15 Public Beaches

In Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Start planning your beach destinations with our help!

With 32-miles of white-sand beaches for you to discover, you may need a little guidance on where to begin. We've put together a list of 15 public beaches found along the Alabama Gulf Coast that are perfect locations for some fun in the sun.

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Get insight into the locations and amenities that can be found at each of our beaches.

Shell Beach - A Gulf State Park Beach Area

Shell Beach is on Perdido Beach Boulevard across from The Caribe and just east of the Perdido Pass Bridge. As its name suggests, you’ll find plenty of shells in the sand. Parking is available, as well as a portable restroom.

Alabama Point East - A Gulf State Park Beach Area

Alabama Point East is 0.3 miles east of Perdido Pass Bridge and offers more than 6,000 feet of wide beach in addition to sand dunes, boardwalks, picnic areas, restrooms, and outdoor showers.

Cotton Bayou - A Gulf State Park Beach Area

Cotton Bayou is between some of the most popular condominiums at Highway 182 and Highway 161. There are restrooms, outdoor showers on-site, and a handicap-accessible boardwalk leading to the shore.

Romar Beach - A Gulf State Park Beach Area

Romar Beach is 6.8 miles east of Highway 59 and is near several condos, including the Phoenix V and Seaside Beach Club. This beach spot offers parking.

The Gulf State Park Pavilion

The Gulf State Park Pavilion area is six miles east of Highway 59 and offers a beach pavilion with air-conditioned restrooms, private showers, a snack bar, shady spots to sit and eat, plus a large fireplace for chilly days.

Gulf Place (Gulf Shores Main Public Beach)

Gulf Place sits where Alabama Highway 59 dead-ends at East Beach Blvd. (Hwy. 182). The beach is monitored seasonally by lifeguards and includes three open-air pavilions, a picnic area, plus a playground, restrooms and showers on-site. It's the perfect location for playing volleyball or grabbing a meal at the nearby Hangout. Four beach mats along this stretch of beach make it easy for those with limited mobility and wheelchairs to reach the shore.

Branyon Beach Access

Branyon Beach Access is located at the intersection of Highway 182 and Campground Road. Features include limited parking, a traffic light to cross the highway, and a nice boardwalk to cross the sand dunes.

Gulf Shores 4th Street Public Beach

Gulf Shores 4th Street Public Beach offers only pedestrian crossing beach access, perfect for those staying at nearby properties.

Gulf Shores 5th Street Public Beach

Gulf Shores 5th Street Public Beach sits five blocks west of Highway 59, with free parking on the north side, where the boardwalk leads to the beach. Parking is also available on the south side beside Bahama Bob’s.

Gulf Shores 6th Street Public Beach

Gulf Shores 6th Street Public Beach is six blocks west of Highway 59, and you can walk the boardwalk to the beach. An outdoor shower is available, as well as a handicapped-accessible restroom.

Gulf Shores 10th Street Public Beach

Gulf Shores 10th Street Public Beach offers beach access only, with parking across the street. Restrooms and showers are available.

Gulf Shores 12th Street Public Beach

Gulf Shores 12th Street Public Beach offers beach access but no parking. Restrooms and showers are available.

Gulf Shores 13th Street Public Beach

Gulf Shores 13th Street Public Beach has free street-side parking with a dune walkover. Showers and restrooms are available.

Lagoon Pass Beach

Lagoon Pass Beach is 2.9 miles west of Highway 59 with restrooms, a fishing pier, outdoor showers and a water fountain on-site.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach sits at 12295 State Highway 180 (Fort Morgan Road) in Gulf Shores. You can park along Mobile Street for easy beach access. It is a wildlife refuge, and therefore there are no facilities, but please note that the refuge office is nearby.

Parking

Parking kiosks are now in place at Beach Pavilion, East Gulf Place, West Gulf Place, West 6th Street and Little Lagoon Pass in Gulf Shores as well as the public beach accesses in Orange Beach—Romar Beach, Cotton Bayou, Alabama Point and Shell Beach. Please note that these pay stations accept cash and credit cards but do not give change back or accept coins. You can find more information about parking in Gulf Shores and parking in Orange Beach.

Accessibility

Accessibility is of great importance to the City of Gulf Shores, and great strides are being made to accommodate as many guests as possible to beach areas. Beach access mats are an integral part of this inclusion and are placed just short of the water’s edge, allowing wheelchair users to get as close as is safe to the water. Access mats are located at the west end of the Gulf Place Public Beach parking area, at west 2nd Street, at the east end of Gulf Place Public Beach near the Pink Pony, and at Cotton Bayou in Orange Beach.

Safety

During the spring and summer seasons, lifeguards are stationed at many of the public beaches in the area. We encourage you to practice beach safety by swimming near lifeguards, adhering to the beach flag system and checking beach conditions daily.