Orange Beach is a small town on the Gulf Coast in Alabama. You can enjoy hot summers in the area, though it can also be affected by hurricanes between June and November causing severe thunderstorms and flooding on the shore. You do not have to spend a lot of money to enjoy your vacation in Orange Beach, as many of the attractions are free or cheap.
Beaches
The main attractions in Orange Beach are the beaches themselves, free to use any day of the year at any time. At Florida Point, you can find a sheltered spot in the sand dunes for a picnic or just enjoy the views of the ocean while Cotton Bayou is a smaller, busier beach with more activity. Both have many amenities including parking, restrooms and outdoor showers. Romar Beach is a little way out of the town and is a much quieter stretch of sand. Currently, the beach has no amenities, but plans are in progress for the building of restrooms and showers.
Nature Trails
The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry trail takes around 2 hours to complete and winds its way around Orange Beach to the Gulf State Park. The trail is suitable only for hikers and bicycles. You can also take a 2-hour tour on a covered electric cart with a local guide learning about the local wildlife as you travel. Ornithologists will enjoy spending time by the shore watching pelicans diving for fish or blue heron flying across the bay in the evening.
Ride the Wheel
The Wharf is a resort within Orange Beach that is expensive to stay in, but free to walk around. The center has shops, a marina with bars and restaurants and a 112-foot Ferris wheel. You can hire bicycles to get you around, try fishing from the pier or play a game at the public golf course by booking online. The Ferris wheel gives you a great view along the coast, and the resort's amphitheater hosts live music concerts most weekends.
Public Facilties
The town has many public facilities that are reasonably priced, mainly aimed at locals but tourists are welcome, too. The town's outdoor aquatics center features an Olympic-sized pool and offers swimming lessons and aqua aerobics classes. The local tennis center is open to all, as are the facilities at the Sportsplex on the outskirts of the town. Young people are welcome to join in the soccer and softball games that happen there weekly. The town's arts center in the historic Campbell House holds classes in various crafts as well as hosting musical and dramatic performances by local groups.
Local Museum
The Orange Beach Indian and Sea Museum celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010 and is open every Tuesday and Thursday. It is possible to book group visits at other times by prior arrangement. The building on John Snook Drive has housed the museum since 1999 and was built in 1910 as a schoolhouse. Exhibits include items donated by local fishing families and artifacts relating to Native American history. Parking and disabled access are available at the free museum, and you can pick up a souvenir at the small gift shop.
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