“Baldwin County provides roughly 38% to 40% of the whole tourism dollars spent in Alabama,” says Beth Gendler, president of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism. “The beaches of Baldwin County rank as the highest tourist attraction in the state.”
Visitors flock to the sugar-white sand-lapping cobalt surf. They come for days, weeks or a lifetime. There is much to do.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach waters offer excellent fishing. Blue marlin, red snapper and yellow fin tuna are a colorful catch, as are amberjack, cobia, king and Spanish mackerel.
Lake Shelby also is popular with anglers hoping for small and big mouth bass, bream, catfish and crappie.
Playing in Paradise
Owa combines theme park, water park and event venue on 520 acres in Foley, all centered around Tropic Falls. Open year-round, the entertainment center features 23 theme-park attractions. It also has the regions’ largest indoor water park plus an outdoor wave pool. Owa also offers restaurants, shopping and entertainment, with hotels and RV park on site.
The Wharf, an entertainment destination in Orange Beach, features a 112-foot-tall Ferris Wheel with 24 gondolas, one of the largest in the Southeast. The 10,000-seat amphitheater hosts an array of concerts, while restaurants offer everything from prime rib to chili dogs. Retail options range from toys to jewelry and beyond.
Wildlife Up Close and Personal
Alligator Alley in Summerdale offers a reptilian adventure that starts with a self-guided tour to an elevated viewing platform. Roughly 600 alligators await. Visitors safely watch the creatures from hatchlings to adults sunbathe, court, feed and nest in natural habitats.
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo features 118 species, including 22 critically endangered. Each animal has a name, a back story and a happy home in a community zoo.
Parks and Playgrounds
Gulf State Park. At the epicenter of fun in the sun is Gulf State Park. Over 6,000 acres await with stunning beaches, rental cabins, biking/walking trails and fishing on Lake Shelby.
Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail. The walkable wilderness offers a system of 26 paths spanning 28 paved miles for hikers and bikers. The paths are embedded along marshes and lakes perfect for wildlife encounters.
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The complex encompasses 9,000 acres with fresh and saltwater marshes, aquatic vegetation and one-of-a-kind bog habitats.
Bon Secour National Refuge. A sanctuary of 7,000 acres, 370 species of birds, sea turtles and the habitat-endangered beach mouse are ready for discovery.
Also awaiting discovery is the Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley, featuring rare plants and animals. Canoeing and kayaking also are available.
Rendezvous with History
Fort Morgan State Historic Site. Built in 1819-1834, with cannons still standing, Fort Morgan has defied countless hurricanes, Union seizure and two world wars. A self-guided tour, museum and frequent reenactments of the Battle of Mobile Bay are available.
Other historic sites of interest include Blakely State Park, The William Weatherford Memorial, Fort Mims and the Baldwin County Bicentennial Park.
Ecotours
Opening in 2025, the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism and Sustainability is a non-profit working for sustainable tourism, raising environmental awareness and encouraging the stewardship of the Guff Coast’s natural resources. GCCES offers programs for adults and children highlighting the environment and how to maintain it.
FORE!
The Gulf Coast has a variety of signature golf courses, designed by some of the greatest names in golf — from Arnold Palmer to Bruce Devlin, Jerry Pate, Earl Stone and Robert Von Hagge — and featuring scenery from coastlines to wetland preserves and rolling hills. Lakewood Club at The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
This article appears in the May 2026 issue of Business Alabama.
