Skipping Texas beaches for something different this summer. Kids 11/8/3. Coming from San Antonio area. We will drive and stay 3 to 4 nights. Anyone care to share quality beaches and experience for Gulf Shores vs Pensacola vs Ft Walton? Found plenty of condos in gulf shores on the beach for $300-400/night that will work fine. Worth the extra drive to get to Florida beaches? Leaning towards just the closest stop to cut down the car time. We just need clean sand, ice cream shops, simple activities.

I cant really compare to others but we have made Pensacola our go to over the years.
Great assortment of seafood restaurants and have never felt like it had much of a spring break party vibe that would turn us off.
If you can catch a Blue Angel exhibition and do the Naval Station museum.
A Wahoo game is fun too.

You aren't going to go wrong with any of that. I'm a big fan of Pensacola. It's a cool town.

Fort Walton/Destin may be little better if you want to offshore fish one day. If you have small kids, Navarre may be a good choice as it is less busy.

Or you can rent a house/condo just about anywhere along 30A.

It's all good!

We have done Gulf Shores the last 3 spring breaks. The beaches are fantastic. We like The Beach Club from Spectrum Resorts. It is way out there by Ft Morgan, so if you want to do the Gulf Shores scene, you need to plan. If you just want the beach, it is great. They have great activities for kids and restaurants and bars onsite. I don't know if you can get it for the price you posted during summer, but maybe. Look at one of the 3 bedroom ones on the ground floor.
It is a long drive. I-10 is a beating through Louisiana, but I-12 is the worst stretch. If you can catch the ferry to fort Morgan, do it. Timewise, it is a wash with driving, but it is nice to get out of the vehicle and let them do the driving. They have a facebook page that they update. But I would suggest you call them and ask how backed up they are.

Thanks. All good info

Orange Beach is nice. Lots of condos to choose from, many with extra amenities (lazy rivers, splash pads). Good variety of restaurants. Orange Beach is between Gulf Shores and Perdido Key so easy to take advantage of entertainment activities or eat in any of those towns.

Below are some pretty good ideas I posted last summer...we own a place in Perdido Key for last 9 years, would post link but currently undergoing repairs with new roof, new paint, new balcony deck, so active construction site. Hopefully up for sale before summer!

Recommendations:

Perdido Key - Places to Eat

[url=https://goo.gl/maps/tTWq2Gz8kkmhpePF6][/url]https://goo.gl/maps/tTWq2Gz8kkmhpePF6

Orange Beach - Places to Eat

[url=https://goo.gl/maps/kLhq1ipHxAL534U47][/url]https://goo.gl/maps/kLhq1ipHxAL534U47

OB To Do:

Kayak & Paddle Board Rentals | Orange Beach, Alabama | Paddled By You

Cruisin' Tikis Orange Beach | Orange Beach, AL (cruisintikisorangebeach.com)

Gulf Shores - Places to Eat/To Do:

[url=https://goo.gl/maps/6AwTC84a2MZ5pjoNA][/url]https://goo.gl/maps/6AwTC84a2MZ5pjoNA

Pensacola - Places to Eat and Other things to do

[url=https://goo.gl/maps/iVrMcma6zf6h4gQh7][/url]https://goo.gl/maps/iVrMcma6zf6h4gQh7

I've been going to Orange Beach down to Panama City (and everywhere in between) 20 ish years now.

It's all beautiful. The spots on that stretch of beach just depend on what you want. Condo/house? Lots to do/more relaxing? Great dining/takeout and eat at your house? It all depends on what you are looking for and how much crowd you are willing to deal with.

The sand is great in all of those locations.

The water can be different though. If you want that green, green, emerald water, keep going East. It happens in Orange Beach, but not that often. It's common the closer you get to Destin.

On it's best day, the water in Orange Beach equals anywhere along that stretch of coast, but on an average day, the further east you go, the better chance of that shockingly gorgeous water that I think is the prettiest you will see in the continental US.

When people grow up going to Texas Beaches, and get to that stretch of the Gulf for the first time, it's funny to watch their reaction. That area of the gulf ruins Texas Beaches for the rest of your life.

Kind of pricey and a little further drive than Gulf Shores or Pensacola, but we love 30A - anywhere between Grayton Beach and Rosemary Beach.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach AL are closer, less crowded and a more laid back vibe than Florida.

We've been going to Anna Maria Island (Tampa area) for years. Very laid back. The downside is the distance from you and it's getting a bit pricey.

Have been to Pensacola and Gulf Sores. You won't go wrong with either. GS is easy to get to and obviously closer. The sand is great at both.