Location: Gulf Shores
Top Things to do in Gulf Shores
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9 Things to do for Honeymoon in Gulf Shores That You Shouldn't Miss
This resort community is known for its bright white beaches and soothing warm water. Daytime activities include scenic cruises, dolphin-watching and hiking. A great place for families, Gulf Shores has The Track, a family recreation center with bumper boats, and also the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
Restaurants in Gulf Shores
1. Island Life Beach Rentals and Charters
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 35 reviews
Island Life Rentals offers stand up paddle boards, kayaks and also have fishing charter service. Free pickup and delivery!
2. Back Bay Charters
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 49 reviews
Come explore the beautiful water of the Alabama Gulf Coast with Back Bay Charters! A Private VIP charter for up to 6 guests. Dolphin, fishing, sunsets, beaches, islands, bars, restaurant and sightseeing cruises available. Customize your boat tour for just your party. Perfect for any special occasion or just a great way to see the beautiful Alabama coast. Owner and Captain Matt Swiggum, has been exploring the ocean most of his life. For Matt it began at the age of 12 on a family snorkeling vacation in Jamaica. His love for marine life quickly advanced into SCUBA DIVING and from there his career path. Matt spent 5 years in the Gulf of Mexico as a Commercial Diver. Matt has a broad knowledge of ocean and marine life. His passion is sharing his love of the ocean with everyone who boards the boat. Sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
3. Gulf State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,366 reviews
Gulf State Park's two miles of beaches greet you with plenty of white sun-kissed sand, surging surf, seagulls and sea shells, but there is more than sand and surf to sink your toes into. Inside Gulf State Park there is a brand new Gulf Front lodge and Conference Center, beach pavilion, National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World Cottages, tennis courts, camp sites, 28 miles of paved/enhance trails and a fishing pier that is 20-feet wide and extends 1,512 feet into the Gulf. This and much more make Gulf State Park the perfect in-state vacation or out-of-state adventure.
Reviewed By cyberbubba - Gulf Shores, United States
Gulf State Park is just more beautiful spot to add to the long list of amazing places to see in Gulf Shores, AL. The pier is all new and twice as big since the last hurricane with a great bar/restaurant and a great place to enjoy the sights and sounds of the beautiful Gulf. There's an awesome campground with a ton of amenities, trails and more trails, bike trails, State park hotel resort by Hilton with amazing restaurant, beach front parking with boardwalk vendors and so much more. I would check several other reviews as the Gulf State Park has much more to offer than I covered here. The area is very well maintained and very scenic. There is ample parking and lots of people for fishing off the pier or on the beach with their families and friends. There is tons of beach access for miles and miles. The Gulf State Park Pavilion, for example, has terrific huge beach access. Love it, love it, love it!! We were on this beach when they ran us off @ 5pm a few weeks ago. We were here when for the re-open @ 5pm. Absolutely perfect beach day with 78° sunny day with nice northerly breeze, sweet!!! There's lots of parking and everyone is just happy to have our feet in the sand, wind in our faces & those waves. Ahhhh This uncrowded, natural beach is six miles east of Highway 59 on Beach Pkwy, with beautiful crystaline sand dunes and sea oats. There's lots of room to spread out, making it a great place for families with lots of gear. Surf fishing is a popular activity here. The beach pavilion features air-conditioned restrooms, private showers, a snack bar, plenty of shady spots to sit and eat, and even a huge fireplace for chilly days. There is a $6 fee to park all day ($12 for large vans) (residents park free so do veterans just see Beach Pavilion attendant or pick up an annual pass at Park office headquarters) and there's plenty of spaces, and lots of room for large vehicles and RVs. There's also a BBQ joint seasonally :-) The pavilion is also popular for weddings, reunions and other gatherings but you must call the Park HQ for rental information. The hours are 7:00 a.m. to Sunset, 7 days a week Bottom line; Gulf State Park's beautiful Beach Pavilion is a great place for you to enjoy a day at the beach! SWEET!
4. Gulf State Park Fishing Pier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,089 reviews
The Gulf State Park Pier offers features such as indoor seating for concession area, indoor retail area for tackle and souvenirs, comfort stations at the midpoint of the pier (seen in picture above) and wheelchair accessible rail fishing. The new pier has 2,448 feet of fishing space available along the rails.
Reviewed By LynnzieLu - Dallas, United States
The hubby went out on this pier to go night fishing and it was very safe and he had plenty of other people there to keep him company. He was able to catch a ton of catfish, pulling them in practically every few minutes! Downside is that once the sun goes down, the pier was covered in HUGE COCKROACHES trying to steal his bait! The next day, we went swimming on the beach and was able to set up chairs and a blanket under the pier for shade right next to the water - perfect spot to watch the kiddos play in the sand. It was very convenient to have the restaurant and bait shop on the pier to order food and snacks - we plan to return the next time we vacation in Gulf Shores
5. Ike's Beach Service
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 416 reviews
Ike’s Beach Service specializes in a wide variety of beach equipment rentals, recreation, and amusements. Availabilities include: beach chair and umbrella rentals, paddle board and kayak rentals, and beach wheelchair rentals.
Reviewed By BohemianMimi1 - Birmingham, United States
Xavier is very attentive and moves our umbrella to make sure the shade is exactly as we want. He’s personable and well spoken - unlike some people just doing their job. He’s conscientious about spacing out his guests and placing them in good spots. I tipped well because he earned it every single day. Having the beach chairs with cushions and an umbrella already set up for us made our trip so much easier and Xavier made it so much more enjoyable.
6. WildNative Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 142 reviews
Where The Waters Flow we've more things to do than you can poke a kayak paddle at! Eco Tours by motor boat and kayak, inshore and off shore fishing charters and everything in between. Prepare to be amazed, inspired and relaxed with friends and family, as you experience Coastal Alabama! WildNative offers multiple locations with both coastal and delta access. As Coastal Alabama's leading tour operator and only delta specialist via Delta Safaris... We encourage you to come and enjoy our world, whether for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks! We think you'll like our Bayou's, Bays and Beaches as much as we do. Departing Gulf Shores, AL, WildNative offers: - Dolphins & Wildlife Kayak Tour - Boat Rentals Departing Spanish Fort, AL, WildNative offers: - The Delta Wildlife Eco Boat Tour - The Secretly Awesome Harbor Tour - The Delta at Sunset Kayak Tour - Boat Rentals Departing Stockton, AL, WildNative offers: - The Champion Cypress Kayak Tour - The Bottle Creek Indian Mound Kayak Tour
7. Gulf Shores Public Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 434 reviews
Reviewed By BeachTigers - Springdale, United States
We love this beach! It’s wide, clean, well maintained, easily accessible, great parking. It could use a few more bike racks, but hey if you can’t find an open one, tie off to a palm tree! They’re are plenty of life guards on duty and beach patrol (County Sheriff’s) that actually enforce the laws! No dogs allowed- this is a human only beach. Can’t say enough about how family oriented, clean and safe this beach is! Just Go There! You will live it too!
8. Big Beach Brewing Company
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 126 reviews
Home of Alabama's southernmost microbrewery, Big Beach Brewing Company. House made beers for your enjoyment located right here in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Reviewed By HKK_13
Stopped by here one afternoon to try the local brews. We ordered a flight and then ordered pints of Area Two Fifty One hazy IPA and Dixie’s Heart red ale. Both delicious. Cute tap room and nice outdoor space too. Loved the Mardi Gras “tree” decor.
9. Pleasure Island Parasailing
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 151 reviews
