Marine & Estuarine Graduate Student Association
Information for New Students
Getting Started
Congratulations on your acceptance to graduate school! Though applicants visit GCRL to interview with their prospective adviser, there is often not enough time to familiarize yourself with the city of Ocean Springs and nearby communities. We want to offer you some information to help get you started for your move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Area
Ocean Springs, Mississippi, lies at the heart of the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast on the eastern shore of Biloxi Bay. It's known as the City of Discovery in recognition of the French establishment of a settlement here in 1699. It is a quaint community of 17,000 known as an artistic community. The city is proud of the many nationally recognized painters and potters who call Ocean Springs home and of the more than 100 unique shops, museums, and galleries that support a rich artistic heritage.
Nearby Cities and Communities (distance from GCRL)
- Biloxi (14 miles)
- D’Iberville (11 miles)
- Gautier (13 miles)
- Gulfport (26 miles)
- Hattiesburg (87 miles)
- Long Beach (30 miles)
- Pascagoula (17 miles)
- St. Martin (6 miles)
- Vancleave (17 miles)
- Woolmarket (16 miles)
Housing Resources
- Areaguides.net - go to United States then search for “Ocean Springs”
- Sunherald.com - go to apartments, then click on “newspaper listings,” again click on “apartments/homerentals”
Local Apartment Complexes
- Chateau Bayou Apartments (228) 875-5025
- Golfing Green Condominiums (228) 872-1000
- Jeff Davis Apartments (228) 875-5825
- Oak Glen Marina & Condominium Resort (228) 875-9438
- Reserve Apartments (228) 872-6868
- Westgate Greenway LLC (228) 875-8333
Other Useful Information
Local Eateries
- Acapulco
- Al Fresco
- Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant
- BB’s Poboys
- Chef Scott’s
- Coffee Fusion
- Government Street Grocery
- Mellow Mushroom
- Mohler’s
- The Shed BBQ
Gyms
- Curves
- Driftwood Yoga
- Gold’s Gym
- World Gym
- YMCA
Shopping and Points of Interest
- Local galleries & shops in downtown Ocean Springs
- Edgewater Mall, Biloxi
- Prime Outlets, Gulfport
- Casinos, Biloxi and Gulfport
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Walter Anderson Museum of Art
Nearby Airports (code and distance from GCRL)
- Gulfport (GPT, 24 miles)
- Mobile (MOB, 53 miles)
- New Orleans (MSY, 106 miles)
- Pensacola (PNS, 113 miles)
Much of Ocean Springs is within biking distance of GCRL, and the Coast Transit Authority provides local bus transportation.