Things to do, ways to meet people on the Coast
Been seeing a lot of posts lately from people trying to meet new people or find things to do on the Gulf Coast, so I figured I’d share some of the places/events that helped me.
I went to most of these by myself (as a 31 year old 👴), and it’s where I ended up meeting a lot of my friends and people who were genuinely open to talking and hanging out.
🍻 Chandeleur Island Brewing — Gulfport
Monday: Trivia Night — 6:30 PM
Wednesday: Run-N-Tri Run Club — 6:00 PM
Newly started and already a great group of people!
Thursday: Music Bingo — 7:00 PM
🦙 Fly Llama Brewing — Biloxi
Tuesday: Trivia Night — 6:30 PM
Saturday: Karaoke — 8:00–10:00 PM
🎮 Altered Reality — Biloxi
Thursday: Big Run Club — 6:00 PM
Friday: Music Bingo — 6:00 PM
🎲 Adventurer’s Tavern — Biloxi
Monday: Magic: The Gathering — 6:00 PM
Sunday: Free Board Game Day
🏓 Popp’s Ferry Courts — Biloxi
Pickleball is huge on the Coast and honestly one of the easiest ways to meet active people. If you’ve never played before, don’t let that stop you. There are beginner-friendly options and lessons around the area, including at The Picklr.
You end up playing a few games with strangers, sitting around between games, and before you know it you’re having a conversation with people you just met.
🏐 Long Beach Volleyball Courts
Monday & Friday: Pickup volleyball, usually starting around 5–6 PM
For someone who was completely new to the area, this is how I met most of my friends down here.
Most people on the Coast are extremely friendly and open to conversation. Something as simple as “Hey, what brings you out tonight?” is usually enough to get a conversation going.
The running community has probably been the best for meeting people. You already have an easy conversation starter: “How was your run?” “How long have you been running?” “What music were you listening to?” You don’t have to be some crazy fast runner either, you can even walk and all these clubs and it is totally acceptable, the running community is the most encouraging optimistic people you will meet.
Pickleball is another great one. It’s growing like crazy, and playing a couple games with new people naturally gives you a chance to sit around and talk afterward.
The trivia scene down here is also surprisingly huge. Once you find a group, it’s always a good time whether you win or lose. There are a lot of great hosts too, shoutout to Tony! (Also I’m looking for a Monday group 👀)
And even if you’re shy or you don’t drink, don’t completely write off breweries/bars. Grab some food or a non-alcoholic drink, sit down, and say hello to whoever is next to you. That’s one of the things I really enjoy about the Coast, talking to someone you don’t know doesn’t feel out of place.
I hear a lot of negativity about the people here and how they can come across as rude or unwelcoming, but my experience has honestly been the opposite. No matter where you go, you’re always going to run into a few negative people, but they don’t represent everyone. I genuinely believe there’s a lot of beauty in this community and plenty of kind, welcoming people out there. Sometimes it just takes putting yourself out there, starting a conversation, and giving people a chance.
I really hope this helps or encourages somebody coming from someone who knew 0 people when he got here.
Feel free to add any other Gulf Coast spots/events in the comments!