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What to Do (and how to get around) in Gulf Shores

There are a few different ways that you can get around in Gulf Shores. Driving, biking, and even ferry ride are all ways to travel on your Gulf shores vacation.

Closest Airport

If you are coming in by airplane, then know that there are two major airports that are close by: the Mobile Regional Airport and the Pensacola International Airport. Pensacola is the largest of the airports near Gulf Shores and has more nonstop flights, making it easier to find a direct flight from wherever you live in the US. The Mobile Regional Airport is a similar distance away but is smaller. Both offer auto rental agencies, so you can easily find a way to get to your choice of Gulf Shore rentals.

Driving from Fort Morgan to Gulf Shores

If you are driving in, take into consideration how long the journey will be and plan accordingly. From Tuscaloosa, it is a 4.5-hour drive over 250 miles. A drive from Chicago takes about 15 hours. Driving from Nashville takes about 7 hours, or if you’re coming from Atlanta, expect a 6-hour journey. If you’re going from Fort Morgan to Gulf Shores, the drive only takes about 31 minutes of driving along Fort Morgan Road.

Of course, you can take the ferry in if you want to cut down on driving. There is a ferry that runs between Mobile Point’s Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island. Note that it can get busy during the summer. The Mobile Bay ferry service has two ferries that shuttle people and vehicles back and forth – the Fort Morgan and the Marissa Mae Nichole. The trip will take about 40 minutes or so. From the deck of the ship, you can watch as other vessels pass you by, and you will likely glimpse some of the area’s local waterbird population circling around. If you are really lucky, you might catch sight of a school of dolphins swimming by!

Travel by ferry on your next gulf shores vacation.

Of course, you can take the ferry in if you want to cut down on driving. There is a ferry that runs between Mobile Point’s Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island. Note that it can get busy during the summer. The Mobile Bay ferry service has two ferries that shuttle people and vehicles back and forth – the Fort Morgan and the Marissa Mae Nichole. The trip will take about 40 minutes or so. From the deck of the ship, you can watch as other vessels pass you by, and you will likely glimpse some of the area’s local waterbird population circling around. If you are really lucky, you might catch sight of a school of dolphins swimming by!

Bear in mind that the ferries do not operate under inclement weather conditions, so if you are worried about the weather, please make sure that you call the company ahead in order to plan your departure accordingly. These boats do allow pets to come aboard, and larger groups are welcome. The boats are handicap accessible, and the parking on board is free.

Once You’re Here

There are quite a few different ways that you can get around in Gulf Shores, but most people choose to take a vehicle. Sure, you can drive your own vehicle around, and having a smartphone with you will allow you to find where you are going without much of an issue. There are quite a few shuttles in the area, as well as taxi services.

Rideshare with Lyft or Uber

Getting a ride with Uber or Lyft can save you a lot of money on renting a vehicle. Simply use the app on your phone to request a ride to where you want to go. They will get you from right outside your Gulf Shores vacation rentals. If you do not already have one of these apps, you can download it for free from your phone’s app store, input your user information, and let the system know where you are and where you need to get to. A driver will pick you up and get you to your selected location, safe and sound.

family vacation in fort morgan alabama

Can You Bike Around?

You can absolutely bike around in Gulf Shores… if you stick to the bike trails. Safety is something of a concern since there is such heavy automobile traffic in Gulf Shores. The bike trails are quite pleasant and make for a good amount of exercise. However, they are more for pure cycling than just sightseeing.

Must Do’s in Gulf Shores, AL

So, what are the best things to do in Gulf Shores? Quite a bit, really! One of the ‘must do’s’ everyone should partake in is the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge. Located along beautiful Fort Morgan Road, Bon Secour offers four different trails composed of over six miles of amazing ecosystems. You might see everything from armadillos, alligators, and well over 370 bird species! Walk along one or all of the four trails (Pine Beach, Jeff Friend, Gator Lake, and Centennial) and see the fresh and saltwater marshes, uplands, freshwater swamps, scrub forest, sand dunes, and beaches.

You will see some cool animals in their natural habitat as well as a lot of native flora and fauna.

Gulf State Park is another place that you must check out while you are in Gulf Shores. This 6,500-acre state park stretches along the beaches between Highway 59 and SH 161. Lake Shelby, Little Lake, and Middle Lake can all be found inside of it, and there are a bunch of lovely streams and forests filled with pine trees. Taking a hike here is a great way to burn off some energy, and you can hit the beach for a relaxing dip afterward.

gulf shores, alabama beach vacation

Kids and adults alike will love The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Get right up to the animals and interact with them by purchasing feed. You can pet the sheep and deer you feed or even hold a snake or lemur. The zoo is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is just wrapping up a move to their new location. The zoo is happy to accommodate all types of groups numbering over 15 people. They currently have around 500 animals, including 22 critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, or near-threatened species, and every single one of those animals has a name and a story as to how they came to live at the zoo. You can meet their African lion, a Bengal tiger, and a white cockatoo!

Summer visits require a visit to Waterville, USA.

This place doesn’t just have pools to cool off in. It has body slides, tube slides, water playgrounds, a roller coaster, train rides, and even an escape room! Kids love it, and adults do too. The Amusement Park area consists of an arcade called the Starcade, a train for kids at the Fun Depot, the Waterville Launch Pad (a cool trampoline that you can play on), and the Waterville Mini Golf course. The Water Park lets you lounge in a tube on the Crystal Waters River or race your pals down the Dune Racer. Experience the Gold Rush with a couple of friends, and, if you are brave, give the 350-plus-foot Jet Stream body slide a go. If you are a thrill-seeker, the walk up to the top of the slide is totally worth it.

Finally, there is Fort Morgan itself. This historical landmark has been around since the early 1800’s and was named for Daniel Morgan, an American Revolutionary War hero. Construction on this huge bastion fort was completed in 1834, the year that it gained its first garrison. It was later utilized during the Civil War. Here, visitors can take in some cool history, go fishing, and find a nice place to have a picnic under a shady tree. This site is run by the Alabama Historical Commission, and they have done a lot to preserve it over time.

Find A Beach Rental House

Gulf Shores is a bustling city that can get loud. Gulf Shores vacations should be peaceful, and they are when you book a beach rental home in Fort Morgan.