Does the beach call your name? Start planning your trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach today! “It`s really a place where kids meet,” said Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon. “It`s much easier for us to control when they`re spread out on the beach instead of being in that one area.” Alabama`s beaches are known for being safe and clean getaways for families. To protect our environment and local wildlife, the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach launched the “Leave Only Footprints” initiative many years ago. Through the LOF program, both cities have introduced simple and easy-to-follow rules and regulations on beaches. Learn more about how you can help us keep our beautiful beaches clean and safe for years to come by leaving only footprints. Although we recommend leaving the above things behind during your trip to the beach, here are some things that are allowed on our beaches. This regulation still exists today, although annual decisions are needed to set when alcohol will be banned on beaches. Media covering the Panama City Beach area suggest that the city saw an increase in visitors in 2021, without the hooliganism of past years. For the sixth year in a row, the city council will move in that direction, voting Monday to introduce a ban on alcohol possession for all beachfront properties within the city limits. The ban does not apply to beach houses and condominiums, but it covers the entire beach approximately south of the sand dunes. Perhaps the most recognizable features of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are the 32 miles of white-sand beaches that stretch along the coast.
COVID-19 updates: All public and private beaches along the Alabama Gulf Coast, including Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and the Fort Morgan Peninsula, will open at 5 p.m. on April 30. Anyone using the beach must keep a distance of 6 feet from other people, except those in your own cleaning group. Groups are limited to a maximum of 10 people. Normal use of the beach – chairs, umbrellas, etc. – is allowed. Total spending by spring travellers has increased in recent years. The average visitor to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach spent $1,926 on accommodation, meals, shopping and entertainment during their spring stay in 2021, up from $1,558 in 2018. All items left on the beach overnight or discarded before sunrise will be discarded by patrol teams. For more beach rules and regulations, visit the City of Gulf Shores website and Leave Only Footprints.
The following is regulated by local, state or federal laws or regulations enforced on our beaches. Responsible enjoyment of our coastline ensures a more positive experience and helps ensure the safety of all our visitors and the sustainability of our natural resources. Pack beach chairs, pick up beach toys, fold and transport the tent and recycle or dispose of all garbage in a designated container. All abandoned items will be removed to protect our beaches, local wildlife and the many visitors we want to enjoy on our clean coastline for generations to come. If you are planning your visit to our pristine beaches, you may be wondering what I can bring? During your vacation at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, please remember that the following items are not allowed on our beaches. Since 2016, the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores require you to remove all your belongings from the beach one hour after sunset. To keep Gulf Shores` public beaches safe and clean, certain regulations are enforced by the city. These simple rules facilitate family spaces and will help preserve our pristine beaches in the future.
We recommend that you read these rules before visiting Gulf Shores so that there are no surprises during your vacation. “We`ve seen a significant improvement in alcohol-related crime,” Gulf Shores Police Lt. Bill Cowen told the Gulf Shores City Council this week. “It has decreased significantly (the number of crimes has decreased) and the garbage on the beach.” “I remember to this day we saw a huge thug party there,” said Grant Brown, director of recreation and cultural affairs at Gulf Shores. “We had five to six policemen trying to take control. It was a dangerous situation for law enforcement and for children. It is generally dangerous for bathers to be exposed to it. So what was the year that an emergency council meeting was called and this bylaw was passed? He said sporting events such as softball tournaments have brought larger groups and families to the beaches. We all love our beach and each of us has a responsibility to protect and preserve it. The cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores strive to provide a safe, clean and family-friendly environment for all visitors. For more information on the Leave Only Footprints campaign, please visit CleanIsland.org for tips on how to enjoy our coastline responsibly, as well as rules, regulations and resources.
The incident underscored the problems of this year`s spring break, when large gatherings of college-age students on the beaches prompted the city of Gulf Shores to call an emergency meeting and impose a sweeping ban on alcoholic beverages on the city`s beaches for the duration of the break. Please contact us if you have any questions about Gulf Shores beach rules or planning your vacation. Gulf Shores Public Beach, Alabama (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com). Joe Thinker | jsonger@al.com “Our region has always focused on families first, whether it`s spring, summer or fall break on our beaches,” said Beth Gendler, President and CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “We support our cities` efforts to provide our guests with safe and enjoyable vacations year-round.” Nearby Orange Beach, where the lion`s share of the beachfront property is lined with condos, city officials have not issued similar bans. But the city plans to close part of Perdido Pass Beach during spring break, which city officials first approved last year. Gulf Shores isn`t the only beach town that continues to ban alcohol on beaches during spring break. Panama City Beach, the epicenter of spring break recalcitrance until emergency restrictions were approved in 2015, will maintain its ban on alcohol on its beaches in March. The sale of alcohol is prohibited between 2 and 7 a.m. Brown said the city could not impose a selective pause, meaning it could not target specific schools with a reputation for being a “party college.” He also said the city could not issue an ordinance to exempt residents or non-university students.
“You can`t say these people are great, but these other people can be a problem,” Brown said. “We know that some universities tend to party than others, but we don`t use specific schools to start or not start (the ban). We cannot discriminate against certain universities. Most schools will have spring break in March, although some schools in Louisiana will start in April. Every day, small decisions make a big difference in reducing personal impact on the environment. The Orange Beach City Campaign and the “Leave Only Footprints” campaign encourage everyone to incorporate these simple green practices into their lives. From shopping to food, going green and defending our sand doesn`t have to be difficult or expensive. Reggie Pulliam, an insurance agent for Gulf Shores, has criticized the bans in the past.
He said he still felt uncomfortable with them, although “as a parishioner with a family, I can now emphasize with the choices that it remains a family community.” Six years ago, on March 17, 2016, a Texas Spring Breaker fired a soccer ball into a large crowd of revellers at the police. The ban is considered “positive” for the city and has significantly reduced the number of arrests. During the week of March 12-18, 2016, the city`s police registered 288 criminal complaints, most of which involved underage drinking. The number of arrests fell to 173 during the entire spring break period in 2017 and remained uncharged a year later, to 175 in 2018.