Going on vacation? Southern Living says this Mississippi city has best white sand beaches

• Southern Living highlights Biloxi, Mississippi for having some of the state’s best beaches.
• Biloxi’s white sand beaches stretch for 26 miles and are considered the largest manmade beaches in the world.
• Mississippi has six barrier islands, some of which are accessible by ferry.

Southern Living has highlighted one Mississippi beach town as having the whitest sand in the state.

Biloxi, on the coast, is a top tourism spot.

“Considered one of the state’s best beach towns, Biloxi is known for its picturesque sand and calm waters that are protected by barrier islands just south of the beach in the Gulf of Mexico. With warm temperatures in the summer that remain temperate through the winter, there’s never a bad time to visit Biloxi,” Southern Living wrote.

The white sand beaches in Harrison County include a 26-mile stretch that World Record Academy identifies as the largest manmade beach in the world. Parts of it were designed to protect the seawall and the area from Biloxi to Pass Christian is maintained to prevent erosion.

Check out islands on Mississippi coast

There are six barrier islands for outdoors adventures and family fun in Mississippi, and parts are in the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Cat Island requires a private boat to access. There are some homes, and the beaches are popular for fishing. The name reportedly comes from French explorers confusing the resident racoons with felines.

If you’re looking for a beach with the clearest water, Getmyboat recommends checking out Ship Island for “powdery white sand and turquoise waters that rival those of the Caribbean.” You an also check out Fort Massachusetts, which dates back to the Civil War. The island has a swimming area, bathrooms, pavilions and a concession store. A public ferry runs from March to October out of Gulfport.

Deer Island is a coastal preserve. It’s currently uninhabited, but people lived there until Hurricane Camille hit in August 1969, destroying all the homes.

More: Which Mississippi town does HGTV call one of the ‘most charming small towns in America’?

Horn Island and Petit Bois Island were designated as wilderness areas by Congress in 1978. They can only be accessed via private boat, according to the National Park Service.

Round Island is also home to migratory birds.

Contributing: Brian Broom

Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.