Gulf Shores/Orange Beach
- Thread starter Fijimn
- Start date
There's beaches and I think a waterpark for the kids but that's about all I know kid related. The Florabama is there if you're looking for a fun party place for the adults, but that's all I know of the area. The Wharf amphitheater is there which gets some good acts, but that's all I've ever done in the area.
Honestly, I would suggest going just a bit further over to Pensacola instead. When you’re talking beaches, Panama City and Seaside is where the sand is sugar white and very fine grit. More importantly it’s not “really white” which absorbs heat but tiny clear crystals which don’t unlike typical white limestone beaches. The further you get away from the Panama City/Seaside area in either direction the coarser the sand and the more other sands are mixed in with the white crystals becoming more and more offwhite. By Pensacola, the sand grit is starting to get relatively big and coarse but it’s still pure white for the most part. Meanwhile just across the state border it’s starting to get more and more “dirty” looking sand. They’re still really decent beaches in Alabama especially in the Gulf Shores National Seashore portion in Alabama but it’s more like a good quality Florida Atlantic side beach and nowhere as nice as the panhandle beaches. By the time you get to Biloxi it’s more off-colour dirt than white so you’re looking at beaches equivalent to Daytona or Tybee Island rather than awesome Gulf beaches.
Meanwhile there’s a LOT to do in Pensacola if you haven’t been in awhile. Not only does the Florida side of the Gulf Shores National Seashore have pure white sand (albeit far more coarse than PCB and Destin area beaches) but you can explore a Civil War era fort as well as WW2 and Spanish American War gun batteries along the shore. The combo of peaceful white Seaside with menacing giant gray guns make for GREAT selfies. Plus there’s the National Naval Air Museum for free which is one of the most underrated museums in the country, I like it better than the Smithsonian’s Air & Space both the one in the mall and Udvar-Hazy at the airport. Add in that you can get a great steak at McGuires as well as pick up a bushwhacker or three at Sandshaker on the way out to the Gulf Shores National Seashore and you’ve got a great day.
I was really impressed with Pensacola when I went there a few months back. The downtown is alive even on the weekends. They probably have a Wahoos game at beautiful park right on the Bay. Navarre Beach is nice but it seems that its draw is that there is virtually nothing there. Big State park so seems like miles of just beach.
The downside is that Pcal is a good 3 hrs from NOLA. But I think it might not be much further than Gulf Shores Orange Beach because those are so far out of the way. Pcal is easy trip, just get on I-110 of 10 and that dumps you off downtown and just a quick hop over the bridge. Kids might like USS Alabama which is on the way in Mobile.
The downside is that Pcal is a good 3 hrs from NOLA. But I think it might not be much further than Gulf Shores Orange Beach because those are so far out of the way. Pcal is easy trip, just get on I-110 of 10 and that dumps you off downtown and just a quick hop over the bridge. Kids might like USS Alabama which is on the way in Mobile.
I went ahead and pulled the trigger for a Sprinhill on Navarre Beach. Looks nice. A 3 hour drive isn’t bad considering that’s the usual drive to anywhere “close” in Texas. It’s too hot in NOLA to do much with kids. The Red Dress Race is this weekend but again not something a 5 year old would enjoy. So this should be fun. Plus I got a sweet Range Rover from Hertz. Looking forward to taking it on a trip
In my mind, the best beach in the area is Gulf Shores National Seashore by Battery 234 and Battery Cooper. It’s secluded, pure white sand, pretty tall dunes and giant gun batteries.
I would say try to get to Pcla early because traffic getting over either bridge to get onto the barrier island can be long when weekenders come. Depending on where you are in Navarre the Grand Marlin in PC is pretty good and they have the original one in Pcla and I would try it out. I was a little surprised how expensive it was to get into the Fort, I think like $20 so maybe call ahead. I found the downtown area of Pcla very nice. Depending on when you leave could be a nice place to eat and walk around on the way out of town.
They have very cool restaurant right at the end of one of the roads at a marina.
They have very cool restaurant right at the end of one of the roads at a marina.
If he's in Navarre, he can just go over the bridge to Navarre beach and drive through the state park area to connect into Pensacola which would be far simpler than trying to go through Gulf Breeze and up over the main bridge there.
I really struggle living in this area at times, but I do love the downtown area, the beaches are beautiful, and the Wahoos are one of the best minor league teams and stadiums to follow. There's also some really good restaurants in the area.
OHNole43123
Seminole Insider
You can gt to Pensacola Bch from Navarre, but still have to go into Gulf Breeze and cross the 3 mile bridge to to get into Pensacola.
The TT Wentworth State Museum and Historic Pensacola Village are pretty interesting.
The Museum of Naval Avaiation is a must!
There's a fairly new amusement park, OWA, in Foley, about 15 miles north of gulf Shores. i haven't been, but have heard some nice things about it.
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