Coast family entertainment center with arcade, mini golf under the trees, is open
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Hippie Fish opens in Gulfport with arcade, mini golf, and full-service dining.
- New family attractions preserve 34 live oaks and enhance beachfront amenities.
- Harris Mini Golf designed shaded 36-hole course with bridges, sandtraps, waterfalls.
What else could be developed under three dozen magnificent oak trees without losing a single one? And where else could families play mini golf on a hot summer day but in the shade of those trees, with a breeze off the Mississippi Sound?
Hippie Fish family entertainment center opened Thursday at Centennial Plaza.
The combination of the two floors of arcade games, two mini golf courses and a restaurant is open to both guests staying at Centennial Plaza at 200 Beach Blvd. in Gulfport and those who live on the Coast and keep asking for more family fun.
“We listened to our locals and this is open to the public,” said Tessy Lambert, chief marketing officer for Lodging & Leisure Investments.
The company owns Centennial Plaza with its two hotels, a water park and lazy river ride, wedding chapel and other amenities at the beach.
Hippie Fish was an instant hit with those who attended the grand opening Thursday. “Another cause for celebration in the City of Gulfport,” said Mayor Billy Hewes. He called it “the resort for the new South,” and invited people to bring the family and have an experience.
Fun inside & out
“I love arcades,” one kid declared as people entered the building to the east of the central fountains to play the games. The first floor has a redemption center to get a prize for the games they won and a full service restaurant and bar, serving sandwiches, burgers, flatbreads, salads along with Southern specialties like Gulf red snapper, red beans and rice and catfish or shrimp platters.
Games on the second floor include air hockey, basketball toss, skeeball and a Disney photo booth. Well-padded carpeting makes it more comfortable for parents watching their kids have fun.
Scotty Taylor of Louisiana brought his family for a stay at Centennial Plaza and was helping his daughter Zelda Taylor hang on the motorcycle as she played a ride-on game.
“Everything is here, which is nice,” he said, including the pools, waterpark, beach and now the arcade and mini golf.
This wasn’t the first visit to Centennial Plaza for a family from the Brandon area. “We’ve been a lot for the waterpark,” said Lacey Cutrer. Now there’s more to do.
Exceptional golf
Coast families also were impressed with the new attractions.
“This is so beautiful,” said Kerri Paul, who played the new golf courses with a family friend and six kids.
“I love to see businesses coming up to provide fun and exciting experiences for tourists and locals,” she said.
Pennsylvania company Harris Mini Golf designed the 36 holes, creatively and safely tucked under the 34 oak trees. They added waterfalls, fountains, bridges, tunnels, lush landscaping, even sand traps. All of the live oaks were saved and all are healthy, Lambert said.
“It was so thoughtful,” Paul said.
They thought of most everything. “The balls float. We already got one in the water,” a player said.
“I love the placement of the lights,” said Sirleen Flowers of Gulfport. “At night this is just going to be phenomenal.”
“This is what you hope you can do,” said Gulfport Councilman R. Lee Flowers, who brought his daughter Adisyn, 7, to the grand opening. He and other city officials worked with the developer to build something for families to do now and something that will keep kids in South Mississippi after they graduate, he said.
Hippie Fish summer hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Entry to the attractions are free. Mini golf is $25 for adults and $20 for children under 42” and includes all-day play on both courses. The arcade cost varies by game.
This story was originally published June 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM.
