The best things to do near Orange Beach AL this fall are sunset rides on The Wharf’s Ferris wheel, a fishing charter, the free glassblowing demos at the Coastal Arts Center and live music at the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, Nov. 5 to 15, 2026. Our place, Splash RV Resort, sits an easy 84-minute drive east of The Wharf, across the state line in Milton, Florida.
Hurricane Isaias came through the Panhandle less than a week ago, and Orange Beach came out of it in good shape. That’s great news! It’s also welcome news for a stretch of coast that drew 7.1 million visitors in 2025, per Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism’s 2025 economic impact report.
In a hurry? Here’s the short list.
- Orange Beach is open for business after Isaias, though Gulf State Park closed after the storm, so check its status first.
- The Wharf’s Ferris wheel costs $8 a ride, and the SPECTRA laser show runs nightly at 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m.
- The federal charter season for red snapper closes Oct. 26, 2026, and October is the top month for redfish.
- Watching the glassblowers at the Coastal Arts Center is free on weekdays.
- Depending on the stop, Orange Beach sits 68 to 84 minutes west of Splash by I-10 and Perdido Key Drive.
Is Orange Beach open after Hurricane Isaias?
Yes, Orange Beach is open. The area’s tourism office said on Oct. 11, 2026 that Alabama’s beach towns avoided major damage, and Mayor Tony Kennon said Orange Beach is open and back to business.
The big asterisk is Gulf State Park. The park closed its beaches, boardwalks and trails after the storm, Fox 10 reported on Oct. 10. Check the park’s status before you build a day around it.
Back on the Florida side, Splash RV Resort is open and taking reservations, with power, water and sewer back on. If Isaias knocked you out of your own home, the office offers special rates for displaced folks, so call us at (850) 600-8500.
What things to do in Orange Beach AL are worth the drive?
The things to do in Orange Beach AL that earn the drive this season are The Wharf, a fishing charter, the Coastal Arts Center’s glassblowing, a dolphin cruise, the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, live music at the Flora-Bama and a plate of Royal Reds. Here’s what each one costs, when it’s open and roughly how long you’ll spend in the car.
1. The Wharf: Ferris wheel rides and the SPECTRA laser show
The Wharf is Orange Beach’s waterfront entertainment district at 23101 Canal Road, the farthest stop on this list at 55.7 miles from our gate. The Ferris wheel costs $8 per person per ride, card only, and the hours shift with the season, so check the listing before you go. After dark, the SPECTRA Laser Light Experience lights up Main Street nightly at 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m.
Parking in The Wharf’s two decks is free, but trailers and RVs aren’t allowed in them, so leave the rig hooked up at your site and bring the tow vehicle. Coming back before Halloween? The Wharf throws a free Trunk or Treat on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
2. A fishing charter out of the “Red Snapper Capital of the World”
Orange Beach and Gulf Shores call themselves the “Red Snapper Capital of the World” on the official fishing seasons page, and fall is a sweet spot. NOAA Fisheries set the 2026 federal for-hire red snapper season to close at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 26, so the snapper window is nearly shut. After that, the tourism board calls October the best month for redfish and lists sheepshead in November and black drum in December.
Zeke’s Landing Marina on Perdido Beach Boulevard says it’s open seven days a week and fishes year-round, with private inshore charters that carry up to six people. Passengers on a licensed charter boat don’t need their own Alabama fishing license. Casting on your own instead? An Alabama 7-day nonresident saltwater license is $35.65, or $30.20 for Florida residents, per Outdoor Alabama.
3. Glassblowing demos at the Coastal Arts Center
Glass artists work the Hot Shop at the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach, 26389 Canal Road, Monday through Friday, and watching the demonstrations is free (they break for lunch from noon to 1). Want to blow your own piece? The Make Your Own lesson is $110, starts at 9:30 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and is open to ages 8 and up by appointment at 251-981-2787. Budget about 80 minutes each way from the resort.
Plan this one for a weekday, since the gallery is closed Saturday and Sunday. While you’re over there, the free Orange Beach History Museum sits behind City Hall in a schoolhouse built in 1910, open weekdays from 9 until 4. The arts center’s Arts Afire fall festival runs Oct. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m.
4. A dolphin cruise before October ends
Dolphin spotting is one of the easiest wins near Orange Beach, but the clock’s ticking. Cetacean Cruises leaves from The Wharf marina, and its full season runs from March until the end of October, so book before the month’s out. Its two-hour Dolphin and Nature Eco Tour starts at $35 per person. Zeke’s Landing also lists a 90-minute dolphin cruise from $18.
5. The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail
USA Today 10Best readers named the Backcountry Trail the country’s best recreational trail three years running, from 2023 through 2025, per Alabama Reporter. The City of Orange Beach describes more than 28 miles of paved trail, open daylight hours, with pets welcome on a leash. Much of it runs through Gulf State Park, so confirm the park’s trails are open before you load the bikes. The Sportsplex trailhead at 4385 William Silvers Parkway hosts Treats on the Trail on Oct. 30 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
6. Live music at the Flora-Bama
The Flora-Bama sits right on the state line at 17401 Perdido Key Drive, a 68-minute drive (46.8 miles) from Splash, so it makes a natural first or last stop. The roadhouse promises live music on five stages year-round, and it’s the hub of the 42nd Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, Nov. 5 to 15, 2026. The festival promises more than 200 songwriters, and the Flora-Bama says “a lot of the venues and shows are free.” Thinking ahead to winter? The Polar Bear Dip happens behind the Flora-Bama on Jan. 1, 2027.
7. Royal Reds and a Bushwacker
Save room for Royal Reds, which the tourism board’s local lingo guide calls “the big, bright red shrimp of Alabama,” pulled from the deep waters of the Gulf. Wash them down with a Bushwacker, the creamy cocktail that Alabama’s Beaches says has been a local staple for half a century. Trust us, one is plenty before the drive home!
How far is Orange Beach from Pensacola?
Orange Beach is about 30.6 miles from downtown Pensacola, roughly 54 minutes to The Wharf without traffic by way of Perdido Key. Leaving our Milton front gate, you’ll cover 49.1 miles (72 minutes) to Alabama Point at Perdido Pass and 55.7 miles (84 minutes) to The Wharf, taking I-10 west, then I-110 and Perdido Key Drive into Perdido Beach Boulevard.
We ran the Orange Beach times through the OpenStreetMap routing service on Oct. 15, 2026. They assume clear roads, so add a cushion for weekend traffic on Perdido Key Drive.
What Orange Beach events are coming up this fall and winter?
Orange Beach events this fall and winter include Arts Afire on Oct. 22, Trunk or Treat at The Wharf on Oct. 28, the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival from Nov. 5 to 15 and Fido Fest on Nov. 8. Winter brings the Polar Bear Dip on New Year’s Day, Mardi Gras on Feb. 9, 2027 and the Orange Beach Seafood Festival & Car Show at The Wharf on Feb. 27, 2027.
Schedules can shift, so check the City of Orange Beach calendar or the organizer’s website the week you go.
Why visit Orange Beach in the fall?
Fall is our favorite season for an Orange Beach trip. The Songwriters’ Festival takes over Nov. 5 to 15, Fido Fest follows on Nov. 8, and the tourism board’s off-season guide promises “fewer people on the beach, less traffic on the roads, and shorter waits at restaurants.”
One safety note for cooler months: from November through February, the City of Orange Beach has no lifeguards on duty, only limited patrols, so read the beach flags before anybody wades in. Dogs aren’t allowed on the Gulf beaches in Orange Beach, and glass containers are banned on the sand.
Where should you stay for an Orange Beach day trip?
Make Splash RV Resort your Florida-side home base and day-trip west. You’ll find 280-plus concrete pads, each one full-hookup with 50-amp service, and pull-throughs that run to 111 feet, plus 34 cottages (the biggest sleep six) and eight Conestoga-style covered wagons for four. When you’d rather stay closer, Pensacola is about 27 minutes off and Navarre Beach roughly 25.
Rolling in with a motorhome? Our full-hookup RV sites near Pensacola let you leave the big rig set up while you take the toad to Alabama. Traveling without one, you can book one of the luxury cottages or bunk down in a Conestoga glamping wagon for something a little different.
What makes the best base for an Orange Beach day trip? A place where the fun keeps going after you park. Here that means the lazy river, the pair of water slides and the heated pools, plus a full calendar of resort events. Military members and veterans can also save 50% on the Nov. 6 to 8 Thank You weekend with code THANKYOU50, listed on our specials page.
Frequently asked questions
Orange Beach is about 30.6 miles from downtown Pensacola, or roughly 54 minutes to The Wharf without traffic. From our gate to The Wharf it’s 55.7 miles, about 84 minutes by I-10, I-110 and Perdido Key Drive.
Yes. The area’s tourism office said on Oct. 11, 2026 that Alabama’s beach towns avoided major damage, and Mayor Tony Kennon said Orange Beach is open and back to business. Gulf State Park closed after the storm, so confirm it has reopened before you plan around it.
Splash RV Resort in Milton, Florida, has 280-plus concrete sites, all full-hookup with 50-amp electric, and it’s 68 to 84 minutes east of the main Orange Beach stops. Navarre Beach is around 25 minutes the other way, so you can split your days between Alabama and the Florida side.
Back at Splash RV Resort, about 84 minutes east of The Wharf on the Florida side. The resort has a lazy river, two water slides, a heated family pool and a heated pool just for adults, so the evening plans take care of themselves.
Not on the Gulf beaches. The City of Orange Beach says dogs aren’t allowed there for health and wildlife reasons. Leashed pets are welcome on the Backcountry Trail, and Fido Fest takes over Waterfront Park on Nov. 8, 2026.
November brings the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival from Nov. 5 to 15 and Fido Fest on Nov. 8 at Waterfront Park. Anglers can chase sheepshead, which the tourism board lists as a November catch.
Splash RV Resort is roughly 25 minutes from Navarre Beach and 84 minutes from The Wharf, so it covers both coasts. Pick your beach day by the weather and come home to the lazy river either way.
Ready to plan your Orange Beach day trip?
Splash RV Resort is 55.7 miles (about 84 minutes) east of The Wharf in Orange Beach and roughly 25 minutes from Navarre Beach. Check dates and book your site for your fall Gulf Coast trip.
