The best road trip stops on the Pensacola to Gulf Shores drive are the Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, Perdido Key and Orange Beach. The distance from Pensacola to Gulf Shores by car is 34 miles, with a 50 minute driving time.
Finding the best things to do between Pensacola and Gulf Shores
The Pensacola to Gulf Shores drive takes you along the Gulf Coast from western Florida to the Alabama coast.
5 top experiences to book in Pensacola
- 🐬 Meet the local dolphins on a cruise aboard the Frisky Mermaid.
- 🌅 Take an afternoon tiki boat cruise – and see the spectacular sunset.
- 👻 Learn about perdition, pirates and purgatory on a Pensacola ghost tour.
- 🍴 Feast on a food tour down Pensacola’s legendary Palafox Street.
- 🚌 Explore Pensacola’s highlights on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.
The westernmost city on the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola is home to a major US Naval Station. You can visit the National Naval Aviation Museum and the Pensacola Lighthouse. Elsewhere, Historic Pensacola Village brings together heritage buildings, Gulf Breeze Zoo keeps the kids happy and Fort Pickens looks out towards Big Lagoon State Park.
But for most visitors, interest will lie in the white sand beaches and barrier islands.
Top Pensacola activities include nighttime kayaking with colourful LEDs lighting up the kayaks, and dolphin-watching cruises around the bay.
Other ways of exploring include downtown food tours, ghost and graveyard tours, guided pub crawls, Segway tours and sunset cruises.
For beachside Pensacola accommodation with great guest reviews, take a look at the Pensacola Beach Resort and the SpringHill Suites Pensacola Beach.
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.
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.
Pensacola to Gulf Shores distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Pensacola to Gulf Shores is 34 miles. You can expect a driving time of around 50 minutes.
The best stops to add to a Pensacola to Gulf Shores road trip itinerary are the Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, Perdido Key and Orange Beach.
Pensacola to Gulf Shores drive: Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park
The Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park is home to the strangely carnivorous white-topped pitcher plant. But there are plenty of other plants and animals that call the state park home. These include alligators and snapping turtles.
For visitors, the main attraction is the half mile-long boardwalk with a wildlife observation area at the end.
Pensacola to Gulf Shores road trip attractions: Perdido Key
Right on the Florida/ Alabama border, Perdido Key is a glorious haven of white sand beaches. Perdido Key State Park is the highlight here, with boardwalks leading over the dunes to the beach. Swimming is best during the summer months, but surf gets up in the winter, making it a good surfing spot. Surf fishing is also a popular activity here.
Best stops between Pensacola and Gulf Shores: Orange Beach
Orange Beach is a hugely enjoyable fun-in-the-sun destination on the Alabama Coast. Good Orange Beach experiences include dolphin-watching cruises, sunset boat tours and sunset sailing cruises.
You can also enjoy a tiki boat tour to the nearby islands and convertible beach rentals.
Top Orange Beach accommodation options with excellent guest ratings include the Tides and the Island House Hotel.
More Gulf Coast travel
- Getting to Pensacola: The best stops on the Atlanta to Pensacola drive, Birmingham to Pensacola drive, Jacksonville to Pensacola drive, Mobile to Pensacola drive and Tallahassee to Pensacola drive.
- The best stops on the Austin to Destin drive, Birmingham to Destin drive, Tallahassee to Destin drive, Jacksonville to Destin drive, Pensacola to Destin drive and Atlanta to Destin drive.
- Key information for visiting Navarre Beach on the Pensacola to Fort Walton Beach drive.
- 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.
- Getting to Gulf Shores: The best stops on the Destin to Gulf Shores drive.
