Gulf Shores Public Beach(Gulf Shores Main Public Beach)

Located in the Alabamian city of Gulf Shores, Gulf Shores Main Public Beach - also known as Gulf Place and Gulf Shores Public Beach - is a large and popular white-sand beach in Baldwin County. Gulf Shores Main Public Beach has been named the 10th best beach in the Top 50 Beaches in the United States by Randall Kaplan, the world’s foremost beach expert who is known as "Mr. Beach."

Parts of Gulf Shores Main Public Beach have lifeguards between March and October. The beach also has many other amenities including restrooms, beach attendants, showers, volleyball courts, open-air pavilions, a picnic area, and benches. 

Gulf Shores Main Public Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, volleyball, picnicking, fishing, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, and wakeboarding. The water near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach is usually warm and clear and it has fairly manageable waves - this makes it popular among swimmers, kayakers, and canoers. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. In addition, the water here is also known to have jellyfish, which can inflict a powerful sting if disturbed. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach including dolphins, sea turtles, and many kinds of fish. Sea Turtles also use Gulf Shores Main Public Beach as a seasonal nesting spot between May and October. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds around Gulf Shores Main Public Beach. If you are planning to fish in the water near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach, we recommend following the local fishing regulations.

Portions of Gulf Shores Main Public Beach have access mats for visitors with disabilities. These access mats are located at the eastern and western ends of the beach near the Pinky Pony Pub (which is present near 137 East Gulf Place) and the end of West 2nd Street respectively. Dogs are not allowed in Gulf Shores Main Public Beach. 

Getting to Gulf Shores Main Public Beach is easy - the beach is located near 101 Gulf Shores Parkway and it is present near the southern end of Alabama State Highway 59. A paid parking lot is also present near this beach.  

There are many attractions near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach. The Track Gulf Shores is a go-karting facility which offers a fun go-kart experience. In addition, this facility also has many other fun rides for kids and it also has a gaming arcade. Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is a 25-acre zoo that is home to 199 species and eight endangered species - the zoo also has picnic areas, rest stops, a restaurant, and a gift shop. This popular zoo also offers interactive animal shows and it also has a giraffe feeding station. If you are looking for another attraction near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach, Gulf Shores Museum has interesting historical exhibits.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach. Big Fish Restaurant is an upscale restaurant which serves excellent gourmet dishes with Asian culinary influences, along with fantastic sushi. This restaurant also offers amazing steaks, seafood, pastas, and salads. Bahama Bob’s is a popular waterfront restaurant that serves delicious seafood, steaks, pastas, soups, salads, sandwiches, poultry dishes, and Southern United States-style dishes. Sea N Suds is another popular restaurant which is primarily known for its amazing seafood and gumbo - a local digital news portal named Alabama NewsCenter has listed the restaurant’s fried shrimps as one of the "100 dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die." The restaurant also serves amazing salads, chicken wings, hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach,Hazel’s Nook offers amazing dishes for breakfast and lunch including sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, eggs, biscuits-and-gravy, sandwiches, burgers, fried chicken, and meatloaf. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel offers many amenities including an infinity pool with views of the Gulf of Mexico, two restaurants, a 24-hour gym, and multiple bars. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hampton Inn & Suites Orange Beach/Gulf Front that offers many amenities including a fitness center, a tiki bar, a pool, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Gulf Shores Main Public Beach, the 2-Star Best Western On The Beach offers many amenities including multiple pools, a hot tub, and a pancake restaurant that offers views of the Alabama shoreline.