6 Picturesque Gulf Coast Towns for a Weekend Retreat in 2024
For the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, look no further than spending a weekend on the Gulf Coast. Visitors can recharge their batteries in any of these six picturesque coastal towns like Port. St. Joe, Gulf Shores, and Ocean Springs. Unwind on pristine beaches with soft, white sand where visitors can dip their toes in turquoise waters while sipping on an icy margarita. Dive into fresh seafood and enjoy outdoor activities like kayaking, fishing, and beach combing. Stay in a historic inn, a luxurious resort, or a charming bed and breakfast with stunning ocean views. The Gulf Coast’s laid-back vibe, natural beauty, and Southern hospitality make it an ideal destination for a quick escape in 2024.
Port St. Joe, Florida
Port St. Joe, located on St. Joseph’s Bay in Florida, is renowned for its gorgeous pristine beaches and friendly atmosphere. Called the “Scallop Capital of the World," the small town is a favorite destination for self-proclaimed “scallopers” who snorkel or use diving gear to gather scallops from July to September. Other water activities in Port St. Joe include booking a fishing charter, a scenic boat tour with a local outfitter like Salty Fish Excursions, or taking an eco-tour with Fun Charters around Port St. Joe, Indian Pass, and Mexico Beach. Or just rent a kayak to paddle around St. Joseph Bay for a few hours.
Check in to the historic inn in the heart of downtown Port St. Joe at The Port Inn and Cottages, a boutique hotel within walking distance of the shops and restos in the historic downtown area like Sisters Bistro and Krazyfish Grille. Pharologists (or lighthouse enthusiasts) will want to visit the iconic Cape San Blas Lighthouse, originally built in 1848 to guide ships through the Gulf of Mexico, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores, Alabama, is a popular destination along the Gulf Coast, known for its family-friendly beaches and attractions. So, if the weekend includes the kids, Gulf Shores is the perfect place for a family getaway. Waterville USA is a combination waterpark + amusement park featuring water slides, a lazy river, go-karts, mini-golf, and two themed escape rooms where families and friends have 60 minutes to find their way out. Other family-oriented activities include the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, home to 118 species like giraffes, lemurs, kangaroos, tigers, and more, and Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf.
Spend the weekend at Turquoise Place, which makes traveling with the kids a breeze. There are kids’ activities organized by the resort, a 300-foot waterslide, a brand-new splash pad, a putting green, and much more. The resort sits along the white sandy beaches of Orange Beach, Alabama, home to one of the largest Ferris wheels in the Southeast U.S. on The Wharf. Go after dark to experience the Spectra Laser Light Experience Show, or see a show at the 10,000-seat Wharf Amphitheater. This open-air music venue hosts artists like Luke Bryan, Post Malone, and, of course, Alabama.
Cedar Key, Florida
Cedar Key is a quiet island community, an off-the-beaten-path town known for its tranquil atmosphere and stunning views of the Gulf Coast. It is also Florida’s oldest port. It is renowned as the location of the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge—13 islands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico—established in 1929 to protect native and migratory birds during a time when feathers were highly valued for making ladies' hats. Today, thousands of egrets, pelicans, herons, cormorants, and spoonbills nest in the Cedar Keys. The refuge is only accessible by boat, so visitors can book a private tour of the islands or a drop-off with Cedar Key Boat Rentals & Island Tours and spend the day birdwatching. Hunker down for the night at the historic Island Hotel & Restaurant, one of the oldest hotels in Florida.
Dock Street is the heart of Cedar Key, where visitors will find streets lined with colorful buildings housing eateries like Steamers Clam Bar & Grill and coastal living shops like For Shore and Salt Marsh Collection. This small town likes its festivals, and on the third weekend in October, it hosts its annual Cedar Key Seafood Festival. On November 1 to 3, 2024, the town hosts the 9th annual Cedar Key Pirate Invasion Festival, where pirates set up camp in the city park and take over the town, pillaging and plundering for charity.
Fairhope, Alabama
Known for its charming downtown, artsy vibe, and scenic views of Mobile Bay, Fairhope is a delightful town with a fascinating history. Founded as a nineteenth-century utopian experiment, Fairhope’s reputation as an art community has flourished for over 100 years. Evidence of the town’s contribution to the arts is the 12th Annual Fairhope Film Festival, held on the second weekend of November every year—this year’s festival runs from November 7 to 10, 2024.
No visit to Fairhope is complete without wandering down to the Fairhope French Quarter, home to the largest crape myrtle, a symbol of Alabama’s heritage. Downtown is filled with unique shops like the Fairhope Store, the Fairhope Soap Company, Dr. Music Recods, and eateries, with a courtyard that feels like New Orleans. Plan to stay at the landmark Grand Hotel Resort & Spa, originally built in 1847 as a luxury hotel but used as a military hospital during the Civil War and then as a U.S. military training facility. Today, the resort is known throughout the South as The Queen of Southern Resorts. It sits on 550 acres of land and includes two 18-hole championship golf courses, ten tennis courts, eleven pickleball courts, croquet lawns, pools, a spa, and more.
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Ocean Springs is another artsy coastal town with colorful galleries, charming cafes, and historic streets. It is home to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, which showcases the artist’s paintings, drawings, carvings, and writings of the Gulf Coast’s natural beauty. Visitors will also discover Shearwater Pottery, founded by the Anderson family, and can visit the studio, learn about its history, and purchase one-of-a-kind items. Another stop on any art tour of Ocean Springs should include The Art House, a co-op that attracts art lovers from all over the United States.
With its proximity to the Gulf Islands National Seashore, there are plenty of activities for outdoor adventurers in the pretty seaside town, like stunning beaches, hiking trails, and opportunities for bird watching and kayaking in the Davis Bayou area, where visitors can see bayous and glimpse wildlife. Book a weekend retreat at the Gulf Hills Hotel & Resort tucked among the oaks along Fort Bayou. The historic hotel opened its doors in 1927 with 66 guest rooms and a golf course, then morphed into Mississippi’s first working Dude Ranch. The hotel once hosted Elvis Presley, who always stayed in Villa #9.
Dunedin, Florida
Thirty minutes west of Tampa, Dunedin is a charming coastal town known for its unlikely Scottish roots. The name “Dunedin” is Gaelic for Edinburgh, the town in Scotland, and today, the town is a sister city of Stirling, Scotland, and Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and hosts a popular Dunedin Highland Games & Festival every year.
Visitors to Dunedin should head to Honeymoon Island State Park—one of Florida’s best-loved state parks. With more than four miles of pristine beaches to explore, the park is one of the last remaining virgin slash pine forests, recognizable by their undisturbed, mature slash pine stands. The forests provide a habitat for eagles, osprey, great horned owls, gopher tortoises, raccoons, and armadillos. From Honeymoon Island, adventurers can also take a small ferry to nearby Caladesi, one of the few untouched barrier islands along the Gulf Coast.
Make the historic Fenway Hotel home for the weekend. The hotel dates back to the early 1920s and was a destination hotel for affluent guests, then a training center for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Located near downtown Dunedin and the busy waterfront, the storied building with a vintage-inspired design and rooftop bar is now a popular hotel, bar, and chop house with live weekly jazz performances.
There’s no better way to relax, unwind, and recharge than to spend a weekend retreat in a small Gulf Coast town. Consider Port St. Joe, Florida, famous for its pristine beaches, scalloping, and historic Cape San Blas Lighthouse, or take the family to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and keep them busy with visits to waterparks and zoos. Cedar Key, Florida, is a tranquil island known for its wildlife refuge and historic inn, whereas Fairhope, Alabama, features an artsy downtown and the luxurious Grand Hotel Resort & Spa. In the end, it doesn’t matter where visitors wind up; they won’t go wrong with a two-day getaway to any of these pretty coastal towns.
