Gulf Coast Beaches

The beaches of Alabama enjoy the Gulf of Mexico beauty but are are not as well known to many people. Let’s put an end to that by looking at some of Alabama’s best beaches for families.

Yes, beaches have usage rules and Alabama’s Gulf Coast beach areas are no exception. Following these rules will make your vacation more pleasurable for everyone. Please read the list of common beach rules.

List of Alabama Gulf Coast Public Beaches

Gulf Shores Public Beaches

You can’t go wrong with visiting any of the beaches in this list. When you vacation in a Gulf Shores beachfront condo you can enjoy a short walk to the sugar sands of the area’s beaches.

• Gulf Shores Main Public Beach (now called Gulf Place, is the most popular beach. It has volleyball nets, beach bars, large beach, paid parking, beach attendants, 3 open-air pavilions and a picnic area, restrooms and showers.
• Gulf Shores 4th Street Public Beach, Pedestrian crossing only, no parking area available.
• Gulf Shores 5th Street Public Beach, is located 5 blocks west of Hwy 59. Boardwalk to the beach. Outdoor shower.
• Gulf Shores 6th Street Public Beach, has a boardwalk to the beach, outdoor shower and handicapped-accessible restroom.
• Gulf Shores 10th Street Public Beach, has beach access only, there is parking across the street from this location. Facilities available.
• Gulf Shores 12th Street Public Beach, has restroom and showers. No parking.
• Gulf Shores 13th Street Public Beach
• Lagoon Pass Beach, is a shallow waterway connecting Little Lagoon. It has restrooms, outdoor shower and water fountain, free parking on the northeast side of the Lee Callaway Bridge.

Orange Beach Public Beaches

• Alabama Point East –
  For a more low-key day at the beach, head to east side of Perdido Pass. Alabama Point beach, a Gulf State Park beach area, is popular with locals, and you’ll likely see plenty of families here. Alabama Point is known for being a good place to fish and watch charter boats heading in and out of the nearby marina. It offers 6,000 feet of wide beach, sand dunes, boardwalks, picnic areas, restrooms, and outdoor showers. Parking is free.
• Cotton Bayou Beach, 25900 Perdido Beach Blvd. Orange Beach, AL 36561
  This public beach area is located 6.8 miles east of Alabama Highway 59 and .2 mile east of Ala Highway 161. The Cotton Bayou beach access area has restrooms, outdoor showers and free parking. The beach is a short walk from the parking lot.
• Romar Beach Access, 24450 Perdido Beach Blvd. Orange Beach, AL 36561
  This beach access area is located 6.6 miles east of Alabama Highway 59 and 1.3 miles west of Alabama Highway 161. The parking lot is paved but there are no restrooms or outdoor showers on site at this time. Port-o-lets are available, however.

Gulf State Park Public Beaches

• Gulf State Park Pavilion Area, 22920 Alabama’s Coastal Connection Gulf Shores, AL 36542. It offers air-conditioned restrooms, private showers, a snack bar, shady spots to sit and eat, plus a huge fireplace for chilly days.
• Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier, 20800 E. Beach Blvd. Gulf Shores, AL 36542. At 1,540 feet long, 20 feet wide and boasting 2,448 feet of fishing space, we are the largest pier on the Gulf of Mexico and Alabama’s only public pier on the Gulf. There is covered seating for concession area and indoor retail shop with tackle and souvenirs. Signs along the pier share information on native fish, birds and other area wildlife. There are comfort stations at the midpoint of the pier and wheelchair accessible rail fishing. Fishing licenses and sightseeing permits are sold on-site.
  Handicap accessible / Hours of operation / Large group / Public restroom / Restaurant on-site / Store on-site / Water view / Water-based nature attraction /

Fort Morgan Public Beaches

• Fort Morgan Fishing Beach
• Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach, 12295 State Hwy.180 West Gulf Shores, AL 36542
  You can park along Mobile Street for easy beach access. Because this is a wildlife refuge, there are no facilities but the Refuge Office is nearby. The Refuge is open year-round during daylight hours for hiking, fishing, wildlife observation, and photography. Discover some of Alabama’s last remaining undisturbed coastal habitat. Office hours: 7:00am-3:30pm Monday-Friday. Hours of operation / Land-based nature attraction / Large group / Limited parking / Pet friendly / Water view /