Skip to main content
  • Visitors
  • Meetings
  • Sports
Visitors
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Places to Stay
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Wharf Ferris wheel
    Ten Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
    All Things to Do
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    Hangout Music Festival
    Hangout Music Festival - Event Page
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
    All Events
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
    All Restaurants
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Order a Vacation Guide
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    Gulf Shores, Alabama
    Nine Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Planning Tools
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Teen friends on Sail Wild Hearts in Orange Beach, AL
    Six Teen-Approved Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
    All Blogs
  • Deals
    All Deals
Visitors
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Places to Stay
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Wharf Ferris wheel
    Ten Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
    All Things to Do
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    Hangout Music Festival
    Hangout Music Festival - Event Page
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
    All Events
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
    All Restaurants
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Order a Vacation Guide
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    Gulf Shores, Alabama
    Nine Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Planning Tools
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Teen friends on Sail Wild Hearts in Orange Beach, AL
    Six Teen-Approved Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
    All Blogs
  • Deals
    All Deals
Meetings
  • Home
    All Home
    • Plan Your Conference
    • How Can We Help
    • Why Our Beach
    • Services
    • FAQs
    • Getting Here
    • Restaurants
    • Things to Do
    • Calendar of Events
    All Plan Your Conference
    • All Meeting Spaces
    • Unique Meeting Spaces
    • Accommodations
    All Meeting Spaces
  • Reunions & Weddings
    All Reunions & Weddings
    • Meeting Planner Toolkit
    All Toolkit
    • Connect With Us
    • Submit RFP
    • Subscribe Today
    All Contact Us
  • Stories
    All Stories
Sports
    • All Events
    • Book>Direct
    • Perfect Game World Series
    • Gulf Shores High School
    • Beach Races
    • Orange Beach High School
    All Events & Special Rates
    • All Restaurant Sponsors
    • On-the-Go Dining
    All Restaurants
    • All Attraction Sponsors
    All Attractions
  • Business Sponsors
    All Business Sponsors
  • Facilities
    All Facilities
    • Facility Info
    • Leisure Events
    • Our Services
    • Planner Toolkit
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    All Bring Your Event
  • Sponsors
    All Sponsors
  • Stories
    All Stories

Alabama Beaches – An Easy Drive-in Destination

Selecting a meeting destination that’s easy to get to for the majority of your attendees is one way to help ensure better attendance numbers.

July 28, 2020

Throw in a destination that also offers plenty of pre- and post-conference activities, and you’ve increased your attendance numbers even more. For the triple whammy, make it a family-friendly destination such as the Alabama Gulf Coast and you’re well on your way to earning Meeting Planner of the Year at your organization.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offer all of the above, but when planning a destination meeting, distance to major cities is often one of the top line items on the list. The Alabama Gulf Coast is located within driving distance of most major cities in the southeastern United States. With access to I-65 and I-10, getting here by car is an easy drive. And with the addition of the Baldwin/Foley Beach Express, getting to the beach is even faster than before. The Express bypasses many of the towns along the route to the beach, with only a few traffic lights between your attendees and your meeting.

If your attendees aren’t within a day’s drive, getting here by air is easy thanks to the three airports located nearby. The Mobile Regional Airport offers non-stop flights from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston. Pensacola International Airport offers non-stop flights from Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Washington. The Jack Edwards National Airport in Gulf Shores offers corporate and private jet air services.

Within a Day’s Drive

Atlanta – 5.3 hours
Baton Rouge – 3.6 hours
Biloxi – 1.6 hours
Birmingham – 3.9 hours
Chattanooga – 6.2 hours
Chicago – 13.2 hours
Dallas – 9.2 hours
Houston – 7.4 hours
Huntsville – 5.3 hours
Louisville – 9.1 hours
Memphis – 6.8 hours
Nashville – 6.4 hours
St. Louis – 9 hours

How to Save Time Getting to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

Once you hop off I-65, I-10 or Highway 98, the Gulf Shores Parkway and Beach Express make it easy as key-lime pie to cruise straight down to the beach.

Gulf Shores Orange Beach Logo
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (1323 Posts)
  • https://facebook.com/VisitALBeaches
  • https://twitter.com/VisitAlBeaches

Icon of a hotel
Find Your Perfect Place to Stay
Places to Stay Search Lodging Options
icon of a guide
Where Your Journey Begins
Order a Vacation Guide Order a Free Vacation Guide
Email icon
News from the Coast
Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter Subscribe to Our Enewsletter

Share This

You May Also Like

beach chairs, gulf shores, orange beach

Plan a BIG Meeting While Leaving a SMALL Footprint

Family on the beach in Gulf Shores

Top 5 Family Activities Your Attendees Will Love While on a Workcation at the Beach

Man biking on trails in Gulf Shores, AL

Keep Your Mind and Body Well Here on the Gulf Coast

Meeting in Gulf Shores

Five Tips to Becoming a Confident Speaker

Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge

Top 10 Group Activities That Allow Social Distancing in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

beach bag, gulf shores

How to Pack for a Meeting at the Beach

Order a Vacation Guide Subscribe to our Enewsletter
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Logo
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Trip Ideas
  • Press
  • Partners
  • Responsible Tourism
  • 1-800-745-SAND
  • [email protected]
  • Privacy Policy
  • Linking Policy
  • Employment Opportunities
Copyright 2022 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. All rights reserved.
  • Subscribe to Enews
  • Vacation Guide
  • Chat With Us