Seeking Any Info on Alabama Beaches

this is a little late, but Daulphin Island alabama is absolutely fabulous and very private and secluded.

gulf shores = too commercialized
fort morgan = can you see oil derricks from the beach
orange beach = 2 thumbs up

We went to Gulf Shores last summer, and we are going back this summer. We found our vacation rental on VRBO.com - by Meyer real estate has the monopoly on rentals there and they have a website. We went the 3rd week of August and it was AWESOME - NO CROWDS - the beach was deserted!! School was back in session there - but not here yet - so it was perfect! The weather was great - the house we rented was great - the beach was clean and the water was great. We went with 2 other families and had a great time!

try homeaway.com or vacationrentals.com both are owned by the same company and are a great resource!

Hi L.,

We moved from the Gulf Shores area about a year and a half ago. My step-sons still live in that area and they will be starting school here soon. Their first day back is Aug 10th so the beaches should not be too crowded around that time. I am not too sure about the realty/property information.

Hey -
I grew up in Mobile, so Gulf Shores was our playground. I highly recommend it, but I can't really comment on Orange Beach or Fort Morgan. Earlier this summer, we rented a condo from Brett Robinson. (www.brett-robinson.com). They have SEVERAL condos and you can view them (with pictures) on the website. We picked Island Winds West. We really enjoyed it. It is one of their older condos and thus a little less expensive and it is right on the beach. Plus, they have a kiddie pool (I have a 1 year old). We were there with a 6 year old, 5 year old, and 1 year old. They all LOVED it. It was right on the beach and the pool was beach front. Plus, we are all very fair skinned, so we appreciated that the way the condo is built, it left an underside portion (next to the pool) for chairs and tables. We were able to stay in the shade while the kids played in the pool. Plus, we spent one day at the water park - which was just a couple of blocks away. We also found great ice cream shops and loved those!

So, we had a great time at Gulf Shores.

-L.

We love Gulf Shores!!! We have taken family vacations to Gulf Shores for many years. I recommend staying on the beach if you can. www.meyerre.com is a great site to check out. YOu can also find pet friendly places to rent. We have booked with Kaiser once and it worked out well too. I can highly recommend Ft. Morgan. It is a bit more seculed. We have never found the beaches in Gulf Shore or Ft. MOrgan crowded. Orange Beach, with all the condos, is usually very crowded. Our favorite location is the subdivision Morgantown. There is a community pool there if you get tired of the ocean and sand. In Gulf Shores, there is a small amusement park that the kids enjoy in the evenings. Have fun and bring plenty of sunscreen!

Orange Beach, Phoenix Properties! There isn't much difference between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach...

Brett something or the other is the one we always use. But any rental for the Phoenix properties, particularly the newer ones, will impress you!

Also, in Gulf Shores, we have stayed at Island Winds West, and yes, it is very nice! Most condos on right on the beach there...

My family went to Orange Beach about 6 years ago with my brother and his family. We stayed in a condo right on the beach and it was very nice, but I can't recall the rental place since it was so long ago. The beach was very nice and not crowded so would love to go again.

I know you're looking for somewhere in Alabama, but Cape San Blas in Florida is worth looking into.

We went to Panama City Beach last year and ended up spending all our time east of there at Cape San Blas where there were no crowds at all and breathtaking white sandy beaches. We are going back this year and staying in Cape San Blas in a house on the beach. The beaches and most rentals are dog friendly and you can have bon-fires. It's right down the road from St Joseph Peninsula State Park which was voted top beach in the US in 2002. We're going August 15th because the rates and crowds drop significantly then.

In the nearby area are Mexico Beach, Indian Pass and Port St Joe. Most of Mexico Beach rentals are across the highway from the beach or beachside ones seemed right on the highway. Indian Pass has browner beaches and the water isn't as clear because the Apalachicola River discharges close to there. Port St Joe is larger and may be more crowded. That's why we chose Cape San Blas.
Here are a couple of rental companies to check out...
www.visitfloridabeaches.com
www.paradise-coast.com
Also, try VRBO.com. Some of those owners you can negotiate with for a better rate. Sorry this is kind of a long response. I've been researching this for a couple months, so if you want more info, just pm me.

Hi,
One of my daughters went to Orange Beach, Alabama last month and said it was nice.

I went with a family to help babysit when I was in Jr. High. We went to Gulf Shores and it was awesome. We stayed in a Condo on the beach that was really nice. I wish I knew all the details for you.

Don't forget to check out Fairhope while you're in Alabama! It's the coolest little town and they have an awesome toy store!