Daytrip Ideas from Orange Beach, AL

Baldwin County

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo  1204 Gulf Shores Pkwy. Subject of the very popular Animal Planet series "The Little Zoo That Could".  A must see while you are in the area.

Fort Morgan  251-540-7202   Located on Mobile Point 26 miles west of Gulf Shores on Hwy. 180W. Built in 1836, it is a must see as it took part in the Battle of Mobile Bay and has a fine museum.  Click here to see photos and read about Fort Morgan from the website of an enthusiast.

Alligator Alley  19942 Hwy 71 in Summerdale. Home of "Captain Crunch", the record holding 13'2" long, over 800 lbs. gator! All of the gators have been rescued from places that are dangerous for their survival. As part of the Florida Nuisance Alligator Removal Program, Alligator Ally transports the animals from unnatural areas to the farm which is designed to give them a natural environment. Come feed the gators at 11AM, 1PM & 4PM. 

Antique Malls   Many on Hwy. 59 from Loxley to Foley and all over Baldwin County. 

Tanger Factory Stores  800-523-6873  Hwy. 59 south of Foley – over 120 factory stores Click here for a list of stores

Blakeley Confederate Memorial Park  251-580-0005   On Hwy 225, 5 miles north of Spanish Fort. Walk some of the best-preserved earthworks in the South. 

Spanish Fort  Located just north of I-10 on Mobile Bay at Hwy 31. Now a large sub division, but you can drive through and see pieces of the original earthworks.  Ft. McDermott is on the left at the entrance.

Fort Mims   Located in north Baldwin County in the community of Tensaw, just off Hwy. 59. The fort is no longer there, but signs tell the story of the largest Indian massacre in U.S. history. You can also read about the Fort Mims massacre on Wikipedia.org by clicking here.

Red Eagle’s Grave   251-937-5665   Leader of the attack on Ft. Mims, off Hwy 59 just south of Little River on Dixie Landing Road, follow the signs.

Baldwin County Heritage Museum   251-986-8375   In Elberta in SE Baldwin County. A museum keyed to our agricultural heritage. 25521 Hwy 98.

Foley Railroad Depot and Museum   In downtown Foley just east off Hwy 59 (Gulf Beach Hwy.)

Grand Hotel and Confederate Rest   On Scenic Hwy 98 on the Eastern Shore, south of Fairhope. The hotel is one of the best in the country and was the site of a Confederate Hospital during the War. Confederate Rest is a Cemetery just south of the hotel.

Weeks Bay National Reserve   251-928-9792   The Weeks Bay Reserve includes over 6,000 acres of coastal wetlands and water-bottoms that provide rich and diverse habitats for a variety of fish, crustaceans and shellfish, as well as many unique and rare plants. The Weeks Bay estuary, "where rivers meet the sea,” is an important site of scientific research on estuarine ecology. The Weeks Bay Interpretive Center offers the public opportunities to learn about coastal habitats through its exhibits, live animals displays and collections of animals and regional plants. Self-guiding nature trails wind through wetlands, marshes, bogs and forests.

Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge   251-540-7720  The Bon Secour NWR contains 7,000 acres of wildlife habitat for migratory birds, nesting sea turtles and the endangered Alabama beach mouse. The refuge was established by congress in 1980 to preserve the coastal dune ecosystem, to protect threatened and endangered species, to provide compatible recreational opportunities, and to serve as a living laboratory for students and scientists.

City of Mobile

City of Mobile Museum   251-208-7569  In the Southern Market/Old City Mall National Historic Landmark, 111 S. Royal St. Three hundred years of history housed in a beautiful Italianate building which opened in 1858. 

Pensacola, FL

Naval Air Station (NAS)  Considered the best duty station in the US Navy, NAS Pensacola has a lot to offer. From the Naval Air Museum to Ft. Barrancas. Plan on spending at least half a day.

National Museum of Naval Aviation & Imax Theater  800-327-5002  Great for the whole family.

Fort Barrancas  Near Naval Air Museum. Held by Confederate troops at the beginning of the War, it is the only fort of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Operated by the National Park Service. Fort San Carlos – connected to Ft. Barrancas, this is an old redoubt built by the early Spanish.

T.T. Wentworth Museum   850-595-5985  On Seville Square in downtown Pensacola, originally the 1908 City Hall building, it is a virtual treasure trove of historic artifacts, Americana, and West Florida history. The museum houses two floors of permanent and traveling exhibits and a children’s hands-on exhibit, the Discovery Gallery, located on the third floor. Plan an exciting trip to historic downtown Pensacola today!

St. Michael’s Cemetery   Corner of Alcaniz and Garden Streets, in the northern section of the historical district. Formally surveyed by the Spanish in 1807, St. Michael's Cemetery may have been used as a burying ground as early as the mid 18th century. Monuments and mausoleums, plain cement slabs, ovan tombs and table memorials are reflective of a society that represented a disparate community. The burial site of CSA Navy Secretary Stephen R. Mallory and other notables.

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