Any difference in beaches from Gulf Shores to Pensacola?

[mikeleblanc413]

Looking at a quick trip to either Gulf Shores or Pensacola to enjoy beaches in the winter. Any difference? Can you drive you Gulf Shores to Pensacola? Have stayed at Fort Picken years ago. Recommendations for RV park at either location appreciated. THANKS!

[rvnutts]

We stayed at Anchors Aweigh in Foley, Al. Very Nice! We just drove everywhere we wanted to go, Pensacola, beaches, mobile, Spanish Fort etc. Great home base. We were there this time last year. Weather was horrible! But we had a great time anyway!

[Allworth]

We go to New Orleans for a week in early December every year (Anniversary trip. No trailer; Wyndham points.) and stop in Panama City Beach to break the trip each way.

The point of that is to point out that it is way too cold, and/or windy, to go on the sand that time of year. Of course, we have lived on Orlando for 45 years. Winter is a relative concept.

[DAVES04RV]

We just came back at end of October from two week vacation at Topsail State Park-Santa Rosa Beach. While there we witnessed blackish sand on the beach where the inland lakes broke thru the dunes and washed brackish over flow water onto the beach during the April floods. You won't experience the white pristine beach there until the sand dunes are built up to prevent lake overflow onto the beach and possibly removal and replacement of existing beach sand near board walk area.

[TyroneandGladys]

From what I have been able to tell the beaches in Florida do not allow dogs on the beaches and the ones in Alabama are dog friendly.

[Pirate1]

yes, there is a big difference in the water quality IMO. Once Pensacola bay dumps it's darker colored water out into the Gulf, it tends to flow west. The beaches in AL might be nice but I don't recall seeing the nice clear emerald water that I did in FL.

[travelzoo]

mikeleblanc413 wrote:
Looking at a quick trip to either Gulf Shores or Pensacola to enjoy beaches in the winter. Any difference? Can you drive you Gulf Shores to Pensacola? Have stayed at Fort Picken years ago. Recommendations for RV park at either location appreciated. THANKS!

Not sure by what you mean enjoy the beaches. It's way to cold most days for me to enjoy the beach other than to find a place out of the wind to look at it.

[bgum]

Not much except density of development and that won't be true much longer. We stay at Luxury RV Park in G Shores. 2-3 blocks to beach.

[Pine_Barren]

Big Laggon state park in Perdidocove key,Fl is a nice campground. Pensacola NAS is right down the road from this park and Johnson Beach is across the Laggon from the park. It is a short drive around to get to Johnson beach very beautiful beach. There is also Gulf state park in gulf shores don't much about it. You also have Ft Pickens and a new rv park Pensacola Beach rv park right at Pensacola Beach. Hope this helps.