This Mississippi Coast town has some of the cheapest vacation stays in the US, study says

If you’re looking for a vacation bargain, you’ll find one of the best in the country in your own backyard.

According to a study by travel website Upgraded Points, Ocean Springs is one of the least expensive beach towns in the United States, with Cedar Key, Florida, the only town with better prices for beachfront vacation accommodations.

Upgraded Points compiled a list of the 75 most popular beach towns in the country from Travel & Leisure’s list of best beach towns and Southern Living’s list of prettiest beach towns. Researchers searched Airbnb listings for rentals in the beach town and did a separate list of rentals with ocean views to determine the average cost for renting a home or a hotel room with a view of the beach.

The study listed the average nightly home price as $282, the average nightly hotel fee was $144 and the average price for a weeklong stay was $1,491.

Ocean Springs’ average hotel rate is one of the lowest in the country, beating out Cedar Key’s hotel rates. In fact, the only beach town with cheaper hotel rates is number four, Port Aransas, Texas, with average hotel prices of $135.

The average price of a weeklong stay in Cedar Key was listed at $1,330, $161 cheaper than a week in Ocean Springs.

According to Visit Florida, Cedar Key is a quaint, old-fashioned destination, a “funky fishing village meets island life.” The majority of the vacation spot is marshland and nature preserves great for bird watching.

Ocean Springs has all that and then some. In addition to birdwatching and local bayous, Ocean Springs offers nearby casinos and a vibrant art scene. “This coastal town offers plenty of things to do, including shopping, golfing, boat cruises, and more,” said Upgraded Points.

Top 10 least expensive beach towns

1. Cedar Key, Florida
2. Ocean Springs, Mississippi
3. Ocean Shores, Washington
4. Port Aransas, Texas
5. Galveston, Texas
6. Ocean City, Maryland
7. Pawleys Island, South Carolina
8. San Juan Island, Washington
9. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
10. Bar Harbor, Maine

The study also listed the country’s most expensive beach towns. The majority of the list included popular destinations in New York, California, Florida and Hawaii.

Top 10 most expensive beach towns

1. Montauk, New York
2. Southampton, New York
3. East Hampton, New York
4. Malibu, California
5. Folly Beach, South Carolina
6. Kiawah Island, South Carolina
7. Lahaina, Hawaii
8. Laguna Beach, California
9. Key West, Florida
10. Solana Beach, California

The study included a list of the 10 beach towns that will hit your pocketbook the hardest if you want an actual ocean view.

Five of the top 10 locations were in California, including the four most expensive beach towns: Malibu, Laguna Beach, Long Beach and Newport Beach.

East Coast hot spots included Folly Beach and Kiawah Island in South Carolina, Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and Montauk, New York.

This story was originally published August 17, 2023 at 10:34 AM.

Mona Moore

Sun Herald

Mona Moore was a Service Journalism Desk Editor for the Sun Herald in Mississippi; Mahoning Matters in Ohio; and the Ledger-Enquirer and Telegraph in Georgia. Originally from West Covina, California, she holds a bachelor’s and master’s in corporate and public communication from the University of South Alabama. Mona’s writing and photography have been recognized by press associations in Mississippi, North Carolina and Florida.