Alabama’s sister cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are a natural playground with 32 miles of public beaches with white sugar sand and warm blue gulf water. Between them sits Gulf State Park, with extensive trails through all nine coastal ecosystems. All of this fun and beauty is complemented by delicious restaurants, exciting nightlife, and unique places to stay.
As Alabamians, we’ve visited the state’s southern coast many times and have compiled this list of our top tips and tricks so you can have the best Orange Beach / Gulf Shores vacation ever! We’ll give you the inside scoop on what to do, where to eat, where to stay, and when to visit so you can explore like a local.
Plan Your Beach
Going to the beach only counts once your toes hit the sand, so we’ll start there. We wrote an entire article about the 13 Best Beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach . It’s a good read with bunches of information layered into interactive maps, but here’s the skinny.
Fort Morgan Peninsula has 15 miles of pristine beaches with plenty of privacy. Gulf Shores has 3.5 miles of beach with many access points with showers and restrooms, along with a selection of restaurants just off the sand. Gulf State Park has a few well-developed parking and access areas with unique attractions like the Gulf State Park Pier and Gulf State Park Pavilion. Orange Beach has 4.5 miles of sand that perfectly complements staying in beach condos. Finally, from Perdido Pass to the Florida Line is a self-contained beach experience with “one of everything,” including a snorkeling area and Alabama’s widest swath of sand.
Pro Tip – A beach vacation starts with choosing your beach. Can’t decide? Try a few
