Gulf Shores Or Navarre Beach

[WATER HOG]

Wife and two teenage Girls debating which one?Been to Gulf Shores several times. Thanks in advance. Going mid July.

[panhandlepig]

Navarre is nice..has everything you need but is pretty quiet and laid back. It's close enough to Pcola and FWB/Destin too if you want to do other things.

[Tripod1]

Been going to Navarre Beach for years now and if u are looking for laid back beautiful white sand and the longest pier in Florida that is your place.  As stated above u are right between Destin and Pensacola.  Not much eating spots on the island itself but Navarre mainland has a good selection of eating spots.  We love Navarre Beach.  Wouldn't dream of going to another beach.

[Arkiehawg (kingfish0318)]

Navarre Beach hands down...

[McKdaddy]

Navarre...GS is a bit trashy in my opinion, plus the water in GS is too "brownish" due to all that silt (or whatever) that gets stirred-up in nearby Mobile Bay.

Normally we go to Destin, but 2 years ago I didn't feel up to making that drive, so we chose GS instead. We didn't care for GS, so the latter half of our vacation transferred to Perdido Key. I was surprised how better the water color was in PK than "just down the road" in GS.

* I realize characterizing GS as "a bit trashy" is rude and offensive to those that have immensely enjoyed GS over the years. Thousands of good people go there each year to have a great time and look forward to that destination yearly. I don't mean to come across as snooty like HiM, but found myself surprised by the GS element that stood out to me on my initial visit. So if the choice is b/t Navarre and GS, then Navarre handily wins the vote, imo. Yes, the Redneck Riviera is a long stretch of gulf beaches (in which I include GS), but there are varying degrees of the Redneck Riviera.

[panhandlepig]

  What makes Navarre so special to me is the national seashore adjacent to it...miles of unspoiled beach. You can take the beach road to Pcola beach with it's restraunts and bars and they've recently opened a 200' ferris wheel right on the beach that is supposed to be pretty impressive. P'cola beach also has free bands on the beach all summer. Your teenagers might like that.  If you play your cards right and get all your groceries and supplies the first day, you might not ever have to cross the bridge all week and just stay on the island the whole time.

[Birminghog]

If you don't like Gulf Shores, have you tried Orange Beach?  Just a hop & a skip from GS, & my beachy friends like it a lot.

[McKdaddy]

If you don't like Gulf Shores, have you tried Orange Beach?  Just a hop & a skip from GS, & my beachy friends like it a lot.

We have become PK people when I don't feel up to driving to Destin.  But I will keep OB in mind, thx.

[McKdaddy]

  What makes Navarre so special to me is the national seashore adjacent to it...miles of unspoiled beach. You can take the beach road to Pcola beach with it's restraunts and bars and they've recently opened a 200' ferris wheel right on the beach that is supposed to be pretty impressive. P'cola beach also has free bands on the beach all summer. Your teenagers might like that.  If you play your cards right and get all your groceries and supplies the first day, you might not ever have to cross the bridge all week and just stay on the island the whole time.

Good information.

[panhandlepig]

 And another thing...if you do opt for Navarre, stop at Joe Pattis Seafood Market on the way in, by far the best market in the area.

[Hogoverseas]

Navarre...GS is a bit trashy in my opinion, plus the water in GS is too "brownish" due to all that silt (or whatever) that gets stirred-up in nearby Mobile Bay.

Normally we go to Destin, but 2 years ago I didn't feel up to making that drive, so we chose GS instead. We didn't care for GS, so the latter half of our vacation transferred to Perdido Key. I was surprised how better the water color was in PK than "just down the road" in GS.

* I realize characterizing GS as "a bit trashy" is rude and offensive to those that have immensely enjoyed GS over the years. Thousands of good people go there each year to have a great time and look forward to that destination yearly. I don't mean to come across as snooty like HiM, but found myself surprised by the GS element that stood out to me on my initial visit. So if the choice is b/t Navarre and GS, then Navarre handily wins the vote, imo. Yes, the Redneck Riviera is a long stretch of gulf beaches (in which I include GS), but there are varying degrees of the Redneck Riviera.

I hear what you are saying and I definitely agree to a certain extent. However, it doesn't matter where you stay along the gulf coast, the same principle remains true. You get what you pay for. If you stay at a lower priced place you see the more redneck side of the redneck riviera. If you stay at a place that costs you more bones, you have a more desirable clientele. We have been all over the gulf coast, but we have been going to Orange Beach the last few years. Look up Turquoise Place in Orange Beach. You will not be disappointed.

[arkhogball]

I live at Avalon Beach community, and our favorite beach is on Gulf Island National Seashore between Navarre and P'cola Beach. 

[McKdaddy]

I hear what you are saying and I definitely agree to a certain extent. However, it doesn't matter where you stay along the gulf coast, the same principle remains true. You get what you pay for. If you stay at a lower priced place you see the more redneck side of the redneck riviera. If you stay at a place that costs you more bones, you have a more desirable clientele. We have been all over the gulf coast, but we have been going to Orange Beach the last few years. Look up Turquoise Place in Orange Beach. You will not be disappointed.

Agreed.  We don't skimp on the condo/resort, regardless of whether we are in GS, PK, Destin, or any other destination.  But I contend there are varying degrees of the element I'm speaking of along the Gulf Coast.  That element seemed more present in GS than what you see as you move east down the coast.  Example: we have less explaining to our children of this element when we stay a week in Destin or PK or Pensacola or Seagrove than when at GS for the week.

We considered staying at the Turquoise Place for this upcoming trip.  It looks great and certainly stands out along the highway w/ its design and turquoise glass.  But ultimately we chose the Indigo about 9 miles east in Perdido Key due to our experience there recently.

[McKdaddy]

And when I criticize the clientele of an area, I'm not speaking of those people inhabiting the same condo as us -- as you said, you get what you pay for, and we aren't skimping on the condo.  I'm speaking to being out and about w/ the kids.

[H&D]

Navarre is nice..has everything you need but is pretty quiet and laid back. It's close enough to Pcola and FWB/Destin too if you want to do other things.

This, it's just far enough away from P'Cola and Destin/FWB that the crowds are small.  I haven't been there is a few years, and the last time was just after Dennis, so it was pretty beat up.  I'm sure they have rebuilt since then.  I lived in FWB and we would go to Navarre to get away from the crowds. 

Gulf Shores just seems generic to me.

[OnTheHillHogFan]

Stay in Fort Morgan and not GS

[Bam, Alright Now]

Thinking about booking a trip to Navarre Beach, should we get a hotel or a condo? Any recommendations? Will just be the wife and I if that helps.....

[Tripod1]

Depends on time of year.  Most condos on the beach are booked until mid August.  Some units in the high rise bunch, (Summerwind, Regency, Carriban Resort, Pearl) but you have the big crowds to fight.  West end of the island is crowd free but harder to find a unit.  You have Navarre Towers , Sundunes as the only high rise mid island where you might find a unit.  Some 1 BR smaller condo units on west end for you two and lots on the sound side.  You want gulf front if at all possible just to sit on your balcony to watch the waves. Wife and girlfriends are goin 3rd week of July and looking at a 2 BR on west end away from crowd. We will go back in September when rates drop about half then again in November (wife will stay whole month, me just Thanksgiving week due to work). We can get a whole moth for less than a week cost during peak summer.  New place to eat on the island called Rocco's that is getting good reviews.  We love Navarre beach and have made it our home away from home for the past 11 years. 

[Bam, Alright Now]

Depends on time of year.  Most condos on the beach are booked until mid August.  Some units in the high rise bunch, (Summerwind, Regency, Carriban Resort, Pearl) but you have the big crowds to fight.  West end of the island is crowd free but harder to find a unit.  You have Navarre Towers , Sundunes as the only high rise mid island where you might find a unit.  Some 1 BR smaller condo units on west end for you two and lots on the sound side.  You want gulf front if at all possible just to sit on your balcony to watch the waves. Wife and girlfriends are goin 3rd week of July and looking at a 2 BR on west end away from crowd. We will go back in September when rates drop about half then again in November (wife will stay whole month, me just Thanksgiving week due to work). We can get a whole moth for less than a week cost during peak summer.  New place to eat on the island called Rocco's that is getting good reviews.  We love Navarre beach and have made it our home away from home for the past 11 years. 

thank you for the info.

looks like I should have planned ahead, we are thinking about late July. Might need some luck.

[OldPoop]

I live at Avalon Beach community, and our favorite beach is on Gulf Island National Seashore between Navarre and P'cola Beach. 

Great choice.  My wife and I have been going there for the last 10+ years.  Our time share has been at Pensacola Beach for the last 20 years, but as soon as the kids got old enough to be on their own, we started driving to the National Seashore.  Out of a whole week I probably spend less than 2 hours on Pensacola Beach these days.

[1highhog]

Neither of the two.  Save your money and go to Kauai.  Your family will love you for it.

[Boarcephus]

Neither of the two.  Save your money and go to Kauai.  Your family will love you for it.

Stay out of the water at Maui. 

[1highhog]

Stay out of the water at Maui. 

Just stay away from Maui all together.  Go to Kauai.

[1highhog]

Another great place to take the family or just the wife, Bora Bora, 2 weeks there will add at least 2 years to your lifespan, and if you're an older guy, your sex life really picks up to.

[Boarcephus]

Took a 11 day, all inclusive cruise there two years ago on the Paul Gauguin.  Headed back that direction in 2015.  If you've never experienced the all inclusive small ship experience, you need to. 

[ricepig]

Took a 11 day, all inclusive cruise there two years ago on the Paul Gauguin.  Headed back that direction in 2015.  If you've never experienced the all inclusive small ship experience, you need to. 

I've always wondered about the Paul Gauguin cruises, I'm guessing it was good.

[Boarcephus]

I've always wondered about the Paul Gauguin cruises, I'm guessing it was good.

We've been on about 8-10 cruises and this is by far the best one we've ever taken.   Give or take 300 passengers instead of 3000, in room bar, food is far superior, they don't try to pry your wallet out of your pocket the minute you sit foot on the ship like the megaships do, top shelf liquor , you can be from one of the ship to the other in a couple minutes and I can go on and on.

[1highhog]

We've been on about 8-10 cruises and this is by far the best one we've ever taken.   Give or take 300 passengers instead of 3000, in room bar, food is far superior, they don't try to pry your wallet out of your pocket the minute you sit foot on the ship like the megaships do, top shelf liquor , you can be from one of the ship to the other in a couple minutes and I can go on and on.

Actually, I've never been on a ship.  I've just always flown wherever we were going, my wife has been on quite a few, but I'm an island guy and I hate to say this, but when our parents pass, we'll end up living on an island somewhere.  We've looked at land on Kauai, I'm not interested in anywhere around the Caribbean, but I would like to explore other locales before settling.

[Boarcephus]

I wouldn't move to the Caribbean on a bet. 

When we made our first trip to Hawaii we were walking around the first day, just taking in all the beautiful scenery and I met a lady and struck up a conversation.  Asked what she was doing and she said going on vacation.  I asked where and she said she was heading back to the states and I just found it odd I was paying $4-5K to visit here and she was paying that to get out. 

Not sure I want to live full time on an island with only one season but to each his own.  Said many times it's great everyone doesn't like what I like or I'd never get a tee time and they'd run out of Jack Daniel's. 

[1highhog]

I wouldn't move to the Caribbean on a bet. 

When we made our first trip to Hawaii we were walking around the first day, just taking in all the beautiful scenery and I met a lady and struck up a conversation.  Asked what she was doing and she said going on vacation.  I asked where and she said she was heading back to the states and I just found it odd I was paying $4-5K to visit here and she was paying that to get out. 

Not sure I want to live full time on an island with only one season but to each his own.  Said many times it's great everyone doesn't like what I like or I'd never get a tee time and they'd run out of Jack Daniel's. 

We've checked on several properties on Kauai, prices are not bad at all for a 2nd home, we would still keep our place here because I still have my brothers and all
their kids plus my wife's sisters and their families.

[Boarcephus]

I guess if time and money were not a problem it would be nice to own a home there but for us it's just not in our lifestyle.  It seems to work better for us to go different places and not be anchored to one place plus, if I can't live the way we travel, we don't want to live there.  It's like going to Sandestin, if my house is two blocks off the beach, I don't want it.  I want to wake up, walk out the patio door and see it, not the back of some guys house.

[Tripod1]

I guess if time and money were not a problem it would be nice to own a home there but for us it's just not in our lifestyle.  It seems to work better for us to go different places and not be anchored to one place plus, if I can't live the way we travel, we don't want to live there.  It's like going to Sandestin, if my house is two blocks off the beach, I don't want it.  I want to wake up, walk out the patio door and see it, not the back of some guys house.

My feelings exactly.  Beach front is the only way we go to the beach thus we can never own a home there (Navarre).  Wife is retired and she went to Navarre the whole month of November for what a week high season costs.  I joined her Thanksgiving week.  Once I am retired we will do probably a month in the fall and month early spring and get our beach fix.

[Boarcephus]

My feelings exactly.  Beach front is the only way we go to the beach thus we can never own a home there (Navarre).  Wife is retired and she went to Navarre the whole month of November for what a week high season costs.  I joined her Thanksgiving week.  Once I am retired we will do probably a month in the fall and month early spring and get our beach fix.

Mom and dad used to rent a month at Hidden Dunes and paid around $1800 a month and when they first started going it was $1200 a month.  We'll head back in early May and spend a week and it'll run us in the $900-$1000 range for a one  bed room but that sucker will be on the 10th floor or so with a view of the gulf to kill for.  We're about 3 years away from retiring and once we do, we may look at renting a house on the beach for a month.  Some place we can take the hounds with us.

[HognotinMemphis]

Regarding Hawaii, I suggest the Big Island. Ton of stuff to see and do. Top notch resorts if you want that...and I do mean top notch. Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Mauna Kea and Mauna Lani, with the latter two being the original resorts on the island. We are headed to the Mauna Kea in Sept. for 10 days. Best tennis and golf in the world in my opinion. And you are 15 min drive from rain forest, 30 min from largest ranch in the country, 60 min from lava flowing into the ocean and you can go to top of Mauna Kea volcano with snow there in summer time if you get tired of lounging on one of the top beaches in the world. We've been to the Mauna Kea 8 or 9 times and hope to be able to go back every few years from now on. Haven't been since 2004.

[Tripod1]

My feelings exactly.  Beach front is the only way we go to the beach thus we can never own a home there (Navarre).  Wife is retired and she went to Navarre the whole month of November for what a week high season costs.  I joined her Thanksgiving week.  Once I am retired we will do probably a month in the fall and month early spring and get our beach fix.

When I retire we will most likely switch to a gulf front house as well that allows pets.  We now rent a condo gulf front and no pets allowed.  When we both are gone the entire month we cannot leave the dogs that long.  I also love the off season with no crowds on the beach. 

[Boarcephus]

When I retire we will most likely switch to a gulf front house as well that allows pets.  We now rent a condo gulf front and no pets allowed.  When we both are gone the entire month we cannot leave the dogs that long.  I also love the off season with no crowds on the beach. 

I don't like leaving them and they don't like being left.  We've been down there in the summer and it's hotter than hell, traffic is a bitch, can't get in the stores or the restaurants because of the crowds and you'll pay a premium price for those inconveniences.  We'll slip back in early May before the rates increase and then take a big trip the year after for our 35th wedding anniversary. 

[Hogoverseas]

You are so right. We are heading down to our place in October. October is our favorite time of the year because the water is still warm, as well as the temperatures, but the crowds are gone. It has been way too long.

[Boarcephus]

You are so right. We are heading down to our place in October. October is our favorite time of the year because the water is still warm, as well as the temperatures, but the crowds are gone. It has been way too long.

Plus the sun sets out over the gulf in October while it sets a little north of that in the spring.  It's tough to beat the October weather but we prefer the spring just because spring is kinda like a renewal to us.  Coming out of winter, warming up and everything is blooming.  Fall is kind of a downer because winter is just around the corner.  Just a personal thing with us.

[HawgWild]

Stay in Fort Morgan and not GS

This gets my vote. Beach front home, no crowds. Hard to beat.

[Junkyard Hog]

Headed to GS tomorrow!