Orange Beach, AL: The Coastal Town That Has Become One of the Most Popular

If you have never visited, you probably have heard of Orange Beach, AL. This popular coastal town, or Island for better terms, is one of the fastest-growing beach towns on Alabama's Gulf Coast. What makes it so popular today, compared to 20 years ago? Today's blog post will explore how this beach town has grown, and what you can do when in the area.

A Look Back

In 2005, Orange Beach, AL, had approximately 5,000 residents. The town was considered a quiet residential area. Fast-forward to today, and the city has nearly 9,000 long-term residents. The area has doubled in long-term residents in just twenty years, not including the 6.5 million annual tourists.

Back in the day at Orange Beach

What Makes Orange Beach Stand Out Today?

Over the past twenty years, the area has undergone a complete transformation in tourism infrastructure and condo development. With its white sandy beaches, fantastic shopping, and water activities, many travel to or visit Orange Beach when in the area.

In 2006, before the town rose in popularity, the Warf was built to house shopping, concerts, and dining experiences for tourists. Although in the first few years of its development and operation, it was not one of the main attractions the city hosted, in 2012 it underwent further development, and today it is considered an upscale complex that offers restaurants, shopping, and a musical event center to tourists and residents. The property now has a world-class marina, condos, and a hotel. Serving as a town center, the Warf is one of the first sights that travelers see when entering the city of Orange Beach for vacation, and it serves as a space of entertainment while on their trip!

The Warf

Balancing Tourism and Community

Although the town has experienced immense popularity and growth in the last decade, the heritage of the Orange Beach community still remains. Orange Beach has been home to many different annual events and festivals that still take place today. If you're looking for a time to visit, check out when they’re hosting some of their biggest events of the year: Festival of Art, Orange Beach Billfish Classic, Independence Day Celebrations, Bama Coast Cruisin’, and Freedom Fest.

What Else To Do?

By now, you have a full list of events or places to spend your time in Orange Beach, but there are still a great amount of local restaurants and shops in the area you don't want to miss while visiting!

For shopping and dining, of course you can head to The Wharf to check out a variety of local and chain companies. You could also ride down Highway 180 and 182 to find a ton of local gift shops and boutiques! Click this link to find a full list of local stores.

Now for dining—Orange Beach has it all! A few local restaurants I recommend include Cobalt or Zeke's for fresh seafood, Big Fish to get your sushi fix, or Laura's by the Beach for a taste of Italy on the coast. If none of these options sound like what you're looking for, you can find a full list of restaurants in the area here.

The view for outdoor seating at Cobalt

Where To Stay?

Like mentioned before, Orange Beach has a large variety of condos and beach houses available to rent. The area also has a large number of hotels and resorts. If you're looking into booking a rental or hotel, this link may be helpful to compare your options. Like most coastal and non-coastal towns, Airbnb is also a popular booking site for rentals in the area. To see what Airbnb spots are available in the area, click this link. Advice I have received in the past is to book further out to avoid more expensive prices during the summer season, which is the most popular!