Locals describe Pass Christian as a waterfront place shaped by centuries of travel and tide, and its timeline runs deep. French-Canadian explorers charted this shore in 1699 and noted a productive oyster channel they called Passe aux Huîtres; the pass later took the name of Nicholas Christian L’Adnier, who lived on nearby Cat Island in the 1700s. The town was officially chartered in 1848, and by the mid-1800s Gulf breezes and grand cottages along what became Scenic Drive drew seasonal visitors from New Orleans. That shoreline district, with its canopy of live oaks and 19th-century homes, earned National Register recognition in 1979. Today, roughly 5,700 residents carry that history forward, and the place is known for its oak-lined boulevard, a working harbor, and a calendar that swings from fine-arts weekends to summer jazz on the water. 

This shore has told a sailing story for a long time. The Southern Yacht Club, now a New Orleans institution, actually began here in 1849 before moving west, one of those historical footnotes that says a lot about early Gulf Coast leisure. A city marker on Scenic Drive also explains how the oaks, architecture, and water views shaped the area’s reputation. For a different kind of lore, residents swap stories about a figure in a wedding gown said to appear at the 1848 Blue Rose mansion, today an event venue. The tale has been retold widely, even by national wedding media, so don’t be surprised if you hear it while you’re admiring the gallery porch. 

Eating here feels like checking boxes on a coastal checklist. Shaggy’s at the harbor has been a go-to since 2007, the sort of place where firecracker shrimp tacos and charbroiled Gulf oysters share the table with sunset views and live music. A few steps away, Sea Level turns out buttery smash burgers, mahi tacos, and fresh-squeezed lemonade from an open-air perch that looks straight across the water. 

Non-food favorites have their own rhythm. Cat Island Coffeehouse doubles as a bookstore under the Pass Books banner, a second-floor hangout where readers watch boats slide by between chapters. Hotel Pass Christian anchors the Davis Avenue block with boutique rooms near the water, and Elysian Salon Spa next door handles hair, skin, and nails for locals and wedding parties alike. On Saturday mornings, The Pass Market sets up at War Memorial Park with produce, baked goods, and crafts, an easy pre-beach ritual for many residents. 

Customs tie it together. The city’s Mardi Gras parade, organized by the St. Paul Carnival Association since 1930, packs the downtown route with floats, throws, and a local saying that it just doesn’t rain on the Pass Parade. Between that season and summer festivals, families fill War Memorial Park, and the harbor keeps its steady pace through the year. Many residents still recall how hard 2005 hit this shoreline, and how the community rebuilt without losing the easy pace that defines it now. 

We at Frontier Wildlife Solutions work know the older homes, live oaks, and marsh edges that make Pass Christian so special can also invite raccoons, squirrels, bats, and the occasional unwelcome critter into attics, crawlspaces, and soffits. We provide humane removal, sealing and exclusion, and cleanup that addresses odors and contamination. If you’re hearing scratching, seeing droppings, or noticing entry gaps around the roofline, contact us for a quick assessment and a plan that fits your property.