Southern Alabama/ Gulf Coast
AlabamaBeaches.com/Conventions-Meetings; @GulfShoresOrangeBeach Meetings
With more than 18,000 accommodation units in hotels and condos and hundreds of vacation rental beach houses, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have space for all, says Michelle Russ, STS, TMP, vice president of sales, sports, and events for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “We offer a true home-away-from-home atmosphere, and we encourage planners to think beyond the ballroom,” Russ says. “Our coastal culture can be incorporated into any agenda, from sessions on the sand to teambuilding activities all around our destination. Of course, it’s a simple decision to bring family or friends along for a pre- or post-meeting ‘workcation,’ with the variety of things to do here and our affordability compared to other beach destinations.”
The area’s newest hotel is the 257-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Gulf Shores Beach Resort, which opened in summer 2025, directly across the main beach boulevard from the Gulf of Mexico. An all-suite property, it offers 13,762 square feet of indoor event space and 7,898 square feet of outdoor space. The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel has 350 rooms and 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including the largest beach-view ballroom on the Gulf, plus additional gathering and reception areas. The Gulf State Park Learning Center is a unique venue for meetings and retreats, including bunkhouses, living classrooms, and an auditorium. Six meeting rooms can hold up to 200 people.
In Orange Beach, the 344-room Perdido Beach Resort has 44,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and function space. The Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf has 18,000 square feet of flexible meeting and function space; it is part of The Wharf, a waterfront shopping, dining, and entertainment district with a 10,000-seat amphitheater. Onsite accommodations are available in The Wharf condominiums and the 132-room SpringHill Suites Orange Beach at The Wharf. Construction is underway on the new Margaritaville Resort Orange Beach at The Wharf, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2027.
Planners looking for unique excursions or teambuilding opportunities will appreciate the new Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability in Gulf Shores, which offers day camps and family programs, hands-on activities, collaborations with local agencies, and special access to natural areas and facilities. Other options include Sand Castle University, which offers classes and fun teambuilding activities at any beachfront location in the destination; private dolphin and sunset cruises and sails; and classes in glassblowing, pottery, and painting at the Coastal Arts Center in Orange Beach.
