Trip Overview
Who: Family of 3
Where: Margaritaville Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi
Dates: June 26–27, 2026
Drive Time: About 2 hours from southeast Louisiana
Room: King Family Suite
As Frankie gets ready to start “big kid” school this fall, we wanted to squeeze in as many family getaways as possible this summer. We booked a quick overnight trip to Margaritaville Resort Biloxi to enjoy the pools, spend time together, and continue practicing sleeping away from home before our Disney World vacation later this year.
Where We Stayed
We booked a King Family Suite, which includes a king bed for the parents and a separate bunk bed area for kids. The bunk beds were much larger than we expected—actually queen-sized—which made the room feel very family friendly.
The room itself was spacious with a mini refrigerator, desk, and plenty of floor space, but it definitely showed some wear and could use a refresh. Our biggest complaint was that the room only had a walk-in shower. For a resort that markets itself toward families, we were surprised there wasn’t a bathtub. Bathing a four-year-old after a long day at the pool wasn’t exactly easy.
There were also a few small details that would have made the room more functional for families. We wished there were hooks to hang wet swimsuits and towels after a day at the pool. It seems like such a simple feature, but it would have made a noticeable difference.
Another drawback was the noise. Even with our sound machine running, we could still hear music and people outside our room until around 10:00 p.m. Since many families with young children have early bedtimes, this was one of the biggest downsides of our stay.
Before the Trip
Since this was a fairly last-minute getaway—we booked less than a month before—we didn’t do much planning.
Before arriving, I checked the resort restaurant hours and looked into Paradise Pier, the amusement park connected to the resort. Keep in mind that Paradise Pier requires separate admission and isn’t included with your hotel stay.
Resort Pools & Water Play Area
We arrived around 1:30 p.m. and decided to pay the additional fee for early check-in so we could start enjoying the pools instead of waiting until 4 p.m.
One thing to know before visiting is that you’ll spend a lot of time waiting on elevators. Getting from your room to the pool or arcade often requires one or even two elevator rides, which can become frustrating during busy times.
The pool area includes:
- A lazy river
- A swim-up bar
- A small splash area for younger children
- Lounge chairs and a snack shack
The biggest downside for us was the lack of shade.
There were very few umbrellas, and none near the children’s splash area. We even asked if one could be moved closer but were told they no longer place umbrellas there because strong winds had previously blown them into the marina. While we understand the safety concern, some type of permanent shade structure would make a huge difference—especially during Mississippi summers.
Frankie was hesitant at first and spent about 30 minutes working up the courage to try the little slide. Once she finally went down, she didn’t want to stop.
The splash area itself is fairly small, and one of the play structures wasn’t working during our visit. Even so, the smaller size actually worked in our favor because it wasn’t overwhelming for a four-year-old.
We spent about two hours at the pool before the heat became too much and headed back to the room.
Dinner at Margaritaville Restaurant
That evening we walked through the arcade to Margaritaville Restaurant for dinner.
The food was actually one of the highlights of our stay.
Michael ordered the Smash Burger, I had the Grilled Shrimp Salad along with the “Perfect Margarita,” and everything was fresh and flavorful. Resort restaurants can sometimes be hit or miss, but we’d happily eat here again.
Arcade & Family Entertainment
If there’s one thing Margaritaville does exceptionally well, it’s the entertainment.
The arcade is enormous and includes:
- Hundreds of arcade games
- Bowling
- A climbing wall
- Indoor ropes course
This ended up being Frankie’s favorite part of the entire trip.
She was disappointed that we couldn’t win a stuffed animal from the claw machines, but bowling quickly made up for it. We easily spent over an hour here and probably could have stayed even longer.
Day Two
Like most family vacations, our day started early—very early.
Frankie was awake at 5:15 a.m., but the resort breakfast doesn’t open until 7:00. Rather than wait around, we drove about a mile down the road to Waffle House for breakfast.
Since many of the resort attractions don’t open until 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning, we packed up after breakfast and headed to the Mississippi Aquarium before driving home. It ended up being one of the highlights of our weekend, and you can read our full Mississippi Aquarium review to see everything we loved.
Final Thoughts: Would We Stay at Margaritaville Biloxi Again?
For our family, probably not.
While Frankie loved the arcade and enjoyed the splash area, we found several things disappointing. The room felt dated, the pool area was much smaller than we expected, and the lack of shade made it difficult to spend much time outside during the summer.
If you’re choosing between Margaritaville Resort Biloxi and Oasis Resort in Gulfport, we would recommend Oasis Resort instead. During our stay there, the rooms felt newer, the pool complex was larger and better designed, and there were plenty of umbrellas and shaded seating throughout the property.
That doesn’t mean Margaritaville is a bad resort. If your family plans to spend more time in the arcade, bowling, or Paradise Pier than at the pool, it could still be a fun choice. But if your priority is relaxing pool days with young kids, we think Oasis offers the better overall experience.
