Did you hear? Now it’s even easier to get your Beach Fix! Gulf Shores International Airport (JTK/GUF Jack Edwards Airport) has partnered with Allegiant Airlines to bring DIRECT FLIGHTS starting in May 2025 from several major cities: Bentonville AR (XNA), Belleville IL (BLV), Kansas City MO (MCI), Cincinatti OH (CVG), Knoxville TN (TYS) and Houston TX (HOU). At this time, all flights from Allegiant are seasonal.

Savvy travelers also know that you can fly into Pensacola FL (PNS) with a short drive over to Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan. Pensacola offers direct flights from the following cities organized by state (as of 11/23/24).
- Denver CO (DEN) – Frontier*, Southwest and United Airlines
- Washington DC (DCA) – American Airlines
- Fort Lauderdale FL (FLL) – Silver Airways
- Miami FL (MIA) – American Airlines
- Orlando FL (MCO) – Silver Airways and Soutwest Airlines
- Tampa FL (TPA) – Silver Airways, Breeze Airways, and Southwest
- Atlanta GA (ATL) – Delta Airlines
- Chicago IL (MDW) – Southwest, (ORD) American* and United Airlines
- Baltimore MD (BWI) – Southwest Airlines
- Kansas City MO (MCI) – Southwest Airlines
- St. Louis MO (STL) – Southwest Airlines
- Charlotte NC (CLT) – American Airlines
- Newark NJ (EWR) – United Airlines*
- Cincinatti OH (CVG) – Frontier Airlines*
- Cleveland OH (CLE) – Frontier Airlines
- Philadelphia PA (PHL) – American* and Frontier* Airlines
- Nashville TN (BNA) – Southwest Airlines
- Austin TX (AUS) – Southwest Airlines
- Dallas TX (DAL) – Southwest Airlines, (DFW) – American Airlines
- Houston TX (HOU) – Southwest Airlines, (IAH) – United Airlines
- Norfolk VA (ORF) – Breeze Airways*’
*Seasonal Flights – Check for Details
The beach misses you! Don’t delay – the best values and locations are going fast. No matter how you get here, consider adding Travel Insurance for your trip. Did you know you can insure your entire trip (airfare, car rental and lodging – even if you book direct) – learn more here.

Photo Credit – David Green. David is a native Alabama Photographer who has captured many incredible photos of our beloved state and beaches. View more of his work here.
February 7th is International Book Direct Day!!!! Here at AlaVHR, we celebrate #BookDirect Day everyday, but we thought we would take #BookDirect Day a step farther and celebrate the entire month of February!
What exactly is #BookDirect Day?
The “book direct” movement started in 2018 when the “big sites” like VRBO and AirBnB started charging ridiculous fees to travelers and hosts to advertise on their websites. These fees are now 20-25% of the total that the guest ultimately pays for their vacation. #BookDirect Day was created to educate travelers why they should book direct and how to do it safely.
When you “book direct,” you are going directly to the owner or property manager and cutting out the middle man. At AlaVHR, we connect you directly with owners and property managers with NO ADDED booking fees and NO site commissions! Owners pay us a small annual fee, and you, the guest, pay the owner directly. Super Simple and Super SAFE because we verify every owner that lists on our site.
You will see a lot of posts on social media or digital classifieds where someone is offering to let you book directly with them – be very careful! Scammers are real and all too common. It’s very easy for them to pretend to own a vacation rental and scam you out of a down payment or worse, the entire payment for a vacation. We hear stories of families traveling 8-12 hours only to find they have no place to stay! Don’t let that happen to you – learn the signs (check out our short video with real life examples here) and be sure to check AlaVHR.com first!
If you ever have questions about booking with one of our owners, Contact Us and we will be happy to look at it with you to verify you are communicating with the verified owner.
Besides saving money and not getting scammed, there are many other reasons to #BookDirect:
- Direct communication between owners and guests. Do you have any special needs or concerns? Speed up your selection process by going straight to the source.
- Local Expertise – Our owners know the area and can offer tips on where to eat or things to do. At AlaVHR, you can also call us directly for information about your next stay.
- Best rates – You are automatically saving up to 20% off those “big sites” – the average family saves over $400 – yikes!! Think of all the FUN your family could have with that extra money!
- Supporting local small businesses
So go ahead, #BookDirect with one of our Verified Owners on AlaVHR.com – you will be glad you did!
Let’s face it. Booking directly is hard! You have to build the quote, send it to the guest, collect payment, get rental agreements signed, send them check in details, etc.
What if we told you it doesn’t have to be hard? What if you could virtually put your booking process on “auto-pilot” without any added booking fees or commissions? OwnerRez does all of that and so much more for about $40/month for the first property – that is only $10/week to have an “expert virtual assistant” taking care of the booking process so you can focus on taking care of your guests. Unleash the power of OwnerRez by connecting your AlaVHR listing. AlaVHR is an advertising site, OwnerRez is a booking platform, together, we make a great team! Here is what you get:
OwnerRez – Reservation Software
- Instantly build quotes – if desired, you can automatically send quotes
- Automatically collect electronic signatures on your rental agreements
- Collect the initial payment at time of booking based on your rules – payment goes directly to you with no added fees from OwnerRez, just your credit card processing fee
- Collect final payment from guest at the appropriate time
- Automate email correspondence, such as check in details to go out at the appropriate time prior to their stay
- Notify your cleaners of any changes in booking – also works with ResortCleaning.com
- Interested in dynamic pricing? OwnerRez works with PriceLabs and Beyond Pricing
- Want to automate your lock codes? OwnerRez integrates with most smart locks
- OwnerRez works great with AlaVHR but also integrates with VRBO and AirBnB
- Run reports at the end of each month to assist with submitting lodging tax, etc
- Text messaging is also available for a small monthly fee
- Add on a fully functioning, direct book website for just a few dollars each month that automatically updates anytime you make changes to your account – update your photos or add a new listing? Instantly appears on your personal website! See an example OwnerRez hosted website here:
OwnerRez Hosted Website: Latitude Adjustment Beach Rentals
AlaVHR Link: KatieAnna Morton’s Listings
OwnerRez is so popular that over HALF of all the listings on AlaVHR are tied to an OwnerRez account
In fact, OwnerRez is so popular that over half of all of the listings on AlaVHR are now tied to an OwnerRez account! Find out for yourself why more owners trust OwnerRez!
Learn more about OwnerRez or start your 14 Day Free Trial by clicking the image below*

So why doesn’t everyone use OwnerRez??? As you can imagine, there are a lot of moving parts and it is a complex system. Most owners don’t have the time or energy to devote to setting it up and learning a new process. That’s where we can help! For AlaVHR members, we can set up your OwnerRez account and get you ready to start taking bookings PLUS training and follow up phone support for a low one-time fee of just $299** – and most accounts can be completed in less than one week. OwnerRez offers a similar service for $500 and they currently have a six week backlog. Our low-cost set up service is ONLY available for members using AlaVHR to advertise their rentals. BONUS! Get $50 off the setup fee if you use our referral link!
OwnerRez is among the few services that will work for owners with only one or two listings…
Get started today for only $299 set up fee** then $40/month (first property)
PLUS – Save $50 on the Setup Fee if you use our referral link!
Most reservation systems are designed for property managers with ten or more listings. OwnerRez is among the few services that will work for owners with only one or two listings as well as large property managers. You may have heard of Guesty and Hospitable which are great for automating communications, but we have not found any other site that can actually take a direct booking (process payments) and handle all the other steps, such as the rental agreement, like OwnerRez at such an afforable rate. If you are looking for a complete system, you owe it to yourself to check out OwnerRez.
Not advertising on AlaVHR.com? Sign up today! No added booking fees or site commissions and all owners are verified. Earn more and have more control over YOUR bookings!

We have not found any other site that can actually take a direct booking (process payments) and handle all the other steps, such as the rental agreement, as well as OwnerRez for such an affordable rate.
Ready to get started? Contact Us
Already have an OwnerRez account? Check out these helpful videos! We also provide support to all of our AlaVHR members at no extra charge – if you have a question about OwnerRez, just ask!
Check out our “Unofficial OwnerRez Support Group” on Facebook – over 3,000 members and growing! Ask questions and learn how to get the most out of your OwnerRez account:

How to connect your AlaVHR listing to your OwnerRez account
How to import Spot Rates from OwnerRez to your AlaVHR account – It’s fast and easy!
*One reason we can offer the set up service for such a great rate is that we also receive a small referral fee as an affiliate.
** $299 setup fee only available for owners that list on AlaVHR.com. Get $50 off the setup fee when you use our referral link!
Article updated 10/6/2023 – prices subject to change without notice.
- Plan Ahead!
- Only work with verified owners – all owners are verified on AlaVHR.com.
- Check a trusted no booking site, such as AlaVHR.com, early in your search.
- Email the Owner for a Quote or visit their verified direct booking website using the Book Now button on AlaVHR – be sure to let them know we referred you!
- If the owner does not have a dedicated website, this step may take a few days to complete. Be patient – it’s worth it!
- If you have not heard back from an owner, contact us and we will follow up with them on your behalf.
- Ask the owner any other questions, such as their cancellation fee, payment schedule, refund policy, etc.
- Unsure about sending payment? Contact us at AlaVHR to double check the information for you.
- Book your vacation and relax! You just saved a ton of money!
A typical vacation that costs around $2500 will add a whopping $300 to $575 in unnecessary fees
You may have heard that you can save a LOT of money by booking directly. What do we mean by “book direct” and why does that save money? Book Direct means you are going directly to the owner or property manager rather than paying one of the “big sites” to book your vacation. When you use one of those “big sites” you are paying “big fees” whether they are itemized for you, built in, or both. Here is an example:
Method | Booking Fee | Commission (Hidden) | Total | Est on $2500 Vacation |
Booking.com | 0% | 15% | 15% | $375 |
AirBnB | 12-18% | 0% | 15%-21% | $300 -$525 |
VRBO | 12-18% | 5% | 17%-23% | $425-$575 |
AlaVHR / Book Direct | 0% | 0% | 0% | $0 |
As you can see, a typical vacation that costs around $2500 will add a whopping $300 to $575 in unnecessary fees. Think of what you could do with all that extra money on your trip! You could treat your family to tickets to OWA, several rounds of golf, experience great restaurants, go parasailing, heck charter a fishing excursion. Doesn’t that sound more fun than paying booking fees???
So why don’t more people book direct? The simple answer is convenience. The big sites make it quick and easy to book – but remember you are paying dearly for that convenience! If you can plan ahead and do a bit of research, you could enjoy so much more on your vacation.
So how exactly do you book direct? Start your search on a trusted site, such as AlaVHR.com, where you can contact owners directly without any of those added fees. You can find owners through Facebook or on Craigslist, but you need to watch out for scammers. Thankfully, on AlaVHR, every owner is verified before their listing goes live so you can feel safe booking with them. In fact, you can even contact our staff if you have concerns before sending money to an owner and we can double check the information. We bring peace of mind to travelers, like you, every day!

Once you find a great match (or two), check to see if this owner has a Book Now button – this will take you to their verified book direct website. There you will be able to see current rates and usually you can even book instantly (just like the big sites!). Not every owner has a dedicated website, in that case, look for the Email Owner button to ask for a quote. Some owners post their rates but lately, more and more owners are using dynamic pricing which makes it difficult to show their rates. Good news! Our website is being upgraded to work with dynamic pricing later next year to make your search even easier!

Have you noticed when you book a hotel or look at airline tickets they have different rates for each day and if you check back tomorrow, the rate may be different than it was today? This is known as “dynamic pricing” and has been quite common in the travel industry for many years. Recently, this technology became available to vacation rental owners as well.

At this time, approximately 50% of our listings display a rate table and about 50% are using dynamic pricing. Because the rates change frequently, we are not able to show the current rates on our website if they are using dynamic pricing. When that happens, you will see a message on our quote calculator to contact the owner for a quote. Some owners will display an overall range for their rates where the higher end is for peak (summer or high demand periods such as festivals) and the lower end is for winter or off-season rates.
In the future, we hope to integrate with those services to bring you more accurate pricing. In the meantime, please submit an inquiry to the owner for a quote. If you do not hear back from the owner within a reasonable time frame, please contact us and we will follow up with the owner to make sure they received your request.
About half of all our owners have a verified “Book Direct” website associated with their account. If you see the “Book Now (Owner Website)” button, you can safely go to their website for an accurate quote and the ability to book instantly, if desired. We have also started adding a listing specific link which will appear just below the photos (not all listings have this enabled yet but you can always use the red “Book Now” button). See image below:

The Alabama Gulf Coast in particular is in very high demand for the summer months. Holding out for a “last minute deal” usually backfires – prices tend to go up (way up!), not down, for last minute openings in June and July. If you are on a budget and your dates are flexible, we have great weather and good rates from mid-April to mid-May and the prices start going down again in mid-August. September is a terrific time to visit – the weather is still warm enough to enjoy the pool and it’s less crowded.
And remember, you are already saving up to 20% just by avoiding those high booking fees and site commissions charged by those “big sites” – your vacation dollar goes farther on AlaVHR! Each listing is individually owned and operated. All owners on AlaVHR are verified. Please contact the owners directly through the website for more information or to book. Good luck and have a wonderful vacation!
Article by Susan Forson, Owner, ALAVHR.com, first published June 29, 2018
How to Spot a Scammer
Vacation rental scams are not new, but they have recently increased in our corner of the world. In July 2018, I received a frantic phone call from a traveler who arrived in Gulf Shores, suitcases in hand, and discovered that her family had been scammed out of their vacation rental. She called me because we have a very active Facebook community where we help connect travelers with vacation rental owners. I helped calm her down, and went through the scenario with her – yes, she had been scammed. It is very difficult to prosecute these scammers but I did encourage her to contact her bank and to file a police report. Fortunately, we were also able to help arrange a legitimate condo for her and her family to stay in. It breaks my heart to hear such stories – and they are becoming all too frequent.
We issue many warnings and reminders in our groups about scammers, but this phone call spurred me to action. I wanted to pull together what we have learned about scammers and make a video that you can share to educate travelers.
The bottom line is that no matter how careful you are, there is no way to prevent scammers from contacting you on Facebook or Craigslist. The best line of defense is to learn when to be suspicious and always choose a payment option that provides fraud protection. We cover all of these topics and even share real life examples from recent scams in our video.
Please take a few moments to learn how to spot a scammer and how to protect yourself – and please share with your friends and family. The examples used in this video were reported to the Scammer Busters group. Travelers may also contact us to ask whether someone has been reported or if you are not sure you are being scammed.
Facebook Profile Tips
- Newly created accounts
- Older accounts with very few photos or activities
- Time stamps have been changed on photos
- Profile and Timeline photos were BOTH recently changed, often at the same time
- Account name does not align with URL version of account
- Friends list not visible
- Many foreign friends, particularly from Nigeria or other English speaking third world countries
- If friends list is not visible, check to see who has “liked” or commented on photos – go back a month or more
- Check which groups they belong to:
- Are there a LOT of vacation rental groups scattered geographically?
- Are they in mostly buy/sell groups?
- What types of links are they sharing? Red flags are rental links from VRBO and AirBnB but the locations are literally all over the world. Click the links – is there any consistency in who is the named owner or property manager?
- Lately Scammers select listings that are through very large property management companies so that it is impossible for you to know whether they are telling the truth.
- Claim to be a realtor – check the company they claim to work with. Many scammers use the same fake company name
- Claim to own their own property managemet company (Their Name Vacation Rentals), plus an “impressive” history of working for other vacation companies, such as AirBnB, VRBO, Vacasa, etc. Some even claim to “work” for AlaVHR!
At Alabama Vacation Home Rentals, we are dedicated to stopping scammers. We verify every owner that lists on our site and never charge booking fees or site commissions. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns before booking with one of our owners.
At AlaVHR.com, we do not collect payments from travelers so you get paid directly. Many owners use PayPal for Business to manage their reservation invoices. It’s actually very easy to set up and use with a few simple steps.
We created a series of three short videos to get you started.
Part 1: Create a Template in PayPal
Part 2: Create an Invoice in PayPal
Part 3: Manage Invoices in PayPal
We are dedicated to helping owners succeed – if you have any questions or need assistance with your listing, please contact us.
Thank you for choosing Alabama Vacation Home Rentals!
Syncing your vacation rentals calendar with Alabama Vacation Home Rentals is quick and easy. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to monitor all your booked dates in one place so you can manage them easily and efficiently. This article will show you how to sync your VRBO, HomeAway, and Airbnb calendars with AlaVHR.
How to Sync Your VRBO/HomeAway or Airbnb Calendar with AlaVHR
Step 1: Open Your AlaVHR Calendar Inside the Owner Dashboard

- Log into your account on AlaVHR.com
- If you are already logged in, click “My Panel” at the upper right corner of the page to open the Dashboard.
- Select “Vacation Rentals” on the left menu
- Then click “Manage Listings/Calendar” to view your listings
- Find the property you would like to sync calendars and click “Calendar”

6. On the “Availability” tab, select “iCal Import” – this is where you will paste the iCal Link from VRBO or AirBnB later

Step 2: Copy Your Calendar Link from the VRBO/HomeAway or Airbnb Owner Dashboard
VRBO/HomeAway Instructions
- Open another tab on your browser and log into your VRBO or HomeAway Owner Dashboard
- Find the property that corresponds to your AlaVHR listing and click “Manage”
- On the drop down menu under Manage, select “Calendar” to see your Reservations Calendar

4. On your Reservations Calendar, click “Import/Export”
5. Choose “Export Calendar” – a window containing the calendar link will appear.
6. Copy the entire link and go back to the corresponding listing inside the AlaVHR Owner Dashboard

Airbnb Instructions
(NOTE: If you have both VRBO and Airbnb calendars, import from the first calendar before starting the second)
- Open another tab on your browser and log into your AirBnB Owner Dashboard
- Find the property that corresponds to your AlaVHR listing and click “Calendar”
- Select “Availability Settings”

4. Scroll down until you see “Sync Calendars” and then choose “Export Calendar” to view your iCal Link
5. Copy the entire link and return to the corresponding Availability tab in the AlaVHR dashboard

Step 3: Sync Your Calendar
- Return to the corresponding listing inside the AlaVHR dashboard, Availability Tab/iCal Import
- Paste your iCal link to the first available “iCal URL” textbox on your AlaVHR Availability dashboard
- Click “iCal Import”
- Calendar will automatically update once per hour
- IMPORTANT: Verify any cancellations or modified reservations update correctly. Contact us if you need assistance.

You have successfully sycned your calendars!
When you receive a booking through AlaVHR, just go to either your VRBO or AirBnB calendar and manually block the dates – it will automatically transfer to the AlaVHR calendar.
If a reservation is not importing correctly, first try to delete the reservation on your AlaVHR calendar, then click “iCal Import” to refresh. If you still experience issues, please contact us and we will be happy to look at it for you.
Do you own vacation rental property in communities near the Alabama-Florida state line? We realize that many guests search this entire area when choosing a vacation rental and we want to make it easier for them to find YOU! That’s why we have teamed up with our sister site in Florida to offer you this EXCLUSIVE deal!
Get double the exposure and all the benefits of being on both sites – for a special low rate!
First, set up your subscription on the regional site for your property.
Alabama Properties – Click Here to Get Started
Florida Properties – Click Here to Get Started
Once you have set up your paid subscription, you will automatically be eligible for a 50% discount on the border site! It’s that simple!
You will also be eligible for all rights and privileges awarded to subscribers on both sites – including social media groups, newsletter exposure and other promotional opportunities.
Properties located in the following areas are currently eligible to participate. If you would like your area to be considered for this special program, please contact the main site for your property.
Orange Beach Area, Alabama
Lillian Area, Alabama
Pensacola Area, Florida
Gulf Breeze/Pensacola Beach Area, Florida
Perdido Key Area, Florida
On the Alabama site, all listings will be available under our Gulf Coast Region.
On the Florida site, all listings will be available under their North West Region.
Occupying slightly less than sixty miles at the edge of the continent, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is more varied than a first-time visitor might imagine. The beaches, less well-known than their Florida counterparts, are less populated with tourists and still look largely as nature intended. The tourists go there, to be sure—tourism is one of the state’s most important industries—but not in the kind of numbers that Florida sees. The result is a stretch of white shoreline dotted with colorful and historic towns in a part of the state that happens to be one of the most biodiverse regions in the United States. And with a culture influenced by French, Spanish, and English settlers as well as African slaves, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is a region not quite like any other.
City Summaries:
The largest city along the Gulf Coast of Alabama is Mobile, a port city located on the Mobile River and Mobile Bay. Founded by the French in 1702, the city’s look and feel is similar to that of New Orleans, but without the raucous elements and with a decidedly more family-friendly vibe. It was actually in Mobile that Mardi Gras began, and it’s still celebrated there, but Mobile’s festivities are definitely PG-rated compared those in New Orleans. In addition to its Mardi Gras celebrations, the city is famous for its springtime azaleas and its seafood, both of which can be found in abundance there.
Gulf Shores is the major tourist destination along the Gulf Coast, and has the most options in terms of accommodations. It’s popular for a reason—the Gulf of Mexico is warm and usually calm here, making it an ideal place for a lazy day by the water. But there’s more to the area than the beach. Nearby Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge offers a taste of what the region was like before development; sea turtles, egrets, and alligators outnumber tourists here. And every year in May, Gulf Shores is home to one of the nation’s most popular live music events, the Hangout Music Fest, which is held right on the beach.
Tourism was slower to develop in nearby Orange Beach, a small town coast. Here, the main attraction is The Wharf—practically a small town in itself—that features a movie theater, plenty of bars and restaurants, a marina, and a beachfront Ferris wheel that offers spectacular views of the water. The Flora-Bama, a bar/entertainment venue/package store straddling the Florida-Alabama line, is a long-time favorite among locals and tourists alike.
For those who really want to escape civilization, the sparsely populated Dauphin Island offers pristine beaches and plenty of opportunities to explore nature, both in and out of the water. The island is also home to one of the state’s leading marine research facilities.
There’s history along the Gulf Coast as well, and lots of it. Marking the entrance to Mobile Bay is Fort Morgan, which was built between 1817 and 1834 to defend the bay. It was near Fort Morgan, during the Battle of Mobile Bay in the Civil War, that Union Admiral David Farragut uttered the famously defiant phrase, “Damn the torpedoes! Full steam ahead!”
Across the bay on Eastern Shore are the cities of Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort. One of the state’s loveliest and quirkiest communities, Fairhope began in 1894 as a “model community.” Today, the city maintains the free spirit that guided its early years and is home to numerous art galleries, boutiques, and the Grand Hotel, a beloved resort that served as a hospital during the Civil War. In recent years, a number of production companies have chosen Fairhope for film locations, most notably for the movie Get Out. Daphne shares some of the laid-back, slightly eccentric qualities of Fairhope. In addition to a variety of shops and excellent restaurants, Daphne is home to “jubilees,” unusual events when masses of fish, shrimp, and crabs become trapped in the shallow waters at the coastline, making easy pickings for anyone hungry for seafood. Spanish Fort, the smallest of the three cities, is home to Blakeley State Park, a Civil War battlefield, as well as the Alabama Oyster Trail.
Things to Do on Alabama’s Gulf Coast:
- See pristine, undeveloped beaches at Gulf State Park
- Get up close with wildlife at Gulf Coast Zoo
- Get a bird’s eye view of the Gulf by parasailing over the water
- Try the Flora-Bama’s signature Bushwacker drink
- Explore some of the area’s shipwrecks, including the LuLu, which is now a marine habitat
- Explore military history at Fort Morgan, Fort Gaines, and the USS Alabama battleship
- Kayak some of the local rivers and bayous
- Try your hand at deep sea fishing
- Have a meal at Lambert’s, a restaurant famous for its “throwed rolls”
- Take a stroll along Gator Alley Boardwalk in Daphne
- Get your camera and take in the scenic views from the Fairhope Pier
- Have dinner at Wintzell’s Oyster House, a Mobile institution
- Try your hand at harvesting oysters in Wolf Bay and Longs Bayou with Sailaway Charters
- Spoil yourself at the Grand Hotel’s indulgent spa
- Try some local brews at Big Beach Brewing Company
- Explore Mobile’s Africatown, a community settled by the last Africans brought into the US
Things to do within 60 miles of the Gulf Coast
- Cross the state line and sample the casinos in Biloxi, Mississippi
- Indulge in some retail therapy at Foley’s Tanger Outlets
- Explore Gulf Islands National Seashore in nearby Perdido Key, Florida
- Take to the skies at the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival each May in Foley
- Aviation buffs should take in a Blue Angels show from Pensacola Beach
- For one of the region’s weirder traditions, check out the Interstate Mullet Toss at the Flora-Bama
- See the South in full bloom at the lovely Bellingrath Gardens
- Nearby Pensacola has a bustling arts scene with numerous museums and live music events
- Get close to nature at the Pascagoula River Audubon Center
- Learn about other cultures at the Pensacola Greek Festival each October
- Witness the Blessing of the Fleet each spring in Bayou La Batre
How to Get to Alabama’s Gulf Coast
- Numerous Southern cities are an easy drive from the Alabama Gulf Coast. The region is easily accessible via Interstate 90 and Interstate 65.
- If you’re coming from farther away, the Gulf Coast is reachable from both Mobile Regional Airport and Pensacola International Airport.
- Numerous taxis and shuttle services operate from the region’s airports and between its cities and resort areas.
Best Times to Go
For most people, summer is the ideal time to enjoy Alabama’s beaches. The beaches are typically their most beautiful in the warm months of summer. The water is warm and calm and it’s when many of the region’s festivals and outdoor events are scheduled. But it’s the peak season, meaning the crowds are larger and prices are higher. Spring is another popular time of year to head to the coast, especially if you prefer warm—but not hot—weather. The coast is a popular place for spring breakers, and it can become crowded in mid-late March through early April.
The off-peak seasons of fall and winter can be surprisingly lovely at the coast. After Labor Day, the crowds gradually diminish, and it’s quite possible to have stretches of the beach to oneself in the cooler months. There is also the added perk of lower prices once summer ends. Alabama’s winters are mild at the coast, meaning that—aside from the occasional hurricane—there really is not bad time to visit.
If you are ready to enjoy more and spend less on your next visit to beautiful Coastal Alabama, check out our website. We offer hundreds of beach houses and condos to fit every size and budget – book directly with Verified Owners and never pay booking fees or site commissions. ALAVHR.com – The site you can trust!