I didn’t expect Alabama’s coast to move me like it did. Maybe I thought of it as just a pass-through, a quiet stretch between more famous destinations. But then the light hit the water at just the right angle, the sand warmed under my feet, and I realized — this wasn’t just a detour. It was the destination.
Each beach offered something different: wild dunes, kid-friendly boardwalks, hush-hush nature trails, and salty shrimp eaten with a plastic fork. The trip became a kind of soft, sunlit rhythm — beach, walk, snack, drive, repeat — and by the end, I found myself looking at a map and thinking, “How much more of the Gulf can I see before I have to go back?”
Best Beaches in Alabama:
Orange Beach - 30 miles from Pensacola Airport
I pulled into Orange Beach mid-morning, windows down, the air sticky-sweet with salt and sunscreen. The sky stretched out in that watercolor blue way that makes you stop and stare before you even get your towel out of the car. Families were already staked out under rainbow umbrellas, but it never felt crowded — just cheerful.
The sand was the kind that made a soft squeak underfoot, and the water was warm enough to slide into without flinching. I floated for a long time, toes pointed toward the horizon, thinking, “This feels like the kind of place people come back to every year, no questions asked.”
After swimming, I headed to The Southern Grind Coffee House, just a short drive inland. I ordered their avocado toast topped with perfectly ripe tomato and a fried egg that still had a little golden jiggle. The whole place smelled like espresso and fresh waffles, and my iced latte had that deep, roasted flavor that makes you sit a little straighter in your seat.
Orange Beach At a Glance
- Location: Southern Baldwin County, just east of Gulf Shores
- Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon for mellow vibes
- Vibe: Family-friendly, polished, expansive
- Facilities: Restrooms, showers, nearby shops and restaurants
- Food Nearby: The Southern Grind Coffee House, Cactus Cantina, Moe’s Original BBQ
Cotton Bayou Beach: A Pocket of Peace
“Well this is just the right size,” I said out loud to nobody as I stepped onto Cotton Bayou Beach. Compared to its bigger neighbors, this beach felt like a secret — tucked between condos and trees, barely marked, and blessedly simple. The sand was warm and grainy, not too fine, not too coarse. Just right.
I laid out a towel and watched pelicans skim the surface of the waves like they were tracing invisible lines. The breeze had a light coolness to it, and I remember thinking, “I don’t need anything else right now.”
Afterward, I walked to City Donut, where the smell of fried dough and icing hit me like a childhood memory. I picked a maple bacon donut — sticky, sweet, a little salty — and a hot coffee that tasted just slightly smoky, like it had been made in a cast iron kettle.
Cotton Bayou Beach At a Glance
- Location: Orange Beach, off Highway 182 between condos
- Best Time to Visit: Weekday mornings for maximum quiet
- Vibe: Small, relaxed, no-frills
- Facilities: Free parking, restrooms, outdoor showers
- Food Nearby: City Donut, The Ruby Slipper Cafe
Dauphin Island Beach: The Edges of the Map
I drove onto Dauphin Island over the long bridge that skims just above the water, the kind that makes your palms sweat a little. By the time I reached the west end beach, it felt like I had arrived at the edge of something — maybe the world, maybe just my own busy mind.
It was wide and flat, and the sand had that soft, almost silty feel. A few locals walked dogs. The waves were gentle and slow, more a suggestion than a roar. I walked until the houses faded behind me and thought, “You could lose an entire day out here without trying.”
Lunch was at Skinner’s Seafood, where the air smelled like garlic butter and the fryers were working overtime. I ordered a shrimp basket — crispy, peppery, with a squeeze of lemon — and sat outside where gulls tried to convince me I owed them something.
Dauphin Island Beach At a Glance
- Location: Southwest of Mobile Bay, accessible via bridge
- Best Time to Visit: Late spring or early fall for the best weather
- Vibe: Remote, slow-paced, a little windswept
- Facilities: Limited—bring what you need
- Food Nearby: Skinner’s Seafood, Lighthouse Bakery
Fairhope: Not a Beach, but a Feeling
Fairhope doesn’t have a beach in the traditional sense — more like a shoreline that wraps you in charm and then hands you a lemonade. But I’m including it because it gave me something that felt beach-adjacent: breeze, beauty, and a place to exhale.
I walked down the Fairhope Municipal Pier, watching locals cast their lines like it was a slow dance. The bay was calm, the kind of calm that gives you permission to slow your thoughts. I sat on a bench under a live oak and thought, “If I lived here, I’d never check the time.”
I ate at Panini Pete’s just a few blocks from the pier. The muffuletta panini was warm and briny with olive tapenade, and the fries had a dusting of herbs that made them smell like a summer garden. The lemony aioli was the kind of surprise that makes you grin.
Fairhope At a Glance
- Location: Eastern shore of Mobile Bay
- Best Time to Visit: Sunset for golden light on the bay
- Vibe: Artistic, peaceful, bayfront charm
- Facilities: Pier, benches, gardens, walkable town center
- Food Nearby: Panini Pete’s, Dragonfly Foodbar, Master Joe’s
Florida Point Beach: A Dune Between Worlds
I didn’t mean to fall in love with a dune, but Florida Point made it easy. The beach sits right where Perdido Pass meets the Gulf, and getting there meant walking through golden sea oats that swayed like they had something to say. I remember thinking, “This feels like walking through a nature documentary, except I’m in sandals.”
The beach opened up suddenly, and the sound of the wind overtook everything. It was louder than the waves, almost orchestral. The water was clear, calm near the rocks, and full of little darting fish. It felt like a good place to be quiet.
I stopped afterward at Voyagers Restaurant, just down the coast in Orange Beach. I had their catch of the day — grilled amberjack — served with citrusy rice and roasted asparagus. The fish was flaky and warm, and the smell of lemon and butter hit before the plate even touched the table.
Florida Point Beach At a Glance
- Location: East end of Perdido Beach Blvd, near Perdido Pass
- Best Time to Visit: Morning for soft light and fewer people
- Vibe: Wild, scenic, unspoiled
- Facilities: Limited — no restrooms, natural dunes only
- Food Nearby: Voyagers, Louisiana Lagniappe, GTs on the Bay
Fort Morgan Beach: History Wrapped in Salt Air
It hit me halfway down the beach — this place has been watching the Gulf for over 150 years. Fort Morgan sits like a quiet sentinel, brick-walled and weathered, and the beach that wraps around it feels both peaceful and slightly haunted by time.
I walked toward the water with the fort still behind me and felt the weight of old stories and cannon blasts carried in the breeze. The beach itself was soft and pale, with shell fragments that crunched underfoot. Pelicans moved in formation, low and steady over the surf. I thought, “Somehow, this is the calmest battlefield I’ve ever stood on.”
Lunch was at Tacky Jacks 2 in Fort Morgan. I ordered the shrimp and grits — creamy, smoky, with a slow heat that made each bite linger. The whole place smelled like a seafood boil and wood decking warmed by the sun.
Fort Morgan Beach At a Glance
- Location: Western tip of Fort Morgan Peninsula
- Best Time to Visit: Late afternoon for soft light and a sense of solitude
- Vibe: Historic, quiet, subtly powerful
- Facilities: Public beach access, nearby restrooms at the fort
- Food Nearby: Tacky Jacks 2, Sassy Bass Island Grill
Gulf Shores Main Beach: Classic, Crowded, and Joyful
“This is the beach you imagine when someone says ‘summer,’” I thought as I stepped onto Gulf Shores Main Beach. Kids were squealing in the waves, couples walked hand in hand with sunburned shoulders, and the air smelled like sunscreen and snow cones. It was loud, lively, and utterly charming.
The sand here was blindingly white and powder-soft, and the waves had just enough pull to make body surfing fun. I watched a family build a sandcastle with three generations of hands and thought, “You don’t have to go far to feel far away.”
I grabbed a bite at Picnic Beach nearby — their poke bowl with pineapple and cucumber hit every refreshing note. The ginger was bright, the rice perfectly sticky, and everything smelled like summer packed into a bowl.
Gulf Shores Main Beach At a Glance
- Location: Where Highway 59 meets the Gulf in Gulf Shores
- Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds
- Vibe: Classic beach town energy, playful and social
- Facilities: Full amenities — showers, parking, beach rentals
- Food Nearby: Picnic Beach, The Hangout, Bahama Bob’s
Gulf State Park: Where Nature and Beach Blur
If a beach could multitask, it would be Gulf State Park. I started my day on a rented bike, winding through miles of trails lined with pines and marsh grasses, birds darting overhead like they had somewhere urgent to be. Eventually, the trail opened to sand, and I found myself at the beach — wide, open, and humming with the soft roar of the Gulf.
The shoreline here felt gentle, like it was made for long walks and long thoughts. I dipped my feet in the surf and watched tiny crabs scuttle sideways, thinking, “This is the kind of place where stress runs out of places to hide.”
I had lunch at Woodside Restaurant inside the park. The grilled chicken sandwich was smoky and piled with greens and tangy sauce, the bun still warm from the press. Outside, the scent of pine mingled with grilled meat — oddly comforting, like a backyard cookout in the woods.
Gulf State Park At a Glance
- Location: Between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
- Best Time to Visit: Early morning for trails, mid-morning for beach
- Vibe: Active, nature-forward, spacious
- Facilities: Trails, beach access, restrooms, campgrounds, restaurant
- Food Nearby: Woodside Restaurant, The Perch, The Lodge
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
I parked on a gravel pull-off and entered Bon Secour on foot, walking a sandy trail lined with palmettos and birdsong. It felt less like a beach and more like a place you earn — part hike, part hush. When I finally reached the shore, the sound hit me all at once: nothing but wind and water.
The beach was windswept and wide, no umbrellas, no snack bars, just the open Gulf and the occasional trail of bird prints in the sand. I sat on a driftwood log and thought, “This is where you come to remember how to breathe.”
I packed my own lunch — a caprese sandwich on ciabatta, the basil still fragrant from my backyard. The mozzarella had softened in the sun, and every bite tasted like picnic-day perfection. I ate slowly, toes buried in cool sand.
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge At a Glance
- Location: West of Gulf Shores on Fort Morgan Peninsula
- Best Time to Visit: Spring or fall for bird migrations
- Vibe: Wild, contemplative, undeveloped
- Facilities: Limited — trails only, bring essentials
- Food Nearby: None onsite — pack your own
West Beach: One Last Walk
West Beach felt like a good place to end. It runs along the edge of Gulf Shores, stretching on and on like a final thought. I got there late in the day, when the sky turns lavender and the water catches gold at the edges. The breeze picked up just enough to lift the hem of my shirt and remind me that time was passing.
The beach had more space than people, and I walked a while with my footprints the only ones in sight. I turned back to see them disappearing in the tide and thought, “Maybe I’ll come back next year and try to find them again.”
My last meal was at Bahama Bob’s, where I ordered the grilled fish tacos with pineapple salsa. The tortillas were warm, the fish tender and smoky, and the salsa tasted like sunshine with a splash of lime. I ate slowly, not quite ready to leave.
West Beach At a Glance
- Location: West of Highway 59 in Gulf Shores
- Best Time to Visit: Sunset — peaceful and wide open
- Vibe: Spacious, low-key, local favorite
- Facilities: Some public access points with parking
- Food Nearby: Bahama Bob’s, Beach House Kitchen, Surfside Pizza
Conclusion: The Gulf, Remembered
Alabama’s beaches surprised me not because they were dramatic, but because they were generous. Every spot — from the polished shores of Orange Beach to the hushed solitude of Bon Secour — gave me something I didn’t realize I needed. Space. Slowness. Salt air that lingered on my skin like a gentle reminder.
And maybe that’s the point of a beach trip that doesn’t scream for attention. It whispers instead. It says, “Take off your shoes. Forget your to-do list. Watch the tide do what it’s done for centuries.” I listened. And I’ll come back again.
Jump to a Spot...
- • Orange Beach - 30 miles from Pensacola Airport
- • Cotton Bayou Beach: A Pocket of Peace
- • Dauphin Island Beach: The Edges of the Map
- • Fairhope: Not a Beach, but a Feeling
- • Florida Point Beach: A Dune Between Worlds
- • Fort Morgan Beach: History Wrapped in Salt Air
- • Gulf Shores Main Beach: Classic, Crowded, and Joyful
- • Gulf State Park: Where Nature and Beach Blur
- • Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
- • West Beach: One Last Walk
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