A Surprising Place For An Adults Only Getaway
We were recently very lucky to have some last minute, free, overnight child care. The kids were going to their grandparent’s house and Mom and Dad were going to … stay home? Take a quick trip? We decided we deserved a break too and would take a quick weekend getaway for ourselves. Our initial idea for a beach trip was squashed when most places along the Gulf Coast had a three night minimum. We didn’t want to go too far as we didn’t have that much time. We wanted to stay within two-ish hours of Baton Rouge and so we started looking at the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Initially we considered “adults only” locales, and Mississippi has an abundance of casinos that could meet that need. However, we’re not gamblers and didn’t want to go to a hotel with smoking. We researched a few hotels and then began to consider something that was the opposite of “adults only,” The Oasis in Gulfport at Centennial Plaza.
We’d been to The Oasis the last two summers, but we went with our kids. It was one of the best family friendly locations we had traveled to. Could we really go there and enjoy it without our kids? Then we started to consider the benefits and decided to book our stay.
The Review
The layout of the water features had a great natural separation. The family vacationers were mostly on the water slide side, so we were able to get two lounge chairs right next to the pool and the bar. We were able to just relax in our chairs or float along the lazy river. While some adults may want to escape kids altogether, the kids there didn’t bother us.
Accommodations: Centennial Plaza offers two different hotel experiences. The Oasis Resort Hotel is geared more to families and kids, while The Grand Centennial Hotel is more of a luxury stay.
Food: The website and signage boasted of two on-site dining options. The Oasis Grill was open and was a quick/easy stop for breakfast or lunch. One disappointment was that the Grand Centennial Wine Bar, the second restaurant at Centennial Plaza, was not serving food despite advertising “small plates.” We walked in planning to share some wine and small plates and found the place deserted. This drawback did allow us to explore more of the food options in Gulfport. We had dinner one night at Hooks, recommended by a friend and worth the short drive. We also found a spot that we actually went to twice it was that good! I highly recommend checking out Blue Dog Bistro when in Gulfport (or Ocean Springs) for breakfast and/or lunch.
