Gulf Shores, Alabama

[All In]

Have friends going there next week. Has anyone been? How is the beach and what are some things to do? How does it compare to say, Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach? Thanks

[nees1212]

Went a couple years ago and loved it. It's quiet and not over-crowded. It's nothing like HH and MB according to the wife as I've never been.

 

I can't remember the name of it, the sign has "Cold Pizza, Warm Beer", but it has very good pizza. LuLu's has good food, and a good atmosphere. There was another place kinda tucked back and hidden that was really good, but I can't recall the name of it.

 

As for the beach, nice and clean and not overcrowded at all, and we were there late July.

[Bengal Maniac]

I wintered there this past one. Beach is nice and lots of your typical Seafood restaurants, a huge Tanger Outlet about 15 miles away. Deep sea fishing outfits and golf courses. It is pretty much like any tourist place. Mobile, Al is about an hour where there are historic sites and a nice downtown. Pensacola, Fl is 45 minutes away and has some neat things to see, also.

[woodsrider]

Just got back from there yesterday. I love it there, plenty to do and too over crowded. I can't compare to HH or MB as I've never been to either.

 

If if you have kids I just going to LuLu or the Hangout for lunch. I say lunch because at dinner both are crazy packed. there's a pretty cool place called The Warf down towards Orange Beach. Has shopping, lots of restaurants, and at night has live music. There are some nice golf courses in the area if you play. Beaches are really nice. Pretty much like Destin if you've been there. Water is pretty shallow for a ways out so nice if you have small kids. Theres a water park called Waterville hiwever I've never been so can't really comment. As was already said you can do deep sea fishing, rent boats or jet skis, then there is shopping at the outlet mall in Foley. If you go to Mobile for the day make sure to go see the USS Alabama. It's very cool. When we went we took the Ferry from Ft Morgan over to Mobile. The kids really liked that.

 

Ive been pretty much every year for the last 10 and I think we are going back for fall break on Oct.

[rjs4470]

I haven't been since 2012, but I've vacationed there 5 or 6 times over the last 10 or 12 years. We usually stay in Fort Morgan. Very quiet, low key. Not a big party spot, but there's something to do for everyone. Not a ton of restaurants to choose from, but we mostly do our own cooking. The beach is nice and clean, and not very crowded. The fishing is great on the beach. There's several golf courses, some inexpensive, some expensive, and all are pretty nice.

[NKY Bandit]

Anywhere on the gulf coast is better than the Atlantic coast IMO. Been to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach a lot and prefer both to anything on the East Coast.