Super Bowl LIX tourists, New Orleans residents flocking to this MS Coast city. Here’s why
As New Orleans gets ready to host Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, some residents and tourists are escaping the chaos by retreating to a quaint coastal city just an hour away.
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, has been a favorite weekend getaway for decades for New Orleanians. But as the face-off between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles quickly approaches, the seaside city is becoming more crowded this week.
New Orleans residents are crossing the state lines to avoid the tens of thousands of visitors flocking in. And out-of-state tourists are viewing Bay St. Louis as a cheap and peaceful overnight stay not far from the Super Bowl’s host city, officials said this week.
“The location is an hours-drive into the city. We got a lot of restaurants and nightlife ... It’s just an opportunity for people to stay on the outside and travel back and forth,” said Bay St. Louis mayor Mike Favre.
After Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast city, Bay St. Louis revived itself, becoming an ever-growing entertainment hub for residents and visitors. Favre listed out its latest restaurant additions, including Barracuda Taco Stand and Tacos & Beer — two popular eateries that have expanded from New Orleans.
Favre, who is expecting a subtle influx of tourists to arrive this week, said traffic between Bay St. Louis and New Orleans should be low.
Jim MacPhaille, the owner of vacation rentals, PJ’s Coffee, Creole Creamery and 200 North Beach Restaurant in downtown Bay St. Louis with his wife, Catherine, also estimates an uptick in visitors.
“The Super Bowl is going to have an impact in Bay St. Louis,” MacPhaille said.
MacPhaille, who owns Bay Town Inn on North Beach Boulevard, said 30 to 35% of bookings in the last two weeks are people who are coming in town for the sporting event. Instead of paying for an expensive stay in New Orleans, they’re commuting from Bay St. Louis.
In January, last-minute booking was going for over $1,000 per night for standard hotel rooms in and outside of Orleans Parish, according to booking agents.
“Hotel rooms in New Orleans are ridiculous,” MacPhaille said, “Whereas we’re not beefing up our rooms for the Super Bowl.”
Lauren Hayel, owner of Fleurty Girl, is experiencing the same clientele as MacPhaille at her Airbnb rentals above the boutique store in Bay St. Louis. The suites are completely booked this weekend with guests who are driving into New Orleans for the Super Bowl.
“You can still be able to attend everything and not pay the price for lodges,” Haydel said.
Meanwhile, about a mile away from downtown, Driftwood Motel is hosting a mix of New Orleans guests and Eagles fans, according to the manager, Alex Fugatt.
Fugatt added that the hotel especially noticed “a big influx of reservations” that were quickly followed up by cancellations after the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff loss last month. Now, the hotel is about 70% occupied this weekend, she said, with only five or six rooms left.