10 Non-Beach Things To Do in Gulf Shores

With so many things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, it’s no secret most things that instantly come to mind involve the white sand beaches of Alabama’s Coast. But sometimes, having your toes in the water and ass in the sand (I really hope y’all get that reference, if not, Google it) just isn’t what you want to do all. day. long. Don’t get us wrong, no Gulf Shores vacation is complete without tons of beach time, but sometimes, you just need something MORE!

This little town has so much more to offer than just beautiful sand and serene waves crashing. We’re sharing some of our favorite non-beach things to do in Gulf Shores that don’t involve having any sand in your butt!

Things To Do in Gulf Shores

Dolphin Kayaking Tour

Our Dolphin Kayak Tour with Coastal Kayak Excursions will probably go down as one of our favorite “excursions” we’ve ever done while on a beach vacation. On our first trip to Gulf Shores, we booked a dolphin kayaking cruise for sunset and the rest is history. Okay, not quite. We knew (before even leaving for the trip) it’d be good to do a few things that did not involve the beach. With a little research, we found Coastal Kayak Tours.

Being able to kayak with dolphins in Gulf Shores was such a unique experience and one we certainly won’t forget anytime soon! Be sure to check out Coastal Kayak Excursions’ Instagram to see some incredible videos of how up-close and personal you get with the dolphins, in their natural habitat!

Things to do in Gulf Shores

Eat all the food

There are so many great restaurants in Gulf Shores. There’s a reason it’s been voted one of the best beach towns in the US for food. It’s also one of the reasons we choose to get married there (duh).

If you’re looking for some of the best food in Gulf Shores, be sure to check out our post on the Best Restaurants in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, it’ll have your mouth watering.

Visit The Wharf Orange Beach

When it comes to things to do in Orange Beach, there’s no shortage! The Wharf alone has SO. MUCH. TO. DO. Easily the best shopping in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach!

Zip-lining

It’s what all the cool kids are doing…. right? The massive zip-lining course at The Wharf is one of the biggest we have seen (that isn’t in the middle of a rainforest). It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but is one of the most adrenaline packed things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, right behind parasailing, but this post is 100% sand free, so pretend we didn’t say that!

Dining

Because, food. There are no more reasons than this. The food at The Wharf in Orange Beach is delicious. We loved grabbing a cheese plate at Ginny Lane before heading over to Fusion Spa Salon to prep for my bridal portraits.

Things to do in Gulf Shores

Shopping

This is probably the most dense shopping area that isn’t 100% souvenir shops in the area. This area is slightly reminiscent of the shopping area in Seaside, FL (yep, I said it), but has tons of great, local shops, with super sweet owners! We always recommend visiting here in the middle of the day, after lunch time, when the area isn’t as busy.

Play Bazooka Ball

Not even sure how this crazy sport (and it’s definitely a sport) came to be. But we sure are glad it did.

On the morning/ day of our wedding, we needed an activity for all of the guys to do that didn’t involve more eating and definitely did not involve more drinking. Somehow Bazooka Ball was discovered – located at The Wharf, inside Arena The Next Level this game is played with “guns” loaded with CO2 and soft foam balls. Imagine paintball or air-soft, without the pain or mess and scored similarly to laser tag. If you’re looking for a fun indoor activity in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, this is definitely it.

We’ve gone back multiple times to play and it only gets better!

Things to do in Gulf Shores

Visit Waterville

If you’re sick of salt water and sand up your butt or you happen to be in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach on a day swimming isn’t allowed on the beaches, but still want all fun in the sun, there’s only one Gulf Shores waterpark for you – Waterville USA! And it should probably be on your list of things to do next. Waterville is less than 10 minutes from the beach and will provide you all the fun in the sun you’re looking for.

Check out OWA

This amusement park near Gulf Shores is absolutely awesome. Not only is it packed with roller coasters, but there is also tons of great spots to eat as well as a waterpark! It’s a short drive away from the beach, but definitely worth the drive over!

Shop at Souvenir City

From our very first visit, this souvenir shop was our favorite. I can not confirm it is because they have a giant shark coming out of the building that you have to enter through, but yes, that’s probably 99% of the reason why. Not only do they have super reasonable prices on all things Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, but they also have a pretty cool montage of photos documenting the damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

Things to do in Gulf Shores

Whether you’re all good to spend all day on the white sand during your next Gulf Shores vacation or you’re dying to explore more of the area, we hope this list sparks something inside to get out and enjoy everything this beautiful area has to offer!

Things to do in Gulf ShoresThings to do in Gulf Shores

Things to do in Gulf Shores

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19 comments

  1. We live so close to Alabama and have wanted to go to the Gulf Shore for a while now! The Dolphin Kayaking Tour sounds fantastic, It sounds like my dream come true!I love theme parks too so I must visit OWA. Thank you so much for sharing this guide as it gives me even more reason to visit the Gulf Shores in Alabama.

  2. “Eat all the food” LOL! Traveling to a destination with great dining options really makes all the difference in the world for my travels. Thanks for the great tips!

  3. I’m not sure what zip-lining is. Is it a flying fox? Anything with dolphins is a huge attraction for me, so would love it here I’m sure. And food is always one of the best things to explore anywhere.

  4. I haven’t really been to Alabama, just through it. Looks like there are lots of great things to do in Gulf Shores – definitely will keep it in mind next time we are headed that way!

  5. Thanks for sharing 10 activities to do in the Gulf Shores that are non-beach activities. Your post has all the activities I like from kayaking to ziplining. I’m glad to hear you had an outstanding experience because I know I would when I visit.

  6. I’m definitely willing to be a part of any travel adventure where food is a highlight – LOL! I’ve been to Alabama, but only for two days. I knew there was a “beachier” part, but didn’t know what it was called and so it was very hard to research. I’m so glad I was able to see your post and thus can use this is a guide for when I visit.

  7. What a fun place to visit! We did a short tour to the Gulf Coast from Miami recently and just loved it! Will definitely have to come back for our own romantic getaway!

  8. I’m not a huge fan of the beach unless it is the calm and crystal clear Caribbean Sea. Even then, I am not one for sitting. So, this list of action-packed ideas is right up my alley!

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