The best things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach start with the beach itself, then branch out to Gulf State Park’s 28-plus miles of paved trail, a 2,448-foot fishing pier, dolphin cruises out of Perdido Pass, Civil War history at Fort Morgan and some of the best Gulf seafood in Alabama. The two towns sit side by side on Pleasure Island in Baldwin County, so you can sleep in one and spend your days in both.
This guide covers what to do in each town, where the public beaches are and what parking costs, how to plan a fishing trip or dolphin cruise, where to eat, what to do when it rains, and when to come. Links go to the locally owned businesses in our directory, so you can check hours and details before you go.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach at a glance
- Where: The southern tip of Baldwin County, Alabama, on the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Shores is the western town, Orange Beach the eastern one, and Gulf State Park sits between them.
- Nearest airport: Pensacola International (PNS), about 45 minutes to an hour away. Mobile Regional (MOB) is about an hour and a half.
- Getting in: I-10 to Alabama 59 or the Foley Beach Express. Alabama 182 (Beach Boulevard in Gulf Shores, Perdido Beach Boulevard in Orange Beach) runs along the Gulf and connects the two towns.
- Beach flags: Yellow (moderate), red (high hazard), double red (water closed and illegal to enter within city limits) and purple (dangerous marine life).
- Best months: September and October for warm water and thinner crowds; late spring for mild weather. Summer is busiest and most expensive.
- Don’t miss: Gulf State Park, the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, the Gulf State Park Pier, a dolphin cruise, Fort Morgan and a plate of Gulf oysters.
What are the best things to do in Gulf Shores?
The best things to do in Gulf Shores are the public beach, Gulf State Park and its trails and pier, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, Fort Morgan at the end of the peninsula, and a handful of family attractions near the beach. Most of it is within a 15-minute drive of the public beach at the foot of Highway 59. Our Gulf Shores area guide has the full list of places, and the Gulf Shores things to do page collects the tours and attractions.
Gulf Shores Public Beach
The main Gulf Shores Public Beach at Gulf Place, where Highway 59 meets the Gulf, is the town’s front porch. It has restrooms, showers and a wide stretch of sugar-white sand, and it is where the National Shrimp Festival sets up every October. West Beach Boulevard has smaller public access points at numbered streets, plus Lagoon Pass Park, if you want something quieter.
Gulf State Park
Gulf State Park is the reason this stretch of coast still has open dunes, freshwater lakes and maritime forest between the condo towers. The park covers the land between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and includes a beach pavilion, campground, lodge, nature center, lakes and the trail system below. If you only do one thing that isn’t the beach, make it this park.
The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail
The Backcountry Trail is a paved, multi-use system of more than 28 miles through Gulf State Park and into Orange Beach, according to Alabama State Parks. It is flat, shaded in places and ADA-accessible, which makes it easy for kids on bikes and anyone on foot. USA Today readers have named it the best recreational trail in the country three years running. Go early in the morning to beat the heat and to see wildlife around Middle Lake and Lake Shelby.
For a guided version, Coastal Segway Adventures runs Segway, e-bike and kayak tours from the Gulf State Park Recreational Center. It is a locally owned outfitter that leases space in the park, and it keeps group sizes small.
Gulf State Park Pier
The Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier runs 2,448 feet out into the Gulf, one of the longest piers on the Gulf Coast. It is open 24 hours a day. As of this writing, walking the pier costs $3 for the day and fishing costs $10 per person per day, with rod rentals available and bait and tackle sold on site. Parking at the pier is paid, so plan on that too. Even if you don’t fish, walking to the end at sunrise or sunset is one of the best free-feeling experiences on the island.
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo sits at 20499 Oak Road East in Gulf Shores, a few minutes inland from the beach. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3:30 p.m., and closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Adult tickets run $23.95 plus tax and children 3 to 12 are $15.95 plus tax, with kids 2 and under free. The zoo also offers paid animal encounters, which sell out on busy weeks.
Fort Morgan
Fort Morgan State Historic Site stands about 20 miles west of downtown Gulf Shores at the end of Highway 180, guarding the mouth of Mobile Bay. The brick fort dates to the early 1800s and played a central role in the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay, where Admiral David Farragut gave his famous order to steam past the mines. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children, seniors and college students, with a $20 family rate. The site is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the museum from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The drive out Highway 180 is part of the trip. It passes the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, about 7,000 acres of dunes, marsh and maritime forest with short trails like the 1.65-mile Pine Beach Trail, which ends at a quiet stretch of beach and has an observation tower along the way. From Fort Morgan, the Mobile Bay Ferry crosses to Dauphin Island; see our Dauphin Island guide for that trip.
Family attractions near the beach
Waterville USA has been the town’s water park and amusement park since 1986, with 17 water slides, go-karts, mini golf and an arcade on Gulf Shores Parkway, about an eighth of a mile from the beach. The water park side is seasonal, so check dates before you plan around it. Families also like the dinosaur-themed indoor course at Jurassic Golf in Pelican Place, which is air-conditioned and glows under black lights.
What are the best things to do in Orange Beach?
The best things to do in Orange Beach are on or near the water: the beach at Alabama Point, a dolphin cruise or fishing charter out of Perdido Pass, a clear-kayak tour on the back bays, and an evening at The Wharf. Orange Beach is one of the busiest charter fishing ports on the Gulf, and its artificial reef program offshore draws anglers and divers. Browse the Orange Beach things to do page for the full list, or read our Orange Beach things-to-do story for more detail.
Alabama Point and Perdido Pass
Alabama Point, beside Perdido Pass, is the largest public beach in Orange Beach. You get restrooms, a long stretch of sand and a front-row view of the charter boats heading offshore through the pass. Cotton Bayou, Romar Beach and Shell Beach are smaller public accesses along Perdido Beach Boulevard. Parking at these four state-run accesses is paid and fills early on summer weekends.
Dolphin cruises and clear kayaks
Bottlenose dolphins are common in the bays and passes year-round, and an hour or two on a cruise boat is one of the easiest ways to see them. Sunny Lady Dolphin Cruises leaves from The Wharf and traces its roots to 1965, when Olin Marler bought his first fishing boat. Dolphins Down Under runs a glass-bottom catamaran on Perdido Beach Boulevard, which helps on choppier days.
For something quieter, Sea View Tours runs roughly hour-long clear-kayak tours from Caribe Marina, including trips to Bird Island and neon-lit night paddles. Calm mornings on the back bays are the best time to paddle anywhere in Orange Beach.
The Wharf
The Wharf is Orange Beach’s waterfront entertainment district on the Intracoastal Waterway, with a marina, an amphitheater for concerts, a walkable Main Street of shops and restaurants, and a 112-foot Ferris wheel. It is the place to go in the evening, especially with kids. Locally owned stops there include Outer Limits VR, an air-conditioned virtual reality game room, and The Southern Grind Coffee House, which has served specialty coffee in Orange Beach since 2012.
Parasailing, mini golf and family fun
Orange Beach Parasail flies from Sportsman Marina with two boats dedicated to parasailing, and trips take about an hour. Adventure Island on Perdido Beach Boulevard has been family owned for about 30 years, with mini golf, go-karts, bumper boats and a big redemption arcade.
Art and local history
The Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach, at 26389 Canal Road on four acres overlooking Wolf Bay, has a free fine arts gallery of Gulf Coast artists, plus glassblowing in its Hot Shop and pottery in its Clay Studio. Hands-on classes require a reservation and start at $95. Nearby, the city’s Indian and Sea Museum at 25805 John Snook Drive is free and tells the story of the area’s Native American history and fishing families. It keeps limited hours (Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Wednesday added in winter), so check before you go.
Should you stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
Stay in Gulf Shores if you want a classic family beach town with the public beach, the zoo and Gulf State Park close by; stay in Orange Beach if you want to be near the charter docks, The Wharf and the back bays. The towns are about 20 minutes apart along Alabama 182, so whichever you pick, you can easily do both. Our Gulf Shores vs. Orange Beach comparison goes deeper.
| Gulf Shores | Orange Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Classic family beach town | Condo towers on the Gulf, fishing villages on the bays |
| Main public beach | Gulf Shores Public Beach at Gulf Place | Alabama Point at Perdido Pass |
| Big draws | Gulf State Park, the pier, the zoo, Fort Morgan | Charters, dolphin cruises, The Wharf, the back bays |
| Evenings | Low-key beach bars | The Wharf, waterfront restaurants on Canal Road |
| Best for | Young families, first-timers | Anglers, boaters, groups who want more to do at night |
Where are the public beaches, and what does parking cost?
Every beach in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is public below the high-tide line, but parking is the limiting factor. In Gulf Shores, the city changed its rates on July 1, 2026: the large beachfront lots south of Beach Boulevard now cost $3 per hour, and parking north of Beach Boulevard in the beach walking district costs $2 per hour, paid through the ParkMobile app, by text or by phone. Overnight parking in those lots isn’t allowed, and parking tickets went up to $75.
In Orange Beach, the four state-run accesses (Romar Beach, Cotton Bayou, Alabama Point East and Shell Beach) are managed by Gulf State Park and charge a daily rate. Gulf State Park’s own beach pavilion lots are paid as well. Rates change often, so check the current fees with the city or the park before you go. If your condo or hotel has a beach walkover, walking is the easiest option.
What do the beach flags mean?
Both towns use the same flag system, and it is enforced. Yellow means moderate surf or currents, red means high hazard with strong currents, and double red means the water is closed. It is illegal to enter the Gulf under double red flags within Gulf Shores and Orange Beach city limits. A purple flag means dangerous marine life, usually jellyfish. Rip currents are the main danger on this coast, even on sunny days, so check the flags every time you go down to the water. Gulf Shores posts daily conditions at 251-968-SURF and Orange Beach at 251-981-SURF.
How do you choose a fishing charter or dolphin cruise?
Choose by what you want to catch or see, how long you can be on the water, and how many people are in your group. Inshore and back-bay trips are calmer and shorter, good for kids and for redfish, speckled trout and flounder. Nearshore and deep-sea trips head into the Gulf for king mackerel, snapper and more, and run anywhere from four hours to overnight.
- Getaway Charters has fished out of Zeke’s Marina since 1995 with two 46-foot Hatteras yachts and runs family and kids’ trips with license and tackle included.
- Distraction Charters is a private six-passenger charter that has run out of Orange Beach Marina since 2002.
- Freebird Charters runs private inshore, nearshore and deep-sea trips from The Loop in Gulf Shores and is wheelchair accessible.
- Good Buzz Charters is family owned and runs sunset cruises and half- and full-day trips from Legendary Marina.
Ask each captain what is included (license, bait, tackle, fish cleaning) and what happens if weather cancels the trip. Our guide to Orange Beach dolphin cruises and fishing charters walks through the choices in more detail.
Where should you eat in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach?
Eat Gulf seafood: oysters raw or fire-grilled, royal red shrimp, grouper and snapper, and gumbo. The island has plenty of chain restaurants along the highways, but the places worth planning around are locally owned and many have been open for decades.
- Original Oyster House has served hand-shucked and fire-grilled oysters on Gulf Shores Parkway since 1982, and the homemade gumbo is a house institution.
- DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen on West 1st Avenue has been locally owned since 2000 and cooks its seafood fried, broiled, grilled, blackened or steamed.
- Cobalt, The Restaurant sits beneath the Perdido Pass Bridge with views over Terry Cove and the boats running the pass.
- Doc’s Seafood Shack and Oyster Bar has fried seafood and a raw bar on Canal Road, where it has been since 1984.
- Big Beach Brewing Company, the southernmost brewery in Alabama, is the stop for a local beer after the beach.
For dessert, Matt’s Homemade Ice Cream on Gulf Shores Parkway makes its flavors in-house, including dairy-free options. Our full list of the best seafood restaurants in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach covers more.
What is there to do on a rainy day?
When storms roll in, head indoors to trampolines, arcades, VR and live shows. Summer afternoons often bring a short thunderstorm, so it helps to have a backup plan.
- The Factory Gulf Shores on Oak Road West has a trampoline arena, climbing walls and an arcade under one roof.
- Jurassic Golf is 18 holes of indoor, glow-in-the-dark mini golf.
- Outer Limits VR at The Wharf has more than 50 virtual reality games.
- Brandon Styles Theater and Magic Shop in Foley stages live magic and comedy in a roughly 138-seat theater.
When is the best time to visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach?
September and October are the best months for most visitors: the water is still warm, crowds drop off after Labor Day and lodging prices fall. Average Gulf water temperatures in October hover in the high 70s, cooling through the month, with daytime highs around 79 degrees. The Gulf Shores in October story covers the fall season, including the National Shrimp Festival, which runs October 8 to 11, 2026, on the Gulf Shores Public Beach.
Late spring (April and May) is the other sweet spot. Summer brings the biggest crowds, highest prices and daily heat, and spring break fills the island in March. Winter is quiet, mild and popular with snowbirds who stay for weeks or months. Hurricane season runs June through November, with the highest risk from mid-August through early October, so consider travel insurance if you book during those months.
Where should you stay?
Most visitors rent a condo or beach house, and the high-rises along the Gulf in both towns are mostly managed by rental companies. If you’d rather have a small hotel, Beachside Resort Hotel on West Beach Boulevard is an independent, low-rise property with a third-floor pool overlooking the Gulf, a short walk from the public beach. Ten minutes inland, The Hotel Magnolia in Foley has ten individually furnished rooms in a restored 1908 building in the historic downtown. Our places to stay section lists more options across Alabama.
What day trips can you take from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach?
The easiest day trips are Foley, Fort Morgan, Fairhope and Dauphin Island. Foley, about 10 miles north, has a walkable historic downtown with costumed Foley Walking Tours and the OWA entertainment district. Fort Morgan and the Bon Secour refuge are a half-hour drive west. Fairhope, on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, is about 45 minutes away and makes a good change of pace from the beach; see our Mobile and Fairhope guide. Dauphin Island is reached by the ferry from Fort Morgan.
FAQ
What is there to do in Gulf Shores besides the beach?
Ride or walk the paved Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf State Park, walk the 2,448-foot Gulf State Park Pier, visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, and drive out to Fort Morgan for Civil War history. Families also like Waterville USA and the indoor attractions near the beach.
Is Gulf Shores or Orange Beach better for families?
Both work well. Gulf Shores puts you closer to the public beach, the zoo and Gulf State Park, which is ideal for young kids. Orange Beach is better if your family wants dolphin cruises, fishing trips and evenings at The Wharf.
How far apart are Gulf Shores and Orange Beach?
The towns border each other along Alabama 182, with Gulf State Park in between. Driving from the Gulf Shores Public Beach to The Wharf in Orange Beach takes about 20 to 25 minutes, depending on traffic.
Do you have to pay to park at the beach in Gulf Shores?
Yes. Since July 1, 2026, the large beachfront lots south of Beach Boulevard cost $3 an hour, and parking north of Beach Boulevard costs $2 an hour. Gulf Shores residents with a hurricane reentry sticker park free.
When is the National Shrimp Festival in 2026?
The 53rd National Shrimp Festival runs October 8 to 11, 2026, on the Gulf Shores Public Beach at Gulf Place. Expect seafood vendors, arts and crafts, and live music.
Can you swim in Gulf Shores in October?
Yes. Gulf water averages in the high 70s in October, cooling from the low 80s early in the month to the low 70s by the end. Always check the beach flags first.