Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, on the turquoise-blue Gulf Coast waters of Alabama, offer a variety of lodging, hotel and camping accommodations. Orange Beach is relatively small with 3,784 residents, as of the 2000 Census, but the city fills with visitors seeking vacations on sandy white beaches.
Varieties
Orange Beach and its neighboring city, Gulf Shores, feature both locally owned and nationally owned hotel chains, as well as condo rentals and beach houses. The accommodations are primarily grouped around the water, the Orange Beach Sportsplex and state parks. The Gulf Coast is great for meetings or corporate retreats, because of the volume of hotels and centers that can accommodate up to 800 participants, according to the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. There are also beaches, golf courses, fishing charters and other attractions for evenings or free days.
Hotel Lodging
National hotel chains include Sleep Inn, Staybridge Suites, Best Western and Courtyard Marriott, as of summer 2010. The Beachside Resort Hotel advertises itself as "affordable," with a $79 rate per night, double occupancy. It's one of a string of hotels across the street from the beach, but features a swimming pool, a sun deck and a short drive to Orange Beach. The Best Western on the Beach, is "an award-winning, three-diamond beach hotel" located directly on the beach, according to the chain. The hotel features gulf-front rooms, private balconies, and indoor and outdoor pools. A room for two with a king-size bed was $120 per night, as of summer 2010.
Campground Lodging
There are several campgrounds for RVs, camper trailers and tents, in private campgrounds near the marina, in state parks, in family-owned parks near the beach and national chains. Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are magnets for outdoor lovers, and accommodating visitors is a local industry. Most of the parks offer all the amenities campers have come to expect: water and electrical hookups, camp store and recreation room, free cable TV, swimming pools, laundry facilities and hot showers, playgrounds and free wireless Internet. Many parks also offer cabin rentals.
Condo Lodging
There are several agencies that connect visitors to vacation condos in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama, as well as condo communities themselves. The condos include timeshares, and maybe two to three bedrooms, kitchen, sun porch, small yard, and all the comforts of home on the beach, according to the Visitor's Bureau.
Outdoor Activities
You can swim for free in Gulf State Park located less than half a mile east of the Perdino Pas Bridge. Explore 6,000 feet of sandy beach, dunes and boardwalks. There are also public restrooms, outdoor showers and picnic areas. The park also offers free parking, but it's a "bit of a walk" from the lot to the water, across the dunes, "so, pack lightly and focus on the simple pleasures," according to the Visitor's Bureau. The bureau lists a dozen public parks and beaches, with hiking trails through palmetto trees and Spanish moss, to lagoons, boat launches and boardwalks great for running.
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