Nature & Outdoors

Apart from the sugar-white sand and turquoise waves, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are known for its uniquely diverse ecosystems and wildlife. From the rare pitcher plants at Weeks Bay Reserve to the threatened and endangered species living in Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama’s Gulf Coast has sights you won’t find anywhere else. Each spring and fall welcomes very special guests - multiple species of migratory birds and the Monarch butterfly – as they make their way north or south.

Alabama’s Gulf State Park sits on 6,000 protected acres comprised of 9 different ecosystems which families can learn about through kid-friendly interactive exhibits at the Interpretive Center. As Alabama’s most environmentally friendly building, the Interpretive Center produces its own clean water and electricity, received full Living Building Challenge certification and is on its way to becoming certified LEED Platinum. Visitors can visit the Nature Center as well to learn about the Park’s wildlife from a team of expert naturalists. The Gulf State Park Pier is currently undergoing extensive renovations to improve accessibility and experience for all visitors.

The newly built Learning Campus at Gulf State Park provides a space for group to learn in-depth about the nature and wildlife of coastal Alabama. With a large meeting space, indoor and outdoor classrooms, a laboratory, on-site dining and accommodation spaces, it is the perfect place for camps, retreats, meetings and more. The state-of-the-art facility has been chosen as the headquarters for Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Future Society’s newest Ambassadors of the Environment program.