With its 32 miles of white sand beaches, the Alabama coast is an exquisite fair-weather destination. However, nearly every summer day has a “chance of afternoon showers,” and, even though the spring has arguably the best all-around weather, there can still be storms rolling in from the Gulf.
We recently visited Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on a four-day road trip that started with two days of storms and cleared into two spectacular sunny days. We discovered so many fun things to do that we wouldn’t let a little bit of weather rain on our parade. To be clear, there’s a big difference between a summer shower that clears in an hour and a spring storm, but most of our things to do in Gulf Shores on a rainy day work for any weather, even the most beautiful beach day.
Go Out to Eat
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
Alabama’s coast is truly a foodie destination, and you can eat in any weather. Here are some of our favorites, without mentioning patio seating overlooking the water. Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort features authentic Gulf Coast cuisine, but we fell in love with their flavorful steaks and were so thankful that we splurged for the Béarnaise sauce. Stopping by the lobby piano bar for live music is the perfect compliment for a romantic evening out.
Check out Lucy Buffet’s Lulu’s if you’re looking for Gulf Coast classics with a fun and festive vibe. You’ll be on the fast track to a good time with delicious drinks, fabulous food, and live music starting at 5:00.
COASTAL offers breakfast with a beach view where you can watch the surfers catching waves at the pier from massive windows. Cobalt’s burgers are so delicious that you might forget it’s rainy. They’re considered one of the best 50 burgers in the state by Yelp and our favorite burgers in Gulf Shores / Orange Beach.
These are just a few of the area’s 200+ restaurants for you to check out and enjoy rain or shine.
Enjoy the Night Life
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
We mentioned two live music venues already, but there are many more. Flora-Bama tops Alabama’s Beaches list for top places for live music. We visited on a rainy night and were blown away. Both the indoor and tent stages were rocking. The playlist was familiar and fun, but we were particularly impressed by the musical acumen and the sound quality.
Hang Out at the Hotel
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
You don’t have to brave the weather to have a good time. We’ve stayed at several properties that made it hard to leave even when the weather was perfect. Perdido Beach Resorthas a large indoor pool and hot tub. The Turquoise Place Spectrum Club Lounge has a gaming area with state-of-the-art gaming consoles, pool and ping pong tables, and a collection of board games. If you’re looking to make room for all that delicious food, the many resort-style hotels feature workout facilities to burn off calories and perfect your beach bod.
Get a Massage
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
We envisioned active adventures on the beach but happily pivoted to a massage at The Spa & Salon at The Beach Club Resort & Spa, Gulf Shores’ only full-service resort. Our one-hour hot-stone massage was solid—kneading away tension we didn’t even realize we were carrying. The spa itself is a peaceful oasis, offering a full menu of treatments from deep-tissue to facials, body wraps, and even a steam room if you’re feeling extra indulgent. Whether you’re flying solo, with a partner, or on a getaway with friends, this is the ultimate rainy-day reward.
Go To The Wharf
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
Alabama’s Beaches’ suggests retail therapy as one of their rainy-day activities. They also suggest museums, historic tours, and art classes. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not us.
We’re looking for more active adventures and grown-up fun, which The Wharf has in abundance. We found fun times from Breakout Orange Beach escape rooms to whiskey tasting at the Kentucky Mist Distillery, bushwhackers to tap rooms, and that’s not to mention the delicious food and, of course, live music. We checked out the new releases in the state-of-the-art AMC Cinema with 3D and jumbo digital screens to see if anything caught our eye….but in the end, another Bushwacker was calling our name.
Play Mini Golf
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
We all remember playing mini golf on vacation as kids. Like video games, they’ve gotten a lot more visually stimulating since we were young. I have a hard enough time putting straight on a dry green, but Jurassic Golfis 100% indoors. It’s also filled with glowing neon dinosaurs, which would be very stimulating if you were in the right head space. Next door, there’s our favorite shake shop (The Yard Milkshake Bar), best vegan burgers (Bleus Burger), IMAX movie theater (CMX Cinemas Pinnacle), bookstore (Books-A-Million), and Alabama’s only surf shop (Tambos Surf Skate & Coffee Shop).
Go Surfing
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
The Gulf is known for its gentle waves, but Mike Tomburello, aka Tambo, the owner of Tambo’s Surf Shack, says there are surfable waves every week in the spring until summer. I am not so sure about that or how to navigate the double-red flag water closures when the surf is up, but that’s why there are local experts.
We spoke with Tambo over coffee (he also runs a coffee shop in the store), and he was full of information about when, where, and how to catch waves on the Alabama coast safely and consistently. He can set you up with a kit if you like what you hear. Who knows, you might even talk him into letting you shred his indoor skate park, which is also in the skate-surf-coffee-skate park store.
Scuba Diving
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
We opened this piece talking about the different kinds of rain. There are big storms that bring big waves and surf advisories. If the waves are big enough, the beach patrol raises double red flags that legally close the water. You can surf in the rain because you’re going to be wet anyway.
There are also gentle showers that keep you from sunbathing, but the water is fine. We’ve gone scuba diving on days like this because – we’re going to be wet anyway. Down Under Dive Shop is a full-service dive shop that rents gear and runs boat dives. Like all good dive shops, they’ll cancel trips if the weather doesn’t cooperate, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if you’re a qualified diver.
If you’re not certified, rainy days make the perfect time to get certified. You can take your coursework indoors, pool lessons when the surfs up, and certification dives when the weather clears. We were amazed at how quickly the Gulf calmed down after the weather had passed.
Take a Hike
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
My wife, Jenn, and I disagree on hiking in the rain. But I’m writing this piece, so I get to put it in. Knowing when and what you can put in despite your wife’s objections is our secret to a happy marriage, lol.
We love(love, love) biking in Gulf Shores, but slick pavement and rooster tails soaking your back just isn’t fun. I’m perfectly happy switching to hiking in light rain, and in many ways, I prefer that weather to blazing sunshine. My raincoat has infinite UPF protection, and wet sand is more than not muddy; it’s hard-packed for better hiking.
My favorite Gulf Shores Hike – Pine Beach Trail- even has a bird-watching tower at the end of Little Lagoon where you can get out of the weather and picnic with a roof over your head.
Hit the Bushwhacker Trail
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
One trail we can both agree on is Alabama’s Beaches Bushwacker Trail. With more than 50 stops, we would have to ro-sham-beau for who would be the designated driver or get a ride if we were making a day (or night) of it.
Instead, we took a more conservative approach. Go to The Wharf and stop for bushwhackers at Sandshaker, Yo-Ho Rum and Tacos, and Island Time Daiquiris. Head out for live music at Flora-Bama and order a round at Alabama’s original source. Order a blonde Bushwacker topped with vanilla bean-infused vodka at Avenue Pub, or order one to wash down your Beast Burger at Cobalt. With a little moderation, you can get your Bushwacker on and still enjoy your active beach vacation.
Visit Bamahinge
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
One of the strangest stops on our Bushwacker tour was Pirates Cove on the backside of Perdido Bay. Not only was it a “cultural experience,” but it led us to Bamahinge, Dinosaurs in the Woods, and other statues installed by artist Mark Cline. It doesn’t take Bushwackers or lightning storms to make life-size replicas of Stonehenge and dinosaurs interesting, but it doesn’t hurt.
Parting Thoughts on Rainy Day Activities
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
Whether you weather the weather by chasing dinosaurs, dodging raindrops, or whacking bushes, we hope that we’ve inspired you to get out and enjoy coastal Alabama. Plenty of rainy day activities exist, even if you just go shopping or do an arts and crafts project.
Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.
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