The distance from Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL by car is 277 miles, with a 4h20m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Birmingham to Gulf Shores AL drive are Oak Mountain State Park, Montgomery AL and Monroeville AL.
Planning a Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL road trip itinerary
The Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL drive connects one of Alabama’s biggest cities to the coast.
Birmingham, Alabama, has a rich civil rights heritage. This is best explored on a civil rights tour which links the key sites and, crucially, puts them into context. Other Birmingham experiences include ghost walks and multi-brewery beer tours.
For museums, you’ve got the McWane Science Center, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark.
If planning to visit several of them, a Birmingham Area Multi-Attraction Pass will save you money.
5 top experiences to book in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
- 🐬 See Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in their natural habitat on a wildlife cruise.
- 🌅 Combine dolphin-watching with a sunset cruise from Orange Beach.
- 🍹 Go tropical on a sunset cruise aboard a floating tiki bar.
- 🏝️ On a three hour boat tour, head out to the Gulf islands for some beach time.
- ⛵ See the sunset under sail on an evening sailing cruise.
Gulf Shores has a touch of the Margaritaville lifestyle, which should come as no surprise given Jimmy Buffett’s sister runs restaurant and music bar LuLu’s here.
Beyond the turquoise water and white sand of Gulf Shores Public Beach and Gulf State Park, you can head through the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge to Fort Morgan or meet the creatures at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
Fabulous beachside accommodation in Gulf Shores include the Lodge at Gulf State Park and the Phoenix All Suites West Hotel.
Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL FL distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL is 277 miles. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and 20 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-65, AL-287 and AL-59.
The best stops to add to a Birmingham to Gulf Shores AL road trip itinerary are Oak Mountain State Park, Montgomery AL and Monroeville AL.
Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL road trip attractions: Oak Mountain State Park
Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s largest state park, covering 11,632 acres. There are more than 100 miles of trails for hikers and mountain bikers.
Other attractions include an aquapark obstacle course, a cable skiing zone, and 18 hole golf course, three fishing lakes and an elevated bird-watching boardwalk.
Come in summer, and it’s likely the picnic areas, playground and two beaches with swimming areas will get the most use.
Best stops between Birmingham AL and Gulf Shores AL: Montgomery, Alabama
The main reason to visit Montgomery is the Civil Rights heritage. There are several ways to explore this, with the cheapest being a self-guided audio tour and the most in-depth being a three hour private tour.
Other fun Montgomery experiences include a party pedal boat cruise along the Alabama River,
If planning to blitz several attractions, a city pass might save you money.
Birmingham AL to Gulf Shores AL drive: Monroeville AL
Literary classic To Kill A Mockingbird was based around events in author Harper Lee’s home town of Monroeville. The former Monroe Country Courthouse is now a museum. The judge’s bench, witness chair and balcony are still intact, while the Old Courthouse Museum has exhibitions on both Harper Lee and her equally influential friend Truman Capote.
More Alabama travel
Other Alabama travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Getting to Gulf Shores: The best stops on the Memphis to Gulf Shores drive, New Orleans to Gulf Shores drive, Mobile to Gulf Shores drive, Destin to Gulf Shores drive and Pensacola to Gulf Shores drive.
- The best stops on the Birmingham to Chattanooga drive, Birmingham to Destin drive, Birmingham to Pensacola drive and Birmingham to Atlanta drive.
- Planning a road trip from Memphis to Birmingham, Alabama.
- Getting to Mobile: Where to stop on the New Orleans to Mobile drive, Atlanta to Mobile drive, Tallahassee to Mobile drive, Houston to Mobile drive and Birmingham to Mobile drive.
- Road trips from Mobile: The best stops on the Mobile to Pensacola drive and Mobile to Biloxi drive.
