This small beach area is found at the intersection of Highway 182 and Highway 161. Nestled between…read moresome of the most popular condominiums in the area. There's one wooden boardwalk that is approximately 100 feet long & then only another 100 feeto the shoreline. When you reach the end of the boardwalk, you are greeted by a large wooden turtle with a large wooden toy box. The turtle reads got a toy, leave a toy, need a toy, take a toy. So, if you forget sand pails, shovels, & other random tools for occupying the kids, it's there so they can create sand castle cities or to bury you in the sand for fun pics, very cool! Me & my honey go here regularly and find it normally less crowded than most other other beach access areas plus there's free parking, restrooms with showers and they have concessions like snow cones during the summer season. If you look to the right, you can see the beach for miles and miles if you look to the left you see the pier attached to the Four Seasons of Romar Beach.  One of the perks of staying at the hotel is having access to the pier for an even better view of the gulf wildlife that flies by or swims in water. The view is expansive, heck we could see the fireworks on July 4th all the way over in Florida and miles east past the big beach in Gulf Shores, majestic!! Restaurants nearby, for walking, include Cotton's (but they typically don't open until 4pm), Gilbey's Seafood & Steak.. There is also a Starbucks and Dairy Queen nearby if you are looking for something a little quicker. Bottom line: It's a nice piece of beach with most ammenities you need. Love it!!

What a treasure for hikers in the state of Florida. There are miles and miles of well maintained…read moretrails with multiple parking spots along the way. Some trails are concrete while others are wooden boardwalks so you are walking above the swamps. There are benches along the way and on one trail a playground with slides and a fort like structure. There are also bathrooms in some areas. Obviously it is Florida so all flat terrain. Some of the trails take you to the beach and others around a beautiful lake and campground. There were people around every time we hiked so felt pretty secure. There is also a resturant along the way but we did not make it there. Trails are for walkers and bikers so be cautious of the bicycles but almost all rides were courteous. I highly recommend taking a stroll or a bike ride in the park. There are bike rentals at the state park and if you stay there bikes are included.

Relish the sights along a peaceful water side view secluded distant from tourist crowded beach…read morehustle & bustle Offering a peaceful relaxing pace for enjoying sunsets & fun activities ranging from fishing, swimming other recreational activities & a dock for enjoying bird watching & sunsets along the waterside. Each day dusk till Dawn locals & tourists alike gather enjoying their day's activities starting with watching a sunrise rise above the water from the docks beach side or comfort within their cars. Convenient parking is limited so early arrival is suggested unless parking farther away & enjoying a brisk walk is your desire. Fishermen are prevalent along sandbanks opening their day's casting lines anticipating catching sand or speckled trout & other species including redfish flounder & Spanish mackerel. Salinity levels attributed via the Gulf flowing in breeds great conditions offering diverse catches. Abundant sandbanks & shallow depths makes finding that special spot. Anglers visiting will find disappointment dock fishing here offering no opportunities for a catch as fish have no interest within that spot & looking down into clear waters it is evident. It is rare observation docks offer good fishing opportunities. Stick with the shore or distant banks. Swimmers & water recreationalists enjoy shallow water devoid from undertows & deep depths offering least anxietal thoughts of common dangers found within the Gulf. From my observations kayaking seems favored most amongst water recreationalists outside of swimming. Distant from fisherman & swimmers upbank an observation dock is available offering bird watching enthusiasts anticipating to spot gulls, terns,brown pelicans & other shore birds. An illustrated sign for bird identification is posted for non enthusiasts wishing to identify birds sighted. Coin-op binoculars are absent so I recommend anyone wishing for up close views to bring binoculars & keep their cameras handy. Who knows? Maybe you might sight a non native or least common birds here. For additional resources go to Alabama Birding trails site & download their coastal birding trails pdf. Happy Watching. day enjoyed by all until tomorrow's fun filled with new & consistent visitors alike. Be sure to like on FB & tell a friend https://m.facebook.com/littlelagoonpass/

The Little Lagoon Pass Park is a great spot for taking in the sites and accessing the beach. The…read moreLittle Lagoon Pass is located three miles west of Highway 59 on West Beach Boulevard (Highway 182). There's restrooms, a fishing pier, an outdoor shower, and water fountain on site. Paid parking is located on the northeast side of the Lee Callaway Bridge. The cost to park is $5 for up to four hours or $10 all day but, as it is with all the city and state park and beach areas that have paid parking, residents with window stickers park free. What's you'll find here is a protected beach on the north side of the pass that is popular with local beachers and fishermen and a nice spot on those days when the surf on the Gulf is too rough or currents are dangerous. Lagoon Pass is a shallow waterway connecting Little Lagoon to the Gulf and is in regular need of dredging. There seems to be a floating dredging barge there quite often. On the southern end if the pass is the Gulf of Mexico with a very nice stretch of the white powdery sand with lifeguards on duty. You can park and cross the street to this area or you can walk by the pass under the bridge. Bottom line: The area is well maintained and is normally less crowded than many of the other beaches. http://facebook.com/littlelagoonpass/

Gulf Shores' motto is "Small Town, Big Beach" and just over a mile from those beaches is a lovely…read moreand unique park where you can see how much this community cares about their children and its residents. Spread over 12 acres Lots of slides and activities. A miniature zip line, tire swing, regular swings, swings for smaller children plus a skate park, tennis courts, ball fields, indoor swimming pool inside the recreation center much more. There's picnic areas, a pavilion, grilling options, clean rest rooms, nicely landscaped with plenty of shade and it's wheelchair accessible with loads of parking. For address, directions and more: https://www.gulfshores.com/sports-facilities/johnnie-sims-park/ There's a number of special events around the year like music, movies, festivals and more but I'm so impressed with how community comes together for to support one another. For example, last night was a very nice event in our neighborhood for the Sims Park Christmas Celebration! There was the Rudolph movie playing, a petting zoo with camel rides, vendors, Santa taking pictures, holiday treats, crafts, hot cocoa & chili provided by our fire department and the 6th Annual Snowball Drop with prizes and more. After the cancellation last year it was a beautiful night that we were able to get out and meet up with friends and neighbors as meet some great folks. Bottom line: I'm feeling the Christmas spirit officially so Merry Christmas everyone!!

Roughly a six hour drive from my home in North Alabama, Gulf Shores is a lovely Alabama Beach! Its…read moreless than 10 miles from Orange Beach. I've stayed in Orange Beach numerous times and enjoyed restaurants and Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores! Gulf State Park has numerous trails that make for a great hike or numerous durations and lengths! Sea-N-Suds is one of my favorite restaurants to enjoy in Gulf Shores since it's right on the Gulf (meaning it's deck extends over the Gulf waters a bit) and they have delicious oysters and Royal Reds!! I also enjoyed a round of golf with my sorority sister and her husband at Gulf Shores Golf Club! It's a nice, friendly golf course! Like Orange Beach, Gulf Shores beaches are really bright white, clean, and beautiful with silky sand! Gulf Shores beaches are renowned for being family friendly and parking is cheap for the beaches free for residents and 2-4 dollars for non-residents depending on where you part. Also, Gulf Shores beaches do have lifeguards provided seasonally from March to October. That's a nice feature since the Gulf rip tides are a real thing, ya'll! If you haven't visited Gulf Shores Beaches, do it! As Yelper Chris W., notes, it's more economical to stay in Gulf Shores proper vice Orange Beach and Destin. Get your beach on!

My last 5 year old review focused on the summer concerts, it's time for an update!…read more I am seven years into my retirement at the all-around best beach I've ever had the pleasure to sink my toes in, and I have literally been to hundreds! First of all, let me tell you a bit about the Gulf Shores beaches themselves. There is thirty-two miles of pristine, sugar-white beaches here. Unlike anywhere else, this sand is unique because it is made of quartz, formed over millions of years from the Appalachian Mountains, which gives it that brilliant color and lets it stay cool even in the heat of the summer. With over 8 million visitors each year, this community really thrives on its tourism base. What I absolutely cherish is that when I go down there in the morning, the sands look absolutely pristine, meaning there is no trash, no clutter, no mess. They smooth it out, comb it, and groom it every single day. If anybody leaves behind a chair, toy, or tent, it is picked up and donated every day. Gulf Shores really lives up to that motto of being a small town with a big beach because the calendar is packed with world-class events. Kicking off with the Hangout Music Festival in May, the white sands turn into the ultimate summer kick-off. We also love the lively Ballyhoo Festival, and the Annual National Shrimp Festival in October brings hundreds of thousands of people to the coast for four days of seafood, art, and music. Of course, you can't talk about this area without talking about the incredible food scene, especially the fresh, local seafood right off the boats. Whether you're buying it fresh to cook at home or enjoying it at a local waterfront spot, the quality of our regional fishing is just unbelievable. Getting to enjoy iconic local catches like red snapper, grouper, flounder, and speckled trout, or seasonal favorites like tripletail and triggerfish. And the shrimp, oh yeah, fresh shrimp is fantastic and with the added benefit of our local deep-water delicious royal reds, it's a big part of what makes living here so wonderful for me. Now, while I'm talking about a truly special place in my heart, it is this town's unparalleled commitment to conservation and preservation. Specifically dear are my two absolute favorite animals, the sea turtle and the manatee. From the dedicated Share the Beach efforts that monitor the annual sea turtle nesting season from the time they lay their eggs until the babies hatch, to all the practices and the marine conservation for the manatees, or the floaty potatoes or sea cows as some people call them, this is truly a sanctuary for these gentle giants. I annually adopt Bama who winters in Crystal River, FL but comes back here every year :-) I still vividly remember my first steps on my first sandy beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I was really, really young. From the beaches of my home in Los Angeles to over a decade living in Cape Cod, all those experiences, including my many sandy beaches throughout the Caribbean, from coast to coast in Mexico, the Mediterranean, and Central America, it has been an amazing journey. I now find myself in a place that I call home in many ways, just as magical as many of those moments were over these sixty-plus years throughout my life. Bottom line: Whether you are just visiting for the week or lucky enough to call this place home, the way the small-town charm blends with these expansive, pristine shores makes it the ultimate beach destination. It is the perfect blend of warmth, beauty, and almost endless possibilities, and I am proud to say this is my little slice of paradise.

This is just a great spot for the kids and grandkids. I would give it 5 stars if it was outside…read moremy door, but we had to "hump" it here, which doesn't hurt, I mean, we need to get up and move around, but I do like to be pampered in my old age, but it's still a great spot for beachfront access.

Very clean beach! Absolutely great for family fun or a relaxing day by the water! Water stations…read moreare available to wash off the sand! Parking was very affordable ($3)! Kids definitely enjoyed themselves!

Today is the 2nd anniversary that Hurricane Sally slammed into into Orange Beach, AL with a direct…read morehit. Most repairs have been done but things are still being put back together both for private residents and local governments. In Orange Beach, two iconic locations are still awaiting repairs from storm damage, Waterfront Park Pier and the Perdido Pass fishing wall. There's several sections of this fishing area that is fenced off due to boards missing and damaged concrete but there's still a lot of space to toss your line in the water. Here we are 2 years later and still waiting on repairs to started in earnest. I understand that an application for FEMA help with the repairs has been made, but when the "hurry up and wait" SOP of the government is in the mix it certainly add time to the process. This area was damaged years ago and basically abandoned by the state because of the prohibitive cost of having it repaired. Orange Beach stepped in and asked for permission to pay for the repairs to keep this unique and popular spot open to the public. The land is owned by the state and the city has funded the improvements but then came Sally. The boardwalk starts at the end of The Gulf restaurant area and follows the Pass all the way under and beyond the bridge to a small sandy beach. There's mounted park benches all along the stretch, except where damage is fenced off, and bait stations along the rails. It's well lit and there's plenty of free parking, including handicap. There's no running water in the area and currently there's 2 port-a-potties. The channel in and around the Perdido Pass bridge is typically busy with both recreational and commercial fishing vessels so if you're not into fishing, at this spot, it's okay because the view is spectacular. You're directly across from the Gulf State Park beach is located on the east side of The Pass and offers some beautiful stretches of white sandy beaches, with roughly 70 acres of prime real estate. So sometimes it's just nice to sit a spell :-) Perdido Pass Fishing Wall is the old local name for this area, sometimes also referred to as Seawall Park, but it now has an official designated name, and new sign, of Orange Beach Fishing Park at the Pass, cool! If you'd like an excellent video tour, pre-Sally check: https://youtu.be/jc7t0-whT40 Bottom line: Lots of boats, heron, gulls, the occasional pod of dolphins and even manatee that come through here, but fishing is the big attraction at Orange Beach Fishing Park at the Pass.

nice spot for an outing. i went around 9am on a cloudy chance of drizzle rain Friday near the end…read moreof June. parking was easy. there was a good amount of people walking/exercising along the sidewalks not too crowded, no congestion. i went to get some sand and water time along with taking some doll pictures. the only draw back i experienced was the noise of a lawnmower while i was taking some cool doll shots by the water fountain.

Nice park right on the water overlooking Mobile Bay. This park is right next to the Fairhope…read moreMunicipal Pier & a short walk from Knollwood Park. This park has a very small beach, but if you want a larger beach, just walk north to the park on the other side of The Fairhope Municipal Pier, that is Fairhope Municipal Beach, that park has BBQ's near picnic tables, restrooms,and a playground on the beach. This park has benches and tables, trees, a rock area under a oak tree. This park is two levels, an upper and lower, I did not see the upper level, only the bottom level closer to the water. My dog really enjoyed it, I saw other people out very early, walking, exercising, & with their doggies. This is a very clean park, no vagrancy, litter, doggy doo anywhere. Parking is right next to South Beach Park at Fairhope Municipal Pier.

Alligator Alley is a topnotch destination for visitors in the area. The grounds are clean, the…read morestaff are friendly and helpful, and it is so much fun! Lots of easy to walk paths for those wondering about accessibility. The bathrooms were clean, there was a snack stand, and lots of seating. The gift shop is also super cute. This was a highlight of our trip to the Gulf Shores area. We bought the $22 food buckets for our two kids. Well worth it. It was so fun watching the alligators eat the food. The alligators have so much space to roam, but they tend to stick where the snacks are. We loved the short walk to the swamp area. So many big alligators! We watched the 1pm show and it was great! It was a little cold on the day we went so it took some encouraging to get the alligators to pop out of the water. The guy doing the show was very educational and funny. There was ample parking available as well. We had so much fun!

This was one of the highlights of our vacation, as my fiancé goes crazy over Gators and Crocs…read more There are tons of Gators to see as well as Longhorns! The cashiers and trainers are all kind and we loved talking with them. This was also the first sanctuary we've gone to that actually feels like one. The property was immaculate and very detailed with natural plants. All the animals are greatly taken care of and their environment did not look unclean or unnatural. We highly suggest to visit.