First Timers Guide to the Alabama Beaches

Over the past few years, we have amassed a significant amount of time on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Our family considered the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Area a bit like a second home.

Below you will find links to help you make the best decisions when it comes to where to stay, what to eat and what to do while you are in town. Additionally, we’ve answered some questions that are the most frequently asked when it comes to a vacation on the white sand beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Where exactly is Gulf Shores Alabama?

Gulf Shores, Alabama is located in Baldwin County.

For reference it is about 48 minutes or 34 miles from Pensacola Beach.

Navarre Beach is 1 hour and 31 minutes or 79 miles from Gulf Shores.

What is the best airport to fly into when going to Gulf Shores?

Gulf Shores doesn’t have its own airport but there are plenty of airports that are in a very reasonable driving distance.

The Pensacola Beach International airport is likely the airport that you are going to fly into. It is just a little more than an hour away. It is only 37 miles but, there are backroads that have to be taken to get to the airport, hence the hour travel time.

The second choice would be the Mobile Regional Airport, with 4 major carriers that fly in and out of the airport. The Mobile Regional Airport will take you just about an hour and thirty minutes to get to the airport.

Gulf Shores vs. Orange Beach

Ok. So this can be a bit confusing when you are doing your research. Frankly, when it comes to attractions, restaurants and general beach enjoyment, there is not a noticeable difference between where the line begins and ends separating Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

But for technical purposes, here is the Gulf Shores vs Orange Beach breakdown.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are separated by the Gulf State Park.

The Orange Beach side of town, is closer to the Florida state line (FloraBama anyone?)

While Gulf Shores heads more to the Fort Morgan area.

In distance, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are 10 miles apart.

When you are in town, it it my recommendation that you check out both areas, chances are you won’t know when you’ve passed from one to another.

Are the beaches of Gulf Shores Pet Friendly?

The short answer is no, the public beaches of Gulf Shores are not pet friendly.

Dogs are not allowed on any of the sand beaches in Gulf Shores, or at any of the Gulf Shores Public Beach areas.

However, if you bring your dog with you and want to enjoy the beach with your 4 legged friend, the Gulf Shores Dog Park allows you to do just that.

Is Gulf Shores, Alabama Kid Friendly?

My resounding answer is yes! In fact, long before I thought about writing about my travel adventures, a trip to the Alabama beaches was the first family vacation that we took when my son was 9 months old.

My kids are in elementary school and middle school now, and we try to return as often as we can.

All of the restaurants that we like to frequent have fantastic kids menus, and there is never a time that we’ve visited and felt like we have gotten the side eye from people about bringing our kids along on our adventures.

That’s not to say that there aren’t seasons of the year that don’t become less family friendly than others, I think that is just a general casualty that comes along with Spring Breakers.

That being said, Gulf Shores has taken some initiatives to maintain a family friendly status even during the Spring Break season. For example in March and select days in April, alcoholic beverages are not allowed on the beach.

What to expect weather wise from Alabama Beaches.

It is important to keep in mind that while the Alabama beaches are in the southern most part of Alabama, it is still in a part of the country that experiences some temperature shifts.

Our last visit was in late March and while it was warm enough in the afternoon to sit and enjoy the sun on the beach, the Gulf water was still very cold, not cold enough to keep my kids out but it kept a wimpy person like me out.

Gulf Shores Temperature Averages by month:

January: High of 63 degrees low of 42 degrees

February: High of 66 degrees low of 46 degrees

March: High of 66 degrees low of 58 degrees

April: High of 76 degrees low of 57 degrees

May: High of 83 degrees low of 64 degrees

June: High of 89 degrees low of 73 degrees

July: High of 90 degrees low of 74 degrees

August: High of 90 degrees low of 74 degrees

September: High of 87 degrees low of 70 degrees

October: High of 80 degrees low of 59 degrees

November: High of 71 degrees low of 48 degrees

December: High of 66 degrees low of 47 degrees

We have visited the area many, many times and are always eager to head back. So, if you want a more extensive breakdown about what to do, where to eat and where to stay, we’ve likely covered it in one of the articles below.