A rainy day in Biloxi: what golfers can do when the course is wet

On a rainy day in Biloxi, golfers have two real ways to keep swinging: the Golf Academy of Diamondhead, the coast's only indoor/outdoor golf academy, and the two golf simulators at Margaritaville Resort Biloxi's public indoor complex. After that, the Mississippi Aquarium, the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum and the casinos fill a wet afternoon.

Rain is a normal part of a Gulf Coast golf trip, especially in summer. This guide covers what is open indoors, from the research files behind our map, and when rain is most likely. Hours and prices were not published in our research for most places, so check before you go.

Quick facts

• Indoor golf: Golf Academy of Diamondhead (lessons, K-Vest, fitting) and Margaritaville Resort Biloxi's two simulators.
• Wettest month: July, about 8.1 inches on about 14 days.
• Driest month: October, about 3.7 inches on about 6.5 days.
• Biggest indoor attraction: the Mississippi Aquarium in downtown Gulfport.
• The default rain plan: the casinos, with gaming, spas, shows and restaurants under one roof.
• Storm season: hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.

Golf on a rainy day in Biloxi

The Golf Academy of Diamondhead

The Club at Diamondhead bills its academy as the only indoor/outdoor golf academy on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It sits next to the full practice facility shared by the Cardinal and Pine courses, and the club says the academy and restaurants are open to the public.

The academy is run by Hoppy Smith, PGA (228-669-5742). It offers:

• K-Vest swing analysis
• Club fitting and gapping
• Lessons
• Weekly clinics

A wet morning is a good time for a fitting or a lesson you would not book on a dry day. Call ahead, since the research does not list academy prices or hours. The golf shop opens at 7 AM, and the practice facility is closed on Monday mornings until 1 PM for maintenance. Diamondhead is about 47 minutes from downtown Biloxi on our router. Lunch is at the Latitude 30 Patio and Grill or The Oak Room. The Diamondhead Cardinal course guide has the rest.

Golf simulators at Margaritaville Resort Biloxi

Margaritaville Resort Biloxi is a non-casino resort whose indoor entertainment center is open to the public. It has two multi-game golf simulators, plus boutique bowling, an arcade, a ropes course and an indoor coaster. The pool and lazy river are for hotel guests only. It suits a group that wants to keep a match going.

Other academies

The Oaks in Pass Christian has The Oaks Golf Academy, run by PGA professionals Cole and Presley Baggett, with junior camps and ladies' clinics. The research does not say whether it has indoor bays, so treat it as a dry-weather option and call first. The Oaks course guide has more.

Indoor things to do in Biloxi and nearby

Mississippi Aquarium

The aquarium in downtown Gulfport opened in 2020 with indoor galleries and outdoor habitats. It is about 10 minutes from Gulfport-Biloxi airport, which makes it a good stop on a wet arrival or departure day.

Museums

• Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, on Beach Boulevard: a Frank Gehry-designed campus for the work of George Ohr.
• Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum, 115 East First Street at Point Cadet: Biloxi's seafood, boatbuilding and hurricane history. It also runs the Biloxi Schooner sails on drier days.
• Walter Anderson Museum of Art, 510 Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs: the Ocean Springs artist's work, including his painted Little Room and community center murals. Pair it with dinner downtown.
• INFINITY Science Center, Pearlington: the NASA Stennis Space Center visitor center, off I-10 at the Louisiana line. It works best for groups based in Bay St. Louis or driving in from New Orleans.

The casinos

The coast's default rain plan is a casino: Beau Rivage, Hard Rock, IP, Harrah's, Golden Nugget, Palace, Treasure Bay, Boomtown, Scarlet Pearl in D'Iberville and Island View in Gulfport all have gaming, spas, shows and restaurants. If you are staying at Beau Rivage, a rained-out afternoon can move to BR Prime and the casino floor without getting back in the car.

Scarlet Pearl also has Lava Links, an on-site mini-golf course, which is extra per some listings.

When rain is most likely

NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Biloxi show a clear pattern: wet summers, a dry October.

Summer rain mostly comes as afternoon thunderstorms, so a dawn tee time usually beats the weather. Inland at Saucier, near Fallen Oak and Grand Bear, July is also the wettest month at about 7.8 inches. Our Biloxi weather by month guide has every month, and Biloxi summer golf covers playing around storms.

Rain and the courses

None of the courses in our research publish a rain or rain-check policy, so ask when you book. A few things we did find:

• The Oaks: reviewers say cart-path-only after rain is common, and that they were not warned before booking.
• Windance: Windance sells GolfNow Hot Deals that are prepaid and refundable only if you cancel 24 or more hours ahead, so a forecast of rain is a reason to book direct.
• The Oaks and The Preserve: both have 48-hour cancellation policies.
• The Bridges: a marsh course on about 600 acres by the bay. The Bridges is also closed every Tuesday, rain or shine.

Tropical storms

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the main risk for the Mississippi coast from August to October. In October 2026, Hurricane Isaias brought tropical-storm gusts, closed low coastal roads with surge and cancelled some Cruisin' the Coast events. A storm can close courses for days to weeks, so for August to October trips, check lodging cancellation terms and consider travel insurance. Our hurricane season golf guide goes into planning.

A rainy-day plan for a golf group

1. Morning: call your course. If it is washed out, book a lesson or fitting at the Golf Academy of Diamondhead, or take the group to the Margaritaville simulators.
2. Lunch: downtown Biloxi (Mary Mahoney's or Half Shell Oyster House) or Ocean Springs.
3. Afternoon: the Ohr-O'Keefe or Maritime museum in Biloxi, or the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport.
4. Evening: a casino steakhouse and the tables. See where to eat in Biloxi.

When the weather clears, our things to do in Biloxi guide covers the lighthouse, Ship Island and Davis Bayou, and the Biloxi golf trip itinerary shows how to build spare time into a trip.

Plan it on the map

Open the Biloxi golf map to see every course and hotel with drive times, so you can switch a rained-out round to a dry slot later in the week. The $30 plan builds your days with weather in mind, including dawn tee times in the storm months.