There is so much to explore...
The Alabama Gulf Coast has lots of beautiful parks for you to explore and new adventures abound. You’ll find a variety of parks in the area from state parks, nature preserves, wildlife refuges to dog parks. The Jeff Friend trail shown above offers a great walking trail and a place to launch a kayak.
Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier
There is covered seating for the concession area and indoor retail shop with tackle and souvenirs. Signs along the pier...
Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability
The Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability was founded in 2018 to meet an ever-increasing need for outdoor and...
Johnnie Sims Park
Johnnie Sims Park features four baseball/softball fields, a kids park, a skate park with 10 concrete modular skate ramps, and...
Gulf State Park Lake Shelby
If you're looking for a little lakefront beach activity, try basking by Lake Shelby. This 900-acre freshwater lake is perfect...
Meaher State Park
This 1,327-acre park is situated in the wetlands of the Mobile Delta and is a day-use, picnicking and scenic park...
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge encompasses some of Alabama’s last remaining undisturbed coastal habitats. It was established in 1980 to...
Graham Creek Nature Preserve
Graham Creek Nature Preserve is home to hundreds of plant and wildlife species. This 500-acre nature park offering passive recreation...
Gulf Shores Dog Park
The Gulf Shores Dog Park features a large fenced-in green space to accommodate small and large dogs. Seating, waste bag...
Claude Peteet Mariculture Center/Marine Resources Division
The Claude Peteet Mariculture Center has been utilized for many activities since its construction in 1973, including basic and applied...
Wade Ward Nature Park
Wade Ward Nature Park is a public pedestrian access to a pocket of natural wetlands and waterways found in Gulf...
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
This public research and education facility encompasses over 9,000 acres of protected estuarine habitats bordering Weeks Bay and Fish and...
Five Rivers Delta Resource Center
Where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers flow into Mobile Bay stands an incredible facility for outdoor recreation...
USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park
The public is invited to tour the grounds and monuments, utilize the picnic area, fish from the fishing pier, and...
Learning Campus at Gulf State Park
The Learning Campus offers day and overnight programs throughout the year. Our trained field naturalists ensure a fun, educational and...
Hugh S Branyon Backcountry Trail
With twenty-eight miles of walking and hiking trails, Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail takes you through nine separate ecosystems. Located within the boundaries of Gulf State Park, it spans the region from Gulf Shores to Orange Beach. From flat pine woods to coastal hardwood swamps, you’ll find a wondrous diversity of plant and animal life. You might even run across Lefty the Alligator or one of his cousins basking in the sun, so take along a camera.
Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge
With a network of hiking trails, the Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge part of Alabama's Coastal Connection, provides a look into the natural habitat of regional plants and animals. Explore the seasonal homes of migrating songbirds. Catch a glimpse of endangered species like sea turtles and the Alabama sea mouse. Available guided walks combine education with the park's astounding natural beauty.
Wade Ward Nature Park
Wade Ward Nature Park's boardwalk trail allows you to explore this unique wetlands ecosystem up close. Connecting Little Lagoon with Lake Shelby, the park is home to diverse wildlife, including otters, pelicans and alligators. Wherever you choose to explore, whichever path you hike, the beauty of the coastal Alabama backcountry will fill you with awe.
Alabama’s Coastal Connection
Discover 130 miles of scenic beauty on Alabama’s southern tip,surrounded by sunshine, history, culture, unspoiled natural areas and southern hospitality where the Deep South meets the beach. Over 10,000 years ago, Pre-Mississippian Native American cultures lived here before the first Europeans arrived in 1702. They began a rich history that grew under the Spanish, French and English, and more recently under the Confederate and American flags. Learn the story behind the famous words from the Battle of Mobile Bay “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! Although much of the area is still farmed, when the rich soil gives way to white sands, watermen gather bountiful seafood. Outdoor recreational opportunities abound in Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and arts and culture blooms in the breathtaking Bellingrath Gardens.
Birder’s Paradise
Winding through Mobile and Baldwin counties, the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail is a genuine bird watcher’s paradise. Fifty birding sites along the trails and an abundance of perennial and migrating bird residents offer unparalleled viewing opportunities. You'll see a multitude of Gulf Coast bird species from Peregrine falcons to colorful songbirds and waterfowl of every description. It will take more than one visit to see it all, so plan to spend some time here.
Outdoor History Sites
If you're looking for a historic angle on your outdoor adventure, tour Fort Morgan. This AL state historic site was used to protect Mobile Bay during the Civil War, it remained in service until after World War II. Another popular site is the Historic Oakleigh House Museum, which provides a look into the daily life of another era. Continuously in use for more than a hundred and eighty years, the Greek Revival house is a superb example of historic preservation.
Combine history with nature as you visit Historic Blakely Park State Park on the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. Part of Alabama's Coastal Scenic Connection Byway, the park’s ten miles of boardwalk trails allow you to explore nature and the history of the region. Sightings of eagles, black bears and alligators are a bonus that you won’t find at many historic sites.