Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama's Beaches

Gulf Shores beach at sunset.

Photo courtesy Yansi Keim on Unsplashl

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama offer 32 miles of sugar-white sandy beaches to the clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico, to such amazing outdoor offerings as the 6,150-acre Gulf State Park. Alabama’s beaches are ready to welcome you when you’re ready to travel.

The area includes the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in addition to the unincorporated area of Fort Morgan on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Most of the two cities and all of the Fort Morgan peninsula are on a 27,000-acre island that boasts 32 miles of white sandy beaches along the turquoise waters of the northernmost coast of the Gulf of Mexico, plus another 400,000 acres of freshwater lakes, rivers, bays and coves.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are located in Baldwin County on the southernmost tip of Alabama between Mobile, AL. (50 miles to the northwest) and Pensacola, FL. (35 miles to the east).

Easily accessible from Interstate 10 via Highway 59 or the Beach Express, most of the two cities are on the island with geographical borders of the Intercoastal Waterway to the north, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Mobile Bay to the west and Perdido Bay to the east.

Alabama's beaches. Photo courtesy Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism

These are family-friendly beach communities and are spring break destinations catered to families. With easy beach access and amenities, the area’s condos and vacation rental houses are popular lodging options for families.

Oysters at Cobalt

Photo courtesy The Restaurant at Cobalt

Take a stroll on the beach and organize a romantic picnic through Southern Charm Picnic Company. Owned by a mother-daughter duo, Southern Charm offers three picnic packages and personalized unique add-ons, including a beach tent or yoga session.

Visitors can also choose from unforgettable Signature Experiences such as a dolphin and wildlife kayak experience, animal encounters at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, or guided pier walks at the Gulf State Park Nature Center.

The destination offers tons of fun things to do both in the water and on land. Water activities include kayaking the Alabama Back Bay Blueway, fishing on one of the area’s charter boats, taking a trip with Cruisin’ Tikis (a tiki hut crossed with a water vessel), and strapping on a mask of a different kind to snorkel the reefs and catch a glimpse of the incredible marine life. On

Hugh S. Brayon Backcountry Trail at Gulf State Park

Photo courtesy Laura Grier

land, enjoy unique activities like building a sandcastle with expert guidance during a session with Sand Castle University, exploring the 6,150-acre Gulf State Park by foot, bike, Segway, or playing a round on one of several mini- (or full size) golf courses.

Tandem kayaking at Alabama's Beaches

Photo courtesy Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

Gulf Shores is a popular destination for birders thanks to its prime location along the Mississippi Flyway migration route for birders. As part of a larger statewide birding initiative, the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail features six birding loops totaling 200 miles along the Gulf Coast.

The South Alabama Land Trust has cited more than 370 bird species along the Alabama Gulf Coast, including hawks, reddish egrets, ruby-throated hummingbirds, swallows, tanagers, thrushes, vireos, warblers and more. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Fort Morgan are two epic birdwatching locations in the area. Download a map of the Alabama Birding Trail, grab your binoculars and start your adventure!

Orange Beach Condos. Photo courtesy Weaponizing Architecture & CC BY-SA 4.0.

Those unable to visit Alabama’s beaches in person can still enrich their senses of taste and smell with specialty mail-order items. If you’re wanting the delicious taste of the coast delivered to your door, consider ordering oysters. Based in Bayou La Batre,

Murder Point Oysters harvests and ships oysters in counts of 50, 100 or 200. These oysters – known as “Butter Babies” – have a rich and creamy taste and a light metallic finish with what tastes like a drop of butter.

For those who prefer a nonedible gift, Bon Secour Candle Company features such incredibly scented candles as the Beach Baby Soy Candle Tin, and Bushwhacker

Soy Candle Tin, a tribute to the region’s famed alcoholic drink that’s more like a milkshake.

To learn more about the area, visit https://www.gulfshores.com

Seagulls on the beach

Photo courtesy Yansi Keim on Unsplash