Alabama’s Gulf Coast is unlike other beach communities. According to The Nature Conservancy, the state is among the most biologically diverse in the country, with 20 fish species not found anywhere else. Alabama has more navigable stream miles than any other state, and much of its coastline is protected land, with Gulf State Park and the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge among its standout gems.

For beachgoers, this means there are miles and miles of coastline along the gulf, bays and lagoons available for paddling, fishing, walking, running — or just admiring the contrast of the Southern pines against the pristine white sands. Since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Gulf Shores has intentionally invested some of its BP RESTORE Act funding into habitat restoration, beach access and recreation, and the development of the recently opened Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, all of which should help preserve Alabama’s strip along the Gulf Coast for the future. Read article