When daydreaming of a beach vacation you might think of sipping bottomless margaritas in Mexico or staying at a coastal town in the French Riviera but what if we told you that you don’t need to leave the continental U.S. for some R&R at the beach?
If you’re looking for a low-key beach resort destination without intense crowds, look no further than Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, Alabama. Situated on a white sand beach, we think this enclave has plenty to do for couples and families alike.
Now, we’ll preface this post with a disclaimer: the key to finding this quaint beach time vibe is the time of year you visit. We vacationed here in January which is technically the non-peak tourist season when the area sees more snowbirds from Minnesota than sandcastles.
Sure, we couldn’t swim in the ocean and work on our suntans, but we didn’t have to wait in long lines at oceanside restaurants or have to ditch our plans because we couldn’t find a parking spot. Both equally important when your visit is limited to a few days. After a few days on the Alabama Coast, we think you’ll find it hard to resist the charm and calm you’ll discover here during the off-season.
Our Top Recommendations – Things to Do, Sights to See and What to Eat
Hike, bike or kayak at Gulf State Park
For those excited to spend time outdoors, you’re in serious luck. Gulf State Park calls this area home and is one of the main attractions in the area. It’s overflowing with natural beauty and boasts an idyllic location spanning nine distinct ecosystems including the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the ultimate place to visit for anyone – of any age – looking to stay active on vacation. For more information about the park and its trails including a map of the areas, check out our Gulf State Park post.
Spend time beachcombing/shelling for souvenirs
The beach serves up a treasure trove of shells – endless supply of colorful, free souvenirs straight from the shoreline. New shells arrive with each wave break. The Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Visitors Center has a shelling brochure that can help identify shells you find. You can also find maps, freebies and the inside scoop at both Welcome Centers in the area. You can text them any time too with your questions – that’s right, they’ve embraced their digital side.
Pro tip
Time your shelling experience just before sunset or the magic hour and snap some outstanding golden-hour pics!
Grab a table at the Pink Pony
You can’t go wrong with a meal at the Pink Pony. People love it for the oceanside location and IG-worthy décor but there’s something to be said about the food too. We think the fried green tomatoes aren’t to be missed – a classic staple in kitchens throughout the South. The Pink Pony is the sort of place that makes you feel relaxed while also making it possible to meet new people and mingle. There’s an indoor seating space + bar and a spacious outdoor patio seating area right on the white sand shores of the Gulf.
Play at the Wharf
The Wharf is a huge entertainment district with shopping, dining, hotels, movie theaters and event space. The off-season is the ideal time to play here as the lines are non-existent and you won’t have to compete for a parking spot. We visited our first night in Orange Beach specifically to go for a ride on the Ferris wheel – an iconic landmark here. While walking up to the ticket booth, we thought it was closed. Shutdown for the season. Thankfully, we were wrong. It just wasn’t a popular attraction when the weather was hovering at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Tickets cost us $8 per person and we completed 2 full circles. We had our own carriage. One other carriage had passengers – a family of 4. Otherwise, all other seats were open for the taking.
Getting to Gulf Shores
We drove into Gulf Shores, Alabama from New Orleans, Louisiana. Total drive time with a few stops for fuel and snacks ran us about 3 hours. We were on I-10 for most of the drive but Highway 90 runs along the entire Mississippi coastline and offers seaside views that simply cannot be beat.
If we could do the drive again we’d plan for an extra stop or two along Highway 90 in Mississippi. We stopped for lunch in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. It was a quaint little seaside resort town – sleepy in January and easy to navigate. Gulfport, Mississippi and Biloxi, Mississippi both caught our attention on the map. Both looked to have buzzy art scenes (Google Fishbone Alley in Downtown Gulfport) and loads of options to enjoy a locally sourced meal.
We’d also pull off Highway 90 along the coast and spend a few minutes walking down a sandbar. The coast was littered with sandbars of all sizes just begging for someone to come visit.
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoy escaping your winter routine with a visit to Bama’s best kept secret!
– Justin + Alyssa
Disclaimer: Parks and Planes strives to accurately describe and document details as experienced during the date and time of the visit. Please travel safely when following this itinerary and visiting recommended sites and places mentioned in this blog post. As always, all opinions, photos and content are our own. We only recommend places and products we love!
