of the place and the scenic sites as well. – Franc Ramon
My husband has been down to Gulfport Mississippi but I haven’t. We enjoy exploring all historical sights and learning new things.
I would love to take the family to West Ship Island. We love to visit locations on the water, and all of that history would be a ton of fun. I know my boys and I would have a great time at the fort.
My family would love it there. We love to be able to get on the water and explore landmarks. I know my boys and I would have a great time at that fort.
Yeah, forts are so much more interesting on the inside!! They are cool outside, but the stuff inside is fascinating!
That looks like such a great place to visit with the kids. I love all the natural beauty, and the fort is AWESOME.
That sounds like a wonderful place to visit. We have a bunch of old forts around here and I love to tour them! West Ship Island sounds great 🙂