Visiting Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama: Our Repeat Visitor’s Guide

We live in Montgomery, which puts the Alabama Gulf Coast about three and a half hours down the road from our front door. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are our closest real beaches, we’ve stayed down there several times, and we were back again this August. In this guide I’m going to cover what those visits have taught us, including which of the three bases suits which kind of trip, which beach accesses have the parking and facilities, and which restaurant fits which evening. I’m also going to tell you how easy (or not!) it is to visit without a car. One note before we start. Most of what’s written about this stretch of coast is aimed squarely at families with young kids. The zoo, the go-karts, the water parks. This is a wonderful family destination for sure. However, we don’t have kids, so while we do enjoy a round of mini-golf or time at the arcades, we tend to visit slightly outside the main family season which rewards us with lower prices and quieter beaches. But this guide will work for everyone, from families through to couples, photographers, and anyone whose ideal beach day involves a quiet stretch of sand, a good meal, and maybe a 19th century fort. Gulf Shores and Orange Bea...