Clean, family-friendly beaches • Local seafood • Easy road trip
For many Alabama families, “summer vacation” means the beach—and Gulf Shores delivers. Stretch out on spacious white-sand beaches, hit amusement and putt-putt spots, browse local shops, and make the kind of memories that carry you into the next chapter of summer fun.
Skip the wall-to-wall bustle. Gulf Shores is the kind of place where you can close your eyes on a beach towel while the kids roam and play—without dodging clutter and crowds. Gulf State Park Beach is known for sugar-white sand and well-kept facilities, plus access to miles of trails for exploring between beach sessions.
Feeding a family shouldn’t mean sticker shock. Gulf Shores restaurants source fresh Gulf seafood and keep it family-friendly—plus you’ll find local markets where you can grab shrimp and fish to cook in your condo.
Prefer a home-cooked feast? Stock up at a local seafood market and enjoy dinner with a view back at your place.
One of Birmingham’s best perks: the coast is close. In roughly 4½ hours by car (traffic and route depending), you’ll be feeling the ocean breeze and easing into vacation mode—fun-filled, unspoiled, and refreshingly laid-back.
From clean beaches to crowd-pleasing eats, Gulf Shores is ready when you are—spring through fall. Start mapping out beach days, trail time, and seafood nights for a trip the whole family will love.