If you're like me you've probably never realized there are beaches in America that share the same body of water as many tropical destinations in the Caribbean. I learned this one evening when a quick google search on a quiet night in early June opened up a whole realm of road trip possibilities for myself and my family, and a couple weeks later we were headed to Orange Beach to swim in the Gulf of Mexico.
I had just gotten off of a family cruise vacation, with an itch for the beach that hadn't been fully scratched. usually when we travel we like to spend days on the beach, but our cruise destination, didn't really allow for that this time around. I will save my post about the lackluster beaches of Cozumel for another time, but lets just say after visiting them, we needed a real beach-stat! "Where can we go that's cheap and easy" I asked my husband one night post-cruise "I need a beach in my life". After looking into Puerto Rico, the various areas around Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, and Florida, we landed on Orange Beach Alabama. Oh, and we wouldn't be flying, in order to save funds, we were gonna hit the road!
A couple weeks later, my husband, and our three children (Esther 6, my step-daughter Peyton 7, and my son August 10 months) had packed up our brand new Ford Explorer and were ready to go. We hopped in and headed to Orange Beach by way of Memphis Tennessee, but not before stocking up on plenty of snacks and water from Meijer the night before! We made our way to Memphis at 6am Monday July 1st, and arrived in Orange Beach on the 2nd after spending 1 night in Memphis. When taking a road trip, I highly recommend breaking up the time. I don't want to imagine how my kids would feel in a 14 hour car ride. My suggestion is not to go over 8 hours in one stretch if possible.
On the way to Orange Beach I had no idea what to expect. As a Black family, I was concerned about whether we would feel welcome on what has been described by some as the "redneck riviera". What I discovered upon arrival is that Orange beach was as diverse as downtown Chicago, and twice as nice when it came to politeness and manners. There really is something about southern hospitality that just warms the soul! I certainly didn't expect this kind of treatment when we initially decided on Orange Beach, and if you have a family, I highly recommend you experience it for yourself. Everyone was quite literally sooooo nice- I don't think I opened a door for myself all week, not to mention the warm smiles and friendly conversation. "I see you've discovered our little secret" crooned a woman in line at the grocery store.
5 Things To Know Before You Go
Orange Beach is Family Friendly. Within the city of Orange beach you will find water parks, arcades, shops and restaurants, bowling alley's, and movie theaters! Even on a rainy day there is plenty to do and see. My family especially loved the time we spent riding the rides inside the park at OWA and also the VR games at Adventure Island. There are also excursions you can do such as dolphin cruises, fishing trips, sunset cruises, and more! (Check out a full-list of recommended entertainment below).
The beach is full of active nature. Expect to see tiny fish, crabs, and even dolphins if you wake up early enough to catch them!
You do not have to break the budget on a hotel. We stayed at the Sleep Inn, and had a wonderful time. My children loved the pool area, the people we met, and the free waffles every morning. Orange Beach is a great place to relax and relive stress, you don't have to stay at the Ritz Carleton to have a great time here. Find a hotel on Perdido Blvd, read the hotel reviews before you go, and book a room!
The food is amazing. From Southern Soul to Fresh Seafood, you must budget for eating out at least a couple nights while in Orange Beach. Our favorite was Moe's BBQ.
Leave your stress behind. Orange Beach exudes a laid back and relaxed vibe, if you can align with that then you will have a great time.
Orange Beach has a quaint charm that doesn't take itself too seriously. The people there know that they've got it going on, but they let you discover it for yourself. I'm so glad we visited Orange beach, and hope you get a chance to visit there someday too! As for road tripping, we're already planning our next one...
Best Orange Beach Entertainment
https://visitowa.com/explore/park-at-owa/
https://www.adventure-island.com/
https://fatdaddysarcade.com/locations/orange-beach/
https://www.thewormholevr.com/
https://kaydenscandyfactory.com/
https://watervilleusa.com/
https://alwharf.com/
Where to Stay