On the Gulf of Mexico, look to Gulf Shores, Ala., over Destin, Fla.

Destin lures in sports fishermen, too. This seaside city has been dubbed the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” thanks in part to its variety of fish species, such as snapper, grouper and mahi-mahi.

In peak season, public access beaches are packed with families eager for a swim or a snorkel in crystal-clear waters. Many book a week at one of the myriad high-rise condos, and family vacation rentals get snapped up quickly, too.

Okaloosa County, which is home to Destin and Fort Walton Beach, reported 7.5 million visitors in 2021. An average year sees about 5 million sun worshipers flock to the area. Get ready for another bustling season at the shore. Sometimes, though, you don’t want all that, you know, busyness.

Location: Destin is in Northwest Florida, just over a one-hour drive east of Pensacola, Fla.

Find tranquil beaches, wildlife and miles of trails in Gulf Shores

In Gulf Shores, Ala., you can close your eyes and hear only gently lapping waves and the soft cries of migratory seabirds as the sun warms your skin. It can be intoxicating, particularly for those who prize a tranquil stretch of uncrowded white-sand beach, which you can find at Gulf State Park, on the east end of the 32-mile shoreline that makes up Gulf Shores.

Gulf State Park boasts 6,150 acres of land. It’s a pristine slice of paradise that’s purposely free of valets to set out beach chaises. The city’s Leave Only Footprints initiative keeps glass, pets, fires, vehicles and certain tents off the beaches.

In Gulf Shores, alcohol is banned from the sand between late February and mid-April. Gulf Shores is not eager to rank for a buzzing party scene. “We’re a family destination, not a party destination,” says Easton Colvin of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “There are no party bars or strip clubs.”

Plan to soak up the area’s natural beauty, as well as its focus on sustainability. Gulf State Park received $85.5 million as part of the initial BP settlement following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. It has since used the funds to upgrade state park facilities, including its 350-room park lodge: the Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel.

The original lodge was open from 1974 to 2004, when it was ravaged by Hurricane Ivan. The Lodge at Gulf State Park re-emerged in 2018 as an eco-conscious coastal development. The smaller footprint, one-third less than the original lodge, allowed for natural dune restoration. The hotel’s buildings were also designed to slash energy usage by about one-third.

Another major attraction is the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, a more than 28-mile paved trail system that allows visitors to travel through the different ecosystems found in the park, including maritime forest, freshwater marshes and coastal dunes. Visitors can unlock bikes at multiple locations using the Bloom bike-share app. Bikes are free for the first three hours, then cost $5 per hour.

There are also three in-park restaurants: Perch and Foodcraft, both at the Lodge, which serve locally sourced flavors and craft cocktails, as well as Woodside Restaurant. A fishing pier, nature center and freshwater lake can be reached on foot, on two wheels or by nature tram, which makes park stops daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Sleep under the stars at the expansive campground at Gulf State Park that has 496 full-hookup sites. Alternatively, there are nearly a dozen elevated Eagle Cottages (literally, 10 feet above ground) set on the shores of Lake Shelby that earned a place on National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World roster in 2019 for good sustainability practices.

Next up for Gulf Shores is the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability, an eco-tourism and learning facility that is expected to open in early 2023. In the works are outdoor learning spaces, organic gardens, rope courses and summer camps, all part of an effort to help visitors and locals better connect with the unique ecology and ecosystems of the Gulf Coast region.

Location: Gulf Shores is on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, about a one-hour drive southwest of Pensacola, Fla.

Gifford is a writer based in Ashburn, Va. Her website is eringifford.com. Find her on Instagram: @gohikevirginia.

PLEASE NOTE

Potential travelers should take local and national public health directives regarding the pandemic into consideration before planning any trips. Travel health notice information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s interactive map showing travel recommendations by destination and the CDC’s travel health notice webpage.