4 Best Sights in Gulf Shores, Alabama

The French name Bon Secour means "safe harbor," which these 7,000 acres provide for migratory birds, nesting sea turtles, the endangered Alabama beach mouse, and people seeking tranquil hours. Wild dunes still exist along what is one of the Alabama coast’s largest undeveloped areas. Hiking trails, ranging from 1 to more than 4 miles, wind through dunes, swales, wetlands, maritime forests, and scrub habitats where you might see foxes, coyotes, armadillos, and hummingbirds.

Come face-to-face with an alligator or a red snapper at aquarium exhibits that help this marine laboratory share its research with the public. The barrier island location is surrounded by Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, and Gulf waters. Tanks display watery homes for oyster reefs, eels, octopus, sea horses, sharks, and more.

Star shaped and rumored to be haunted, this early-1800s fort on the picturesque western tip of Pleasure Island is where Union admiral David Farragut shouted, "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!" The fort was built to guard the entrance to Mobile Bay. Farragut yelled his famous lines in 1864, after Confederate torpedoes sank the ironclad USS Tecumseh in the Battle of Mobile Bay. The rest of Farragut's fleet pushed its way to the bay, forcing the Confederates' surrender. The on-site museum tells the story, and actors in period dress reenact events that occurred inside the fort.

Unspoiled beaches, the Gulf’s largest fishing pier, and an 18-hole golf course provide recreational opportunities on 6,150 seaside and lakeside acres. Hiking trails, a 900-acre fishing lake, tennis courts, a large pool, and an interactive nature center supply more fun. Camp or rent a cabin—or rent a well-appointed cottage that's far from rustic and right in the park.