TRAVEL INFORMATION

THE BASICS

This year, while we are returning to Ocean Springs, MS, and are continuing our partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), Gulf Coast Research Lab (GCRL), we are holding the retreat at their CEDAR POINT SITE.

The 224-acre Cedar Point site is east of the Halstead Site, and adjacent to the Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Davis Bayou Area.

For your planning purposes, the physical address of the Cedar Point site is: 300 Laurel Oak Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

The retreat will be held Monday, November 6th through Wednesday, November 8th, 2023. We recommend you plan to arrive on Sunday, November 5th and leave late on Wednesday the 8th or on Thursday the 9th. 

We heartily recommend planning to attend a networking opportunity on the evening of Tuesday, November 7th, which will afford you a chance to continue to mix and mingle with others off-campus in Ocean Springs.

You’ll find more information on our Resources page, but we’ve gathered the most-requested details below:

Airports

Will you be flying in to join us? Here are the closest airports to Ocean Springs (all distances and travel times approximate):

  • Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Gulfport, MS (21 miles away, or 30 minutes)

  • Mobile Regional & Mobile International Airports, Mobile, AL (60 miles away, or 75-90 minutes)

  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans, LA (100 miles away, or two hours)

Rail Travel

Both the Picayune, MS and Slidell, MS Amtrak stations (on their Crescent Route) are approximately 60 miles from Ocean Springs, MS. You will need to arrange private ground transportation, such as a car service or rental car, from those stations.

In And Around Ocean Springs

Accommodations:

Lodging will not be available through USM for this event.  However, there are many hotels/casinos and Airbnbs in the area.

Hotels closest to Ocean Springs, MS include:

There are also many hotels and casinos in Biloxi, MS—about a 20-minute drive from the retreat center.  Hotels in Biloxi include: