Best Beaches in Alabama For Families

Headed to Alabama for a beach vacation with your kids? You won’t be disappointed! With soft, ivory sands and warm turquoise waters of the Gulf, the stunning beaches along its sun-drenched coastline are just waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re on the hunt for a spot with action-packed fun or a peaceful escape, you’re sure to find bliss at these best beaches in Alabama for families!

Alabama Point East

Don’t miss the opportunity to set your flip-flops and towel on this stunning stretch of sand just east of Perdido Pass Bridge if you’re on a beach vacation in Alabama! Protected from bigger waves, the clear and calm water make Alabama Point East one of the best beaches for kids.

After swimming, you can explore the sand dunes, try some fishing or just watch charter boats go in and out of the bay as you relax on the white sands with your family. The sea oats habitat at this beach -alternatively known as Florida Point Beach- is great to observe a variety of shorebirds too.

Availability of restrooms, outdoor showers, picnic areas, and boardwalks ensure that this is an easy place to have fun. If you tire of the beach, head to Branyon Backcountry Trail nearby. Jog or pedal the trails that take you through the timeless beauty of nine distinct ecosystems!

Cotton Bayou Public Beach – Orange Beach

When looking for the best Alabama beaches for families, this coast in Orange Beach is a popular choice where you can enjoy some shoreline zen on the soft white sands while the children romp in the water.

The clear water is perfect for swimming, but you can go paddleboarding and surf-fishing too. To observe marine life, join a cruise and get up close and personal with dolphins. Don’t miss the spectacle of the sun going down over the Gulf of Mexico!

With an array of on-site facilities such as free parking, boardwalks that allow easy beach access, restrooms, and outdoor showers, this white sandy beach in Alabama is easily a family-friendly retreat. To ramp up your fun, visit the Adventure Island Amusement Park. Not only fun-filled rides for all age groups, but it is also home to a giant volcano that comes alive with fire and sound as it erupts!

Gulf Shores Public Beach

Be sure to load up the whole gang and hit this beach if you’re looking for the best family beaches in Alabama. Turquoise waters frame vibrant white sands at this popular shoreline that offers tons of family activities in the Gulf Shores.

Play beach volleyball. For water-based pursuits, go kayaking or jet skiing. Take your senses for an exhilarating ride above the sparkling Gulf of Mexico with a parasailing excursion. Spend the day lazing in your beach chair just soaking up the sun, or build sandcastles with your kids. The choices are endless!

Away from the water, the recreation zone at The Track offers fun for all ages and is a staple for many vacationing families with kids. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is another fun option.

This clear water beach in Alabama is not only beautiful, but very convenient too thanks to its amenities such as restrooms, showers, picnic areas, and open-air pavilions. Parking is available for a small fee.

Gulf State Park

Swing by this white sandy beach in Gulf Shores if you’re looking for one of the best beaches in Alabama for families! This is the perfect place to laze on the sun-kissed sands or splash in the water with your kids, go swimming, or paddleboarding. The intrepid can try parasailing too!

Known for best pier fishing on the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf State Park Pier also offers extraordinary opportunities to reel in a variety of fish. For a tranquil experience, head to Lake Shelby within the park where you can swim, kayak, or fish at the lake. Make a day of it and have a picnic with your family in the picnic area.

Children can learn about the local flora and fauna at the Nature Center. Cap off your day by hiking or biking the many nature trails that weave throughout the park. To add an element of excitement, take a Segway tour of the park. Even your teens can join you in the fun!

Fairhope Beach

Located just off Mobile Bay, Fairhope is one of the best family beaches in Alabama. This spot is quiet and pretty clean and has minimal waves making it a perfect place to swim, especially for children.

Nature lovers will be entranced by the 450-plus species of trees along the Beach Tree Trail at the adjacent North Beach Park while kids are sure to be engaged for hours in the immersive playground equipment and the duck pond.

Fairhope beach is also one of the only two places in the world to witness the unique jubilee phenomenon when all kinds of marine life wash ashore in droves in search of oxygen-rich water! The 1448-foot-long Fairhope Municipal Pier located next to the beach is a must-visit for panoramic views of Mobile Bay and angling opportunities.

May Day Park Daphne

One of the secluded kid-friendly beaches in Alabama, May Day Park in Daphne is a beautiful snapshot of nature on Mobile Bay. Majestic, moss-covered oaks offer an abundance of shade down the gently sloping bluff that ends at the shore.

You can stroll the small sandy beach with your kids or get out on the water with a boat. After a morning of activity, enjoy a picnic at one of the picnic tables then head over to the public pier to drop a fishing line.

Sweeping views of Mobile Bay are complimentary! Along with the convenience of free parking, this beach is equipped with amenities such as restrooms, a playground and a boardwalk that leads down to the bay. Best of all, your furry friend can accompany you making this spot a great choice for those who look for pet-friendly beaches in Alabama!

West End Public Beach – Dauphin Island

Blue water and alabaster sand converge in pristine perfection at this veritable oasis, perched at the western end of Dauphin Island. With the parking entrance right by the beach, kids don’t have to walk much to get into the water. This feature coupled with shallow, calm water and fewer crowds, this quiet Alabama beach safe and ideal for a trip with the kids.

You can relax on the sand, build sand sculptures with your children or look for shells and other beach treasures. They are plentiful! On-site bathrooms, outdoor showers, a food vendor, and chair rentals are also available to make your stay here comfortable.

What makes this place really memorable, though, is the breathtaking sunset. Catch a sunset, and you’ll know why Dauphin Island is called “Sunset Capital of Alabama!” Need a break from the beach? No worries! Historic Fort Gaines takes you back in time while the Estuarium introduces you to over 100 species of aquatic fauna.

Fort Morgan Beach

Look no further than Fort Morgan Beach for a quieter alternative to the buzzing beaches in Alabama. At the tip of Fort Morgan peninsula on Mobile Point, this beach surrounds a historic fort from the early 1800s.

You can immerse yourself in history with a guided tour of the fort and exhibits in the on-site museum. Kids will enjoy the hands-on history lesson about the significance of this star-shaped behemoth in the Battle of Mobile Bay.

After the interesting tour, parents can lounge on the sugar-white sands while the little ones frolic in the surf, but you can go swimming, boating and fishing too. For more action, hike the nature trails at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Home to a treasure trove of avian species, this place is also a birding paradise. With something for everyone, this beautiful oceanfront makes for a wonderful family beach getaway in Alabama!

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