Best Beaches in Alabama

Alabama beaches offer its visitors a wide range of beaches, each with its own unique characteristics. Since there are so many beaches to choose from in Alabama, it is recommended that you plan ahead and research the best beaches that are near your location.

Below is a list of cities in Alabama that we have beach information on:

While beaches located in the northern part of Alabama are mostly along rivers and lakes, the beaches along the Gulf Coast are well known and visited by thousands of beachgoers each year. These beaches line along Mobile Bay and Bon Secour Bay, and can be easily accessed from Mobile, or Pensacola. Some of Alabama’s most popular beaches include:

  • Gulf Shores Public Access Beaches
  • Lagoon Pass Beach
  • Cotton Bayou
  • Alabama Point East
  • North Beach Park

Gulf Shores Public Access Beaches

These beaches can be found where Highway 59 ends and are organized by the North/South street names that are behind the beaches. There are plenty of excellent restaurants along Gulf Shores including some of the best seafood that can be found in all of Alabama. If you want to get away from the beach for a bit, head on over to Shelby Lakes and the Gulf State Park, where you can find a nature center, plenty of walking trails, and bike rentals.

Lagoon Pass Beach

Little Lagoon Pass Beach lies along a shallow waterway that connects Little Lagoon to the Gulf. Located 2.9 miles west of Highway 59, this beach has toilets, a fishing pier, outdoor showers, and fountains on site for visitors. Paid parking can be found along its northeastern side near Lee Callaway Bridge where $5 will get you up 4 hours or $10 for all day parking.

Cotton Bayou Beach

Cotton Bayou Beach is a small beach located on the Gulf of Mexico in Southern Alabama at the intersection of Highway 161 and Highway 182. The 4 mile long beach is one of the few public beaches in this area and is open year round for public use. Cotton Bayou Beach contains 18 life guarded areas which are roped off from the non life guarded areas. Free public parking is available along with showers and restrooms.

Alabama Point East Beach

Alabama Point East Beach has been named one of America’s best beaches by The Weather Channel due to its expansive sand dunes. It is a public beach on the Black Warrior River in Alabama, and is a part of the Alabama Point Coastal Plain Unit of the Gulf Coastal Plain. The area consists of an unspoiled dune and swale system with very rich flora and fauna diversity. The beach got its name from being the landform closest to the eastern shore of Mobile Bay. It is entirely within the corporate limits of the town of Wilmer, Alabama and is bordered by a public park.

North Beach Park

A quiet neighborhood beach, North Beach Park Beach is the perfect beach for anyone who enjoys tubing, boating or fishing. Stop by in the off season to walk the short beach or to stop by the Fairhope Duck Pond – a great activity for the kids! Picnic tables, a pavilion, and restrooms are available at this small but excellent beach just outside of Mobile.