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White sand shores of West Beach.

There's nothing like the Alabama Gulf Shore for fun in the sun -- Southern style!

If you want to find out where all the action is then Orange Beach is the place to be for swimming, sailing, even dolphin cruises plus amusement parks, nightlife and museums, or shopping 'til you drop.

For sheer natural beauty, however, try West Beach -- "the best beach" -- stretching six miles from Gulf Shores Parkway to the end of Dolphin Drive and offering the whitest, softest sand and bathtub-temperature ocean swimming.

In addition to 50 miles of ocean beachfront there are 65 to 70 miles of bay shoreline and more on the rivers - while just off off the coast Dauphin Island awaits with more wet and wild summer adventures.

Traveling East, and a bit further inland, you'll also want to make a detour to Alabama's best kept secret, Bellingrath Gardens, located in a little town called Theodore, Alabama, near Mobile. Or, head even further to the Florida state line where Perdido Key Beach offers more family-friendly outdoor adventure for kids of all ages.

Meanwhile, grab your beach blankets (and the sunscreen) and get ready to hit the surf.

Have fun, ya'll!

What's the weather like today? Alabama Gulf Shore webcams

Gulf Shore beachfront

Orange Beach, Mobile Bay

Kiva Dunes, Gulf Shore

Dauphin Island

Postcards from the Alabama Gulf - Wish you were here!

Palm trees along the Gulf.	Say hello to the neighbors - a coastal brown pelican
Gulf Coast hot air balloon festival, Foley AL.	Sunset over the Alabama Gulf Coast.

DID YOU KNOW? - Alabama Gulf Shore fun facts

Perdido Bay, pirate haven.

• Standing at 112 feet tall, the ferris wheel at The Wharf in Orange Beach is the largest in the Southeast.

• Admiral David Farragut uttered his famous words—“Damn the torpedoes…full speed ahead”—just off the shores of Fort Morgan State Historic Site.

• Perdido Bay was once a haven for pirates who raided passing Spanish galleons. Still believed buried in the area is Captain Billie Bowlegs' treasure which is still being sought today. (Good luck!)

• Orange Beach was actually named for the orange and citrus groves that once grew there. The crop was wiped out in the early 20th century when a traveling salesman sold local farmers seeds that were infected with blight, a fatal plant disease. The orange groves (and the salesman) were never seen again.

More about Alabama beaches around the Web:

Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce - Live beach cam, local attractions and calendar of events, links to weather info and Mobile Bay Ferry schedules.

Live Webcams in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach - Check out the weather & what's going on right now in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores & Fort Morgan.

National Shrimp Festival - There's lots more than shrimp at this annual beach party held in mid-October in the heart of Gulf Shores featuring live entertainment, crafts, food and more.

Dauphin Island Park and Beach Board - Offshore summer fun with facts, pictures, virtual tour & contact info for the public beach, pier, campground, bird sanctuary and historic Fort Gaines.