Orange Beach is one of our favorite beaches along the northern side of the Gulf of Mexico. It’s easy to get to with interstate almost the whole way from Nashville or Birmingham. The beaches are beautiful white sand and turquoise clear water with an abundance of fishing opportunities. You can boat on the bay side to either Pensacola Florida or Mobile Alabama. There are plenty of islands in the bay to boat up to and spend the day at the beach away from the crowds of Gulf Shores. And you also have the Gulf State Park which has miles and miles of trails for walking or biking and several lakes that are great for kayaking.
Know before you go:
March – September are the busiest times to visit. It can still be a little cool in March. If you’re looking for tropical weather, you’ll need to head further south in March.
Check for events when planning your trip. Here are some good sites
The Mullet Wrapper is a great source for events in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. You can find it at groceries and most restaurants.It’s also available online at https://mulletwrapper.net
Off season times to go – October and November are great times to visit. Still nice weather and not near as crowded as the summer months.. Plus many of the locally owned restaurants offer early bird specials and discounts during the winter months.There’s also a huge celebration for Mardi Gras.
Top 10 Things to Do:
Beaches – Hang out at the beach of course! There are lots of public access beaches in Orange Beach and nearby paid parking..
Gulf State Park – We love the state park and one of the main reasons we love Orange Beach (besides the beach of course!). We love the beach, but there are also lots of hiking/biking trails through the beautiful state park. You’ll cross over lakes, creeks and marsh land. You might even see an alligator or two. Watch out for Lefty, who they say lost her front left paw in a fight. In the spring, she might have some baby alligators sitting on her back.
Fishing – Rent a boat or take a deep sea fishing tour. We have some of the best fishing in the country and more man-made reefs than anywhere in the world. Check the Mullet Wrapper for tips on what’s biting.
Festivals – There are many celebrations and festivals throughout the year. Again the mullet wrapper will help keep you up to date on upcoming events. Check the links above for a calendar of events
Blue Angels Air Shows – The amazing Blue Angels are in nearby Pensacola and provide free airshows several times a year.https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/show/
Outlet Malls in Foley – There’s a large Tanger outlet mall in Foley. Here’s the link with a listing of stores. Foley, AL | StoresTanger Outletshttps://www.tangeroutlet.com › foley › stores
Sand bars – If you’re renting a boat or wave runner, you’ll likely find one of the many sandbars and islands around the bay. It’s a great place to hang out. Robinson Istland is a popular hangout as so is Fort McRee. People make homemade slip and slides down the sand dunes. So fun!
OWA – This is a theme park with outdoor rides and indoor waterpark. There are lots of events throughout the year, such as the hot air balloon festival in May. Check out the link for a calendar of events. https://visitowa.com
The Wharf – The wharf has lots of cute little shops and restaurants. It also is home to a movie theater and a giant ferris wheel. And there’s a large convention center that hosts many great concerts throughout the year. They also do nightly laser light shows with special programs around the holidays. https://alwharf.com/things-to-do
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo – Technically, this is in Gulf Shores, but it’s a short drive from Orange Beach. It’s a cute little zoo and it’s rated the #1 zoo in Alabama. It’s a nice break if you need a day away from the sand and sun. https://www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.com/about-the-zoo/
Best Grocery Store:
Rouse’s Market – We love Rouse’s! This grocery store is based out of Louisiana and there is definitely a cajun flare to a lot of their foods. We’ve started a tradition of getting steamed shrimp, crab legs, Conecuh sausage, steamed potatoes and corn. You can go to their seafood shop and they’ll steam seafood for you for free. You pick the spice (we usually do Old Bay). But go easy on it if you don’t like super spicy. It can really burn your biscuits. Insider tip – buy some milk to take home with it to cool the heat if you need it. Rouse’s also has some excellent prepared foods. Their muffulettas are just as good as Central Grocery in New Orleans. We like to buy one (or the mini muffuletta sliders to take home with us. And while you’re there, stock up on smoked sausages from Lil’ Butcher in Mississippi. Rouses keeps these in stock and they really are the best smoked sausage that you’ll ever eat.
Our favorite restaurants
Best Coffee:
Buzz Catz – We love the coffee at BuzzCatz and their breakfasts are also delicious and pretty cheap too. They also have an entire cabinet of homemade pastries, including homemade poptarts. They have waffles with different flavors every day. Their cinnamon rolls are amazing. Get there early because there is usually a line. https://www.buzzcatzorangebeach.com
Bad Ass Coffee – This is a little coffee shop off of canal street that makes amazing coffee, including 100% kona. They also have lots of pastries and breakfast sandwiches. Website
Happy Pappy’s – This is actually in Gulf Shores, but their lattes are worth the drive.
Breakfast:
Brick and Spoon – This is our favorite “substantial” breakfast place in Orange Beach. So many amazing and unique breakfast dishes. https://www.brickandspoon.com/location/orange-beach-al/
Duck Diner – This is a traditional breakfast dinner with eggs, bacon, pancakes and all the standard breakfast fare. Always busy. https://ducksdiner.com
Cafe Beignet – If you like Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, definitely make a stop at one of the Cafe Beignet locations. The beignets are freshly made to order and their cafe au laits taste just like that at Cafe du Monde. Get there early though because they’re not open in the evenings. You can get a hot sack of beignets covered in powdered sugar to go. Your family will thank you.
Tacky Jack’s – We love Tacky Jacks in Orange Beach for breakfast. Their breakfast hash is one of my all time favorite breakfast items! Their pancakes are also delicious! During the winter months, they have breakfast specials including chicken and waffles. And you can’t beat the view overlooking the bay in Orange Beach. https://www.tackyjacks.com
Lunch
Lunas – One of the best values for lunch in Orange Beach. They have some amazing meat and two deals, including blackened fish of the day as one of their meats. Absolutely the best brussel sprouts you’ll ever try. Also amazing burgers and sandwiches. They have a great happy hour too. During the off-season months, they offer great deals in the early evening on their “sunset menu.” https://lunaseatanddrink.com
The Gulf – One of the best views in orange beach. We love coming here when it’s warm outside. You sit right on the beach on picnic tables and can watch the boats pass under the bridge back and forth from the gulf to the bay. Their tacos, sandwiches and peel and eat shrimp are all amazing. It’s a little pricey for what you get, but the view definitely makes up for it. https://www.thegulf.com/locations/orange-beach/
Bon temps Cajun – This is a little hole in the wall restaurant in a strip center off of Canal Road. This is true authentic cajun food. Everything is seasoned perfectly! Try their po-boys or jambalaya. https://bontempsgrill.com
GT’s on the Bay – GT’s has a wonderful view of the bay and their lunch specials are hard to beat! We love going and getting a cup of soup and a trip to the salad bar for $10! Their salad bar is fantastic and so is their gumbo. You cann also get popcorn shrimp and tater tots for the same price. Make sure to ask for their firecracker shrimp sauce to dip it in. Their shrimp creole is also amazing! And if you’re in the mood for pizza, they have a wood fired pizza over and serve delicious pizza for both lunch and dinner. https://gtsonthebay.com
Fisherman’s Corner in Perdido Key – This is arguably the most delicious seafood on the florida panhandle. We like to go there for lunch because it’s normally not as crowded as for dinner. They have the best blackened fish reuben I’ve ever had. And make sure to save room for the bread pudding. My dad says it’s the best bread pudding he’s ever had and he is definitely a bread pudding connoisseur. https://fishermanscornerpk.com
Dinner
Villagio – We love Villagio in the Wharf. They have great food. Their charcuterie board is phenomenal and they have the best happy hour specials in town. We love going for happy hour and enjoying their $5 martinis and half price pizzas. Their pizzas are amazing. Make sure to ask for their focaccia and bread dipping sauce. They have kalamata olives chopped up in their dipping sauce and it goes so well with their focaccia bread. http://villaggiogrille.com
Lauria’s – This is one of the first restaurants we came to when visiting Orange Beach. They now have two locations, one in Gulf Shores and one in Orange Beach. It’s a great place for a date night and we like to get their build your own charcuterie with a bottle of wine. They have a great wine selection at reasonable prices by the bottle. Their flatbreads are also delicious. https://www.lauriasbythebeach.com
Big Fish – This is one of the few “fine dining” options in Orange Beach. They have some amazing fish dishes with just about every kind of fish you can imagine. It’s a little pricey but definitely makes a great date night. https://bigfishrestaurantbar.com
Zeke’s Landing – This is one of my favorite restaurants in Orange Beach. They have incredible food and a great atmosphere overlooking the bay. https://www.zekeslanding.com
Cosmo’s – We especially love going to Cosmo’s in the off season with their sunset menu. Their tuna nachos and filet are some of our favorite dishes. They also have a great happy hour menu with their firecracker shrimp and cosmopolitan martinis. https://cosmosrestaurantandbar.com
Avenue Pub – Avenue Pub is our go to place if we get in town late and other places are closed. It’s great to sit outside overlooking the bay and enjoying some great food. Their burgers, chicken sandwiches, and salads. https://www.avepub.com
CoastAL – This is a newer trendy restaurant in Orange Beach located right on the ocean. You can sit outside and watch the waves come in and people walking down the beach. It’s a great setting. Food is really good, but it’s a little pricey. But then again, you’re paying for the view. https://www.coastalorangebeach.com
Flora-Bama Yacht Club – Flora-bama needs no introduction. It’s famous for a reason. Great food, great drinks, great beach, great music, cool beach vibes. Always fun! https://www.florabamayachtclub.com
Big Mike’s Steakhouse – The best steaks in Orange Beach. No matter what time of the year or what time of the day you go, there will be a wait. Traditional steakhouse fare with giant steaks cooked to perfection, loaded baked potato and caesar salad. Doesn’t get much better than that. And make sure to save room for their amazing desserts. https://bigmikessteakhouse.com
Local and Company – Not your average beach restaurant! We love their wood fired pizzas and craft cocktails here. Their buffalo cauliflower are a must have appetizer. One of our favorite cocktails is an old fashioned made with Herradura Tequila Reposado. One of the best cocktails we’ve ever had. https://www.localandcompanyrestaurant.com
Dessert:
Sweet Cone Alabama – best ice cream in orange beach and always a line, but worth the wait.Try their banana pudding ice cream – it’s amazing!
GT’s on the Bay – Fried Coconut Pies! If you like coconut, you’ll love these!
Cosmos – Their bread pudding is amazing and the flavor changes daily.
Fisherman’s Corner – Their praline bread pudding is the absolute best.
Avenue Pub – Bushwhacker – so thick you have to eat it with a spoon.