You won't find any orange groves in Orange Beach anymore. The citrus fruit that gave the town its name hasn't been grown there since the winter freezes of the 1920s wiped out the crop. The orange industry was slowly replaced by one with a healthier outlook in the region: tourism. Today, Orange Beach is a haven for beachcombers, boaters, anglers and naturalists alike, all of whom come to vacation along this short stretch of the Alabama Gulf Coast, mostly in the non-winter months.
Lay of the Land
- You can't talk about Orange Beach without mentioning Gulf Shores. These side-by-side beach resort towns share a convention and visitor's bureau and are alike in all ways except for one: Orange Beach has a lot more shoreline because it sits on a large peninsula. Along with miles of Gulf-front property like Gulf Shores, Orange Beach also faces the bayous and back bays and has boat access to the Gulf through Perdido Pass. Accommodations are similar in both places -- lots of vacation rental houses, chain hotels and high-rise condo buildings. The restaurant scene focuses heavily on fresh, local seafood at places ranging in ambiance from "swimsuits welcome" to more upscale casual dining.
Eco-Exploring
- Not everyone comes to Orange Beach strictly for fun on the sand. Nature beyond the beach is a big draw to the area. Gulf State Park has spring-fed lakes and miles of backcountry trails through secondary dune fields and a maritime scrub forest. The state park has cabins for rent and two campgrounds. The bayous and back bays are prime dolphin-watching, birding and paddling spots. Many companies in the area provide guided nature tours for eco-exploring adventures on the water; two such providers are Sailaway Charters and Cetacean Cruises.
Boating and Fishing
- When anglers come to the Alabama Gulf Coast, Orange Beach is a common embarkation point because of the number of marinas with charters on the bay providing easy access to the Gulf of Mexico. Even boaters who aren't interested in fishing come for the same reason. Orange Beach is also where you'll find uninhabited Robinson Island and Bird Island in the bay near the top of Perdido Pass. Both islands are protected bird habitats where boaters are allowed to gather offshore and anchor down in the clear, shallow waters to relax in a pristine setting.
From East to West
- In the early 1960s the Alabama state line was extended east a couple of miles onto Perdido Key. A divided Perdido Key led to the creation of the Flora-Bama Lounge, Package & Oyster Bar. The blue laws that created the need for a state line bar and liquor store in the 1960s are now obsolete, but the Flora-Bama lives on. No visit to the area is complete without a visit to this roadside beach bar, honored in song by native son Jimmy Buffett. If legendary dive bars don't do it for you, head to the western edge of the city limits to the Wharf, a much larger, modern family-friendly complex on the Intracoastal Waterway with a huge marina and plenty of shopping, dining and entertainment options.
