The best Gulf Coast beaches for a laid-back getaway

Soft white sands and rich blue waters greet visitors at St. Pete Beach, known for its watersports like windsurfing and parasailing. Stand-up paddleboarding is also popular because the waters can be relatively calm some days. The beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico and warm sun draw visitors out of their hotel rooms and onto the beach for the day. Just off the beach are some fantastic dining options, most of which are within walking distance of the sandy shore. Visitors are encouraged to grab a bucket at the beach entrance to pick up trash; plastics can heat the sand to a degree that it threatens the eggs of sea turtles who nest in it.

Seagrove Beach is a beautiful two-mile stretch of beach. Because of its large size and the area’s underdevelopment, it's easily one of the least crowded beaches in the area. This makes Seagrove Beach one of the best places to enjoy a quiet day with family and friends. The area is known for its magnolia and live oak tree groves that can be found just past the shoreline, and offer plenty of shade for the times you’re not at the beach.

A colorful Pensacola Beach sign welcomes beachgoers to the crown jewel of the Redneck Riviera. With its sugar-white sand and stunning turquoise waters, Pensacola Beach has the vibe you’re looking for. Sure there’s jet skiing and paddleboarding, but there’s no shame in spending all day on the sand under an umbrella or gently floating on a raft (just don’t forget the sunscreen). After catching an incredible sunset, Pensacola’s nightlife scene is lively, with bars, live music and of course plenty of great seafood restaurants. You can squeeze in a little learning at the Naval Aviation Museum and nearby forts, otherwise Pensacola is a straight-up flip-flops and chill kind of place.

This 30A gem is so pristine you’ll want to snap a pic for your screensaver. Rosemary Beach offers a perfect blend of luxury and relaxation, with a little bit of adventure on the side. Spend all day on the white sand beach and in the clear blue waters, or head for the nearby state parks for hiking, biking, kayaking and paddleboarding. The town is deliciously quaint, with picturesque cottages and boutique shops. At the end of the day, grab a cocktail at a rooftop bar to catch a stunning sunset, the perfect end to a Rosemary Beach day.

While Alabama might be known for its college teams, notably the Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama, there’s another tide in Gulf Shores. The beautiful beach town is known for its state park of the same name, where stretches of beaches boast white sand and bright blue and green waters. This is a great location for friends who are traveling together since there’s ample nightlife and entertainment in the city after the sun goes down at the beach.

Along the shoreline of Mississippi, travelers will run into Gulfport, which is the second-largest city in the state. The beach here is bright and clean, with a large fishing pier that goes out into the ocean. While at the beach, you’ll likely see people jet skiing or swimming, but the beach has a very relaxed vibe that also lends itself to having a quiet picnic or lounging in a chair. Just a short drive away are the casinos of Biloxi, which are a fun way to spend an evening.

When it comes to major tourist beaches, Panama City Beach is second only to Daytona. Families have been traveling to the area for decades to walk along Pier Park, which is the main shopping hub in the city. There are two nature preserves in the area that allow visitors to take in the natural wonders of Florida, including wildlife and of course the beach. March and April are the most popular time at Panama City Beach because of Spring Break, so if you don’t want to be surrounded by college students, plan to visit the 27 miles of beach at almost any other time of year.

Beautiful Anna Maria Island offers the white sand and turquoise water that you expect from a Gulf Coast beach, as well as a historic fishing scene. Visit the still-active Cortez Historic Fishing Village, founded circa 1880 by fishers from North Carolina, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The island is also known for its Floribbean cuisine, merging Floridian and Caribbean ingredients. The Chiles Hospitality Group focuses on sustainability in the culinary world, with a bakery, three waterfront restaurants—Sandbar Seafood & Spirits, Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub—and a 26-acre organic farm producing vegetables, fruit and flowers to brighten the table.

Padre Island National Seashore is known for being the longest stretch of an undeveloped barrier island in the world, which makes its beaches pristine and desirable for folks visiting the area. Just about any type of activity goes here, from kayaking along the shore to windsurfing or just looking for shells. This is also a popular spot for nesting sea turtles, so if you’re lucky you may even see some hatchlings pop out of their nests and make their way to the ocean.

Compared to the party vibe of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach in Alabama offers a more laid-back beach vibe. Here, you can do everything from lounging around to casting a line into the ocean for a little fishing. Be sure to visit the wharf at Orange Beach, where shops, restaurants, games, mini-golf, and more can be found just steps from the shore. For a more thoughtful visit, you can explore Native American history and fishing history at the Orange Beach Indian & Sea Museum with free admission.

Part of 26-mile-long South Walton, where more than 40 percent of the area land is set aside for preservation, Grayton Beach is one of the 16 beach neighborhoods claiming their own traditions and style. Check out the country’s first permanent underwater museum, the Underwater Museum of Art, off Grayton Beach's coast. At this eco-tourism site, underwater sculptures have become a living reef that supports sea life over time. You’ll also want to explore the rare coastal dune lakes; these only appear in a handful of places around the world: New Zealand, Madagascar, Australia...and South Walton! These shallow (5 feet), constantly changing lakes have varying levels of saltwater and support a wide variety of underwater life. You can fish, paddleboard or hike the shores to enjoy their uniqueness. Finally, Grayton Beach is the only place in the country where charter fishing trips depart directly from the beach, getting you to your fishing spot super quickly.

At Clearwater Beach, you have excitement on the main strip but plenty of space to relax at a slower pace. Enjoy a day at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where you can see dolphins and sea turtles...or try to catch a glimpse of them in the wild at this beautiful stretch of beach. The sand here isn’t made of seashell dust; it’s quartz from the Appalachian Mountains, explaining its incredible powdery quality.

Along the east end of the barrier island of Grand Isle is Grand Isle State Park. The park has sandy beaches and a 400-ft long fishing pier that draws people in throughout the year. One thing that makes this beach unique is that you can enjoy overnight camping under the stars. Grand Isle is a breakwater between the Gulf and the inland channels leading to bayou tributaries of the Mississippi River, and awesome deep-sea fishing happens here. Lingering damage from Hurricane Ida has temporarily closed some features, check the website for updates.