Take a Sunset Cruise on a Biloxi Schooner

This is, in our estimation, one in a list of thirty marvelous places, flavors, events, and experiences that anyone who lives in—or loves—our part of the world should experience at least once in his or her lifetime.

Get yourself to the Biloxi Schooner Pier complex at 4 pm on a breezy afternoon, and you’re in for a treat. That’s when the Glenn L. Swetman, a faithful replica of the iconic Biloxi Schooner sailing ships, offers two-and-a-half-hour walk-on cruises that leave from the pier complex daily. Captain Ron Reiter and crew welcome passengers with a pleasantly short list of dos and don’ts before starting the ship’s motor to push away from the dock and out into the channel. Then the crew hoist the Swetman’s sails, and the throb of the diesel is replaced by the creak of rigging and the languid rush of water along the hull. Passengers relax; coolers open; bottles of wine are brought forth; and folks stretch out on benches and hatch covers to soak up the evening sun. As the wind picks up Captain Ron shares snatches of local seafaring history while letting the kids take turns at the helm. A two-and-a-half hour cruise costs $30 for adults, $15 for children, and is a valuable source of revenue for the Maritime Museum, which lost its building to Katrina and is currently working on a replacement. (228) 435-6320 or maritimemuseum.org.