Beaches Near New Orleans, LA

New Orleans has no true Gulf beach inside city limits — the nearest open Gulf sand is the Mississippi coast. Gulfport and Biloxi are about 80 to 90 miles east on I-10, with Alabama's Gulf Shores and Orange Beach roughly two and a half hours out. Pontchartrain shoreline closer in is lake, not surf.

This Afternoon looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Henderson Beach State Park on This Afternoon (81).

Grand Isle State Park

48 mi · ~1 hr 10 min drive · Jefferson County, LA

Skip the beach today.

87°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Monday (46)

Bay St. Louis Beach

51 mi · ~1 hr 13 min drive · Hancock County, MS
76

Great day for a beach walk.

Pass Christian Beach

55 mi · ~1 hr 20 min drive · Harrison County, MS
73

Great day for a beach walk.

90°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (73)

Gulfport Beach

66 mi · ~1 hr 34 min drive · Harrison County, MS
77

Great day for a beach walk.

87°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (77)

West Ship Island

69 mi · ~1 hr 39 min drive · Harrison County, MS
76

Great day for a beach walk.

Biloxi Beach

76 mi · ~1 hr 50 min drive · Harrison County, MS
75

Great day for a beach walk.

91°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (75)

Dauphin Island Public Beach

119 mi · ~2 hr 51 min drive · Mobile County, AL
76

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 88°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (76)

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

136 mi · ~3 hr 16 min drive · Baldwin County, AL
79

Great day for a beach walk.

90°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (79)

Gulf Shores Public Beach

144 mi · ~3 hr 27 min drive · Baldwin County, AL
76

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 88°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (76)

Orange Beach

151 mi · ~3 hr 38 min drive · Baldwin County, AL
54

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 89°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (54)

Perdido Key State Park

157 mi · ~3 hr 47 min drive · Escambia County, FL
77

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 88°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (77)

Pensacola Beach

177 mi · ~4 hr 15 min drive · Escambia County, FL
74

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 89°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (74)

Navarre Beach

194 mi · ~4 hr 39 min drive · Santa Rosa County, FL
73

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 88°F air 10 to 15 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (73)

Destin Beach

218 mi · ~5 hr 14 min drive · Okaloosa County, FL
77

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 89°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (77)

Henderson Beach State Park

219 mi · ~5 hr 15 min drive · Okaloosa County, FL
81

Great day for a beach walk.

88°F water 88°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (81)

Miramar Beach

225 mi · ~5 hr 24 min drive · Walton County, FL

Skip the beach today.

88°F water 91°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Monday (38)

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

229 mi · ~5 hr 29 min drive · Walton County, FL

Skip the beach today.

88°F water 91°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (36)

Grayton Beach State Park

235 mi · ~5 hr 39 min drive · Walton County, FL

Skip the beach today.

88°F water 91°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (38)

Seaside Beach (30A)

236 mi · ~5 hr 40 min drive · Walton County, FL

Skip the beach today.

88°F water 87°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (40)

Sea Rim State Park

239 mi · ~5 hr 44 min drive · Jefferson County, TX

Skip the beach today.

86°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: This Afternoon (30)

Rosemary Beach (30A)

243 mi · ~5 hr 50 min drive · Walton County, FL

Skip the beach today.

88°F water 89°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (37)

Panama City Beach

253 mi · ~6 hr 4 min drive · Bay County, FL

Skip the beach today.

88°F water 88°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (36)

Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)

276 mi · ~6 hr 37 min drive · Galveston County, TX

Skip the beach today.

87°F water 90°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (36)

Mexico Beach

279 mi · ~6 hr 41 min drive · Bay County, FL

Skip the beach today.

86°F water 89°F air 10 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (29)

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

280 mi · ~6 hr 44 min drive · Gulf County, FL

Skip the beach today.

86°F water 88°F air 15 mph wind Best this week: Sunday (38)

Distance is straight-line, drive times are estimates

Mileage shown is straight-line distance from the center of New Orleans. Real drive times depend on highway routing, weekend traffic, and where in the metro you start. For summer Saturdays, plan 20–40 minutes longer than the estimates here. The range slider above filters by the same straight-line distance.

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