Published Updated 5 min readBeach
Things to Do Near Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals
This guide is written for families and groups on a beach week in a Gulf Shores condo or house, or out on the Fort Morgan peninsula. It lists 4 places for days away from your own stretch of sand: a state park, a historic fort, a zoo and a free museum. Every detail comes from the official website of the park, site, zoo or city, checked on October 16, 2026. Hours, fees and storm notices change, so confirm before you go. For meals, see where to eat near Gulf Shores rentals.
Quick answer
Gulf State Park trails are open sunrise to sunset. Fort Morgan adult admission is $8. The Gulf Shores Museum is free and open Tuesday to Saturday. On October 18, 2026 the zoo’s site no longer showed its October 9–10 storm closure notice and listed daily hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. BnB Search is a rental directory, so the list is not ranked and shows no ratings.
Outdoors
Gulf State Park has trails, a pier and Lake Shelby paddling. Fort Morgan sits at the west end of Hwy 180.
With kids
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, the Gulf State Park nature center and the free Gulf Shores Museum all suit families.
Activity details and sources
Each card shows what the official site said on October 16, 2026. The zoo and Gulf State Park cards were rechecked on October 18, 2026.
Gulf State Park
- Where: 20115 State Park Road, Gulf Shores
- What it is: An Alabama state park with a beach pavilion, a nature center, a fishing and education pier, the Backcountry Trail for biking, a butterfly garden, and the Lake Shelby day-use area for kayaking and canoeing. Lake Shelby is a 900-acre freshwater lake.
- Mid-October onward: Trails and picnic areas are open sunrise to sunset; the headquarters office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. The park page we rechecked on October 18, 2026 did not list day-use fees or a current storm closure; the park’s posts shown on that page said the park reopened on October 10 and the fishing pier on October 12. Monthly camping reservations are offered November through March.
- Who it suits: Families and groups who want to bike, paddle or fish on a non-beach day.
- Website: www.alapark.com · Source: www.alapark.com
Fort Morgan State Historic Site
- Where: 51 Hwy 180 West, Gulf Shores (22 miles west of Hwy 59)
- What it is: A brick fort completed in 1834 at the mouth of Mobile Bay and a National Historic Landmark, known for its role in the Battle of Mobile Bay on August 5, 1864. It is run by the Alabama Historical Commission and has a museum and gift shop.
- Mid-October onward: Admission is $8 for adults; $5 for college students, seniors and children 6–18; $20 for a family of four (2 adults, 2 children); and free for active, reserve or retired military with ID. The gift shop is open 7 days a week. The page we checked does not list daily site hours, so call the museum at 251-540-5257 before driving out. The official page says you can also reach the site from Dauphin Island on the Mobile Bay Ferry.
- Who it suits: History fans and anyone staying on the Fort Morgan peninsula.
- Website: ahc.alabama.gov · Source: ahc.alabama.gov
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
- Where: 20499 Oak Road East, Gulf Shores
- What it is: A nonprofit zoo with 118 species, 22 of them critically endangered, and daily keeper chats included with admission.
- Mid-October onward: The site lists hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Tickets are $23.95 for adults 13–61, $20.95 for seniors 62 and older, $15.95 for children 3–12, and free for children 2 and under. The October 9–10 storm closure notice that was still posted on October 16 was gone when we rechecked the site on October 18, 2026.
- Who it suits: Families with kids.
- Website: www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.org · Source: www.alabamagulfcoastzoo.org
Gulf Shores Museum
- Where: 244 W. 19th Ave., Gulf Shores
- What it is: A free city-run local history museum with permanent and special exhibits, plus seasonal programs.
- Mid-October onward: Open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed most major holidays. Admission is free.
- Who it suits: Anyone near downtown Gulf Shores with an hour to spare, including on a rainy day.
- Website: www.gulfshoresal.gov · Source: www.gulfshoresal.gov
What this guide does not cover
We have not covered Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Graham Creek Nature Preserve, The Wharf, dolphin cruises, fishing charters or golf. We could not load or confirm their current details on their own sites on October 16, 2026.
Tips
- After a storm, check each site’s notices the morning you go.
- Fort Morgan is 22 miles west of Hwy 59 in Gulf Shores, per its official page; the Mobile Bay Ferry from Dauphin Island is another way to reach it.
- Use the Gulf Shores hub map to see which rentals are near the places you plan to visit.
FAQ
Is the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo open?
Its site lists it as open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the October 9–10 storm notice was gone when we rechecked on October 18, 2026. Call 251-256-7008 to confirm.
How much is Fort Morgan?
$8 for adults and $5 for college students, seniors and children 6–18, per the Alabama Historical Commission page checked October 16, 2026.
Does BnB Search rank these activities?
No. BnB Search is a vacation rental directory. This is an unranked list of places whose details we confirmed on official websites, and it shows no ratings.
Rentals near these places in our Gulf Shores directory
Each listing has a BnB Search page that links to the property’s own website or its managing company’s site. Grouped by area (in Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores beachfront, then Fort Morgan), not ranked, with no ratings.
- Eagle Cottages at Gulf State Park
- The Cabins at Gulf State Park
- Ground-Floor Beachfront, Sleeps 6
- Crystal Tower 1506
- Gulf Shores Surf and Racquet 303A
- Admirals Quarters Condominiums
- Gulf House Condominium
- 1-Bedroom House in Fort Morgan
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- Gulf Shores vacation rentals · Gulf Shores directory
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