By road, Gulf Shores is about 33 miles from Pensacola, 48 from Mobile, 79 from Destin and 190 from New Orleans. Orange Beach is a few miles closer to everything in Florida. All distances are driving routes, measured from the public beach at Gulf Place in Gulf Shores and from The Wharf in Orange Beach.
See the distancesPerdido Pass, Orange Beach, Alabama · Photo: Joey Eads / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · Credits
Road miles and driving time without traffic or road work, rounded.
| To | From Gulf Shores (Gulf Place) | From Orange Beach (The Wharf) |
|---|---|---|
| Perdido Key, Florida | 16 mi, 29 min | 15 mi, 26 min |
| Pensacola, Florida | 33 mi, 58 min | 31 mi, 55 min |
| Pensacola Beach, Florida | 41 mi, 1 h 15 min | 39 mi, 1 h 12 min |
| Mobile, Alabama | 48 mi, 1 h 10 min | 49 mi, 1 h 5 min |
| Destin, Florida | 79 mi, 2 h 18 min | 78 mi, 2 h 15 min |
| Biloxi, Mississippi | 109 mi, 2 h 20 min | 111 mi, 2 h 15 min |
| Panama City Beach, Florida | 126 mi, 3 h 31 min | 125 mi, 3 h 28 min |
| New Orleans, Louisiana | 190 mi, 3 h 48 min | 191 mi, 3 h 43 min |
From any of these cities, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are only a few miles apart at the end of the drive.
| To | From Gulf Shores (Gulf Place) | From Orange Beach (The Wharf) |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, Alabama | 188 mi, 3 h 48 min | 188 mi, 3 h 43 min |
| Jackson, Mississippi | 236 mi, 4 h 59 min | 238 mi, 4 h 54 min |
| Birmingham, Alabama | 276 mi, 5 h 24 min | 276 mi, 5 h 20 min |
| Atlanta, Georgia | 348 mi, 6 h 44 min | 348 mi, 6 h 39 min |
| Memphis, Tennessee | 427 mi, 8 h 33 min | 428 mi, 8 h 28 min |
| Nashville, Tennessee | 465 mi, 8 h 50 min | 465 mi, 8 h 46 min |
| Houston, Texas | 515 mi, 9 h 39 min | 517 mi, 9 h 34 min |
The car ferry from Fort Morgan saves more than 50 miles to Dauphin Island. It takes no reservations and stops in bad weather; call 251-861-3000 on a windy day.
| To | From Gulf Shores (Gulf Place) | From Orange Beach (The Wharf) |
|---|---|---|
| Tanger Outlets, Foley | 9 mi, 17 min | 9 mi, 16 min |
| OWA, Foley | 11 mi, 21 min | 7 mi, 13 min |
| Foley Railroad Museum | 11 mi, 20 min | 11 mi, 18 min |
| Dauphin Island with the Fort Morgan ferry | 28 mi | 32 mi |
| Dauphin Island by road through Mobile | 84 mi, 2 h 1 min | 86 mi, 1 h 56 min |
Airport routes end at Gulf Place in Gulf Shores and at Cotton Bayou beach in Orange Beach.
| Airport | To Gulf Shores (Gulf Place) | To Orange Beach (Cotton Bayou) |
|---|---|---|
| Pensacola (PNS) | 38 mi, 1 h 8 min | 31 mi, 56 min |
| Mobile Regional (MOB) | 65 mi, 1 h 37 min | 73 mi, 1 h 42 min |
| Mobile Downtown (BFM), expected to open in spring 2027 | 51 mi, 1 h 15 min | 59 mi, 1 h 21 min |
| Destin–Fort Walton Beach (VPS) | 99 mi, 2 h 17 min | 93 mi, 2 h 5 min |
