With a population of 9,741, Gulf Shores is a must-see destination in Alabama, United States. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Gulf Shores has to offer.
If you’re looking for affordable options, The Safari Club at Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo (20499 Oak Rd) and Bills By The Beach (300 West Beach Blvd) are great picks.
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Gulf Shores in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 89.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 41 °F, with an average temperature of 51.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 8.1″. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in Gulf Shores, with an average rainfall of 3.5″.
Although Gulf Shores doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Pensacola (PNS), which is located 34 miles from Gulf Shores. Mobile is the most popular, with regular flights from Silver Airways, JetBlue, Copa Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Gulf Shores departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 28m.
Another option to get to Gulf Shores is to pick up a car rental from New Orleans, which is about 230 km from Gulf Shores. You’ll find branches of Budget and Hertz, among others, in New Orleans.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Gulf Shores, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Houston, the bus ride to Gulf Shores takes 510 miles and will cost you around $185. From Dallas, the ticket costs about $250 for a journey of 1170 miles.
Average rates range from around $275 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $384 and up for a 5-star experience.
Renting a car in Gulf Shores costs $53 per day, on average, or $160 if you want to rent if for 3 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 37% cheaper than airport locations in Gulf Shores.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Gulf Shores (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Gulf Shores is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Supplier choice rental cars (Class Special Car or similar) are, on average, 18% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.