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Summer is made for long, lazy beach days, and Americans are incredibly lucky because they don’t have to travel far to find perfect beaches.
In fact, you are spoiled for choice!
According to AL.com this beach destination is thriving thanks to its relaxing white-sand beaches, signature warm welcome and abundance of other things to see and do.
Here’s why this unexpected US state is soaring in popularity for beach vacations this summer:
Beach Vacations in Alabama
If you haven’t guessed yet, we’re talking about Alabama.
Alabama is a region with a rich history and fascinating culture. Tourists come for its famous Southern hospitality and for its outstanding natural beauty, including forest-covered mountains.
But Alabama also has some of the most beautiful beaches in America.
Less known than the world-famous beaches of Florida and California, Alabama’s coastline lies on the Gulf of Mexico, meaning you’ll find vast stretches of beautiful white sand.
And savvy tourists can’t get enough of it.
29% of travelers visiting Alabama head straight to Baldwin County beaches, which is a huge increase from pre-pandemic levels. In fact, Alabama continues to break tourism records year after year.
And the three most popular spots in Baldwin County are the beach spots of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan.
These three coastal areas accounted for a whopping $6.7 billion in visitor spending in 2023.
The state’s most popular beach spots
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are just a 15-minute drive apart, separated by a 7.5 mile stretch of beach.
This is just a small portion of the 32 miles of sugar-white coastline that draws so many visitors to Alabama’s beaches.
Despite being so close to each other, these two beautiful beach spots each have a different atmosphere.
Gulf Shores is the best place if you’re looking for a vibrant family getaway or a weekend getaway packed with things to do.
Choose Orange Beach if you’re looking for a more small-scale atmosphere, have the budget for luxury amenities, or if you enjoy golfing.
Travelers often stay at one resort, but spend their time exploring all the incredible beaches in the area.
Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan are considered 3 of the most beautiful beaches in Alabama, so it should come as no surprise that these 3 spots are the most popular in the region.
Combine beach days with history and culture
Fort Morgan is an incredibly unique beach experience because not only does it offer visitors a stretch of sand as beautiful as any in Alabama, but visitors can also wander through a Civil War star fort for which the stretch of sand is named.
Fort Morgan was built between 1819 and 1833 and was the site of the Battle of Mobile Bay.
The fort played a key role in the Civil War, the Battle of the Spanish Fort and more recently the two World Wars.
It is a must-visit place for history buffs and especially for fans of military history.
Although Fort Morgan Beach is named after the fort, the fort itself is actually 20 miles inland, but it’s definitely worth making the trip to explore.
Entrance to Fort Morgan is:
- $8 for adults
- $5 children, seniors and students
- $20 for families with 2 adults and 2 children.
Even if you don’t visit the fort itself, Fort Morgan Beach is definitely worth exploring. This is the best place for beach lovers and nature lovers who want to relax on the coastline, without the hustle and bustle of a big seaside resort.
The beaches of Fort Morgan are not very developed at this time.
But this is part of their charm rather than a negative element. The beaches here are open to the public and give you the opportunity to see the beautiful waters of the Gulf, free from man-made influences.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
