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.

Gulf Shores Beach is really beautiful. The beach is clean and so peaceful too! I spent the day at…read morethe beach for my birthday and I really enjoyed myself. The sunsets are a thing of beauty and the white sand is lovely. Gulf Shores is definitely one of my favorite destinations. The off season is a great time to visit the beach!!!

We had an extremely rude gate women yell at my teenage friend because we were picking up our…read morefriends and she said that we disobeyed her by letting our friends in the car and she yelled at the car in a deep voice to GET OUT OR else then ran after our car. Not expectable she fully screamed and we were being extremely respectful the whole time!

Best lazy River in Orange Beach! We love the Oasis. Where else can you have a wave pool, lazy…read moreRiver, bar and grill, hammocks, and more all in one place? Only at the Wharf's oasis

I like Orange Beach! My best friend and Sorority Sister has had a condo here for a couple of…read moredecades which has given me numerous options to visit Orange Beach! As others have said, yes, the beaches are bright white and the water truly is crystal blue! We've enjoyed countless fresh oysters here, especially delicious are the Murder Point Oysters when they are available, and tons of Royal Red shrimp, which are also, truly delicious! The Orange Beach area is where we charted a deep sea fishing boat for a six-hour deep sea fishing trip during Red Snapper season to celebrate a milestone birthday and it was the most memorable experience!! [Thanks so much Captain Troy Frady and Distraction Charters!!!!] We typically visit FloraBama and get scratch off lottery tickets, get a drink or two and again, some raw oysters. The Gulf is another fun place to hang out, eat, and drink - their Grouper sandwich is delicious and their bloody marys are good too! Typically, we visit Sea and Suds and enjoy the balcony area that sits above the Gulf, and we always enjoy a visit to Cobalt, which has delicious food, beautiful water views, and live entertainment. Orange Beach offers a good variety of public golf courses, too and I've played on several of them. Orange Beach is such a lovely asset to Alabama! It's just a little over five and a half hours drive from my house, and it's worth it for the lovely beaches, the friendly people, the delicious eats and the recreation!

Been there done that. I have only visited Orange Beach for 3 days. The beaches are lovely with…read morewhite sand and green water. I can see where kids would love to vacation here. My overall impression was that it's a little to commercialized for me and somehow I just felt crowded in somewhat. In addition, the paper industry so severely polluted the waters in this coastal area that marine life still struggles today. I think Id choose somewhere in Florida around the bend from here but its not a bad place.

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.

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!!

This review is only for Bella Beach Properties and not for the unit we stayed in. The unit, Sugar…read moreBeach 153, was not well maintained or in a great spot in the complex. Unfortunately it was located exactly above the garbage dumpsters which were emptied six days a week between 4 am and 7 am, which meant that sleeping late was not an option. Bella was very accomodating with our situation, even trying to find us alternate units which unfortunately were not suitable or cost more. In the end, we stayed and they refunded us a portion of our cost. I would recommend Bella. I would not recommend Sugar Beach 153.

Absolutely the worse communication. They do not address questions, problems or concerns. I'll never…read morerent any property from them in the future. I've been coming to OBA for 25 years and they're the worse. Renter beware.

Stayed in room 55. Very nice cozy place. Definitely coming back to this place. Not a whole bunch of…read morepeople or crowds. Plus, its directly on the beach.

Very pleased with the Emerald Skye Condo #56. We stayed here for a week and it was just a good…read moreplace as the condo had all the right things like beach chairs, toys for the little one to build sand castle and even a boogie board to use on the ocean which she was to chicken to use. Great location right beside the Gulf Coast Pier and lots of open beach for everyone to use. Public parking was all up and down the shore line also so if you want to walk up down beach and find friends or just meet new ones you could.

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!

While they do not have full facilities here, portable toilets are available. Parking is feee, but…read moreget there early. The entrance to the beach is easy, just watch out for the people fishing right at the entrance. Beach was clean.

Great experience for the kids and grandkids! Clean, safe and fun. The kids found seashells, shrimp,…read morehermit crabs and a few jellyfish (didn't let them touch them though). Great time for everyone!

There were no shells. I think the pictures were fake - we walked up and down and really didn't find…read moreor see anything. I would save the trip and go another beach. Also parking was pitiful- $15 to park in a gravel pit puddle filled with water hauling kids and shovels and all of that. Very disappointing