Also check out Whitecap restaurant for great shrimp po-boys in Gport, Broadwater in Biloxi.
You will still see a lot of post Katrina construction on/around beaches...
Beaches aren't bad...just not the beautiful blue green water 100 miles to the east unless you go out to ship island. Plenty of fun with wind surfer rentals, kite surfing, catamaran rentals etc. Also, you'll see a lot of folks wade fishing if any of that is your thing.
Mobile Bay is a nice drive about 35 miles east and there is a great Navy ship/museum/tour of the USS Alabam.