9 Small Towns In Gulf Coast To Visit For A Weekend Getaway
The Gulf Coast runs along the southern United States where the coastline meets the Gulf of Mexico, covering parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The coastal landscape shifts from Texas barrier islands to Florida spring-fed rivers, with beaches, ports, and historic downtowns across nine coastal towns and small cities below.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores is a resort town in southernmost Alabama on the Gulf of Mexico. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo houses a range of species and offers behind-the-scenes experiences. Gulf State Park covers more than 6,000 acres and includes trails for hiking, biking, and bird-watching. Pelican Place at Craft Farms is a regional shopping center with restaurants, and local seafood restaurants are located throughout town. Luxury RV resorts within walking distance of the beaches offer alternative accommodations to the hotel options.
Dunedin, Florida
Dunedin is a historic town in Pinellas County, Florida, bounded by Clearwater to the south and east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island, both accessible from town, are state parks with white-sand beaches. South of downtown Dunedin, the waterfront offers views of St. Joseph Sound, Clearwater Beach, and Caladesi Island.
Dunedin Brewery, opened in 1996, is often cited as Florida's oldest craft brewery, and the town has a broader brewery map with local stops. The Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites is located within walking distance of the downtown area and the Dunedin beaches.
Tarpon Springs, Florida
Tarpon Springs is a coastal town in Pinellas County. The name is often associated with the tarpon fish that appear in the town's spring-fed waters, though the origin is not documented. Tarpon Springs had one of the highest concentrations of Greek Americans per capita in the U.S. as of the 2000 census, rooted in a sponge-diving industry Greek immigrants established here in the early 1900s. The historic Greek district includes Greek restaurants, the Sponge Docks on Dodecanese Boulevard, and working sponge vendors. The nearby Gulf waters are known for bottlenose dolphins, and sponge-diving boat tours depart from the docks. Tarpon Shores Inn is located near the beaches.
Rockport, Texas
Rockport is a town in Aransas County located on the Live Oak Peninsula, between Aransas Bay and Copano Bay. Rockport Beach has been named Texas's top beach multiple times by USA Today 10Best readers. The beach features picnic cabanas, palapas, and a fitness trail. Memorial Park features trails for biking and hiking, along with ponds and benches. Accommodations in town include Fairfield Inn and Suites and Copano Bay RV Resort.
South Padre Island, Texas
South Padre Island is a town located on a barrier island along the Texas Gulf Coast. The town is accessed by the Queen Isabella Causeway from Port Isabel. The South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center, and Alligator Sanctuary features a tower with views of the island's skyline and dunes. The Original Dolphin Tour runs boat excursions to watch dolphins in the bay. Accommodations include beach houses, condos, and Bahia Mar Resort, one of the long-running hotels.
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is located along the Mississippi Sound on the east side of the mouth of the Pascagoula River, known locally as the "Singing River" for a humming sound reported near the river mouth. The town's name derives from the Pascagoula people, a Muskogean-speaking tribe once present in villages near the river. Pascagoula has more than 300 years of settlement history. The Pascagoula Historic Bike Trail passes the La Pointe-Krebs House and the Ingalls Shipyard iron gates. The Katrina Memorial and Walking Trail marks areas affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Singing River Inn is among the local accommodations.
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Bay St. Louis is a seaside town on the Mississippi Sound in Hancock County. French colonial settlement influenced much of the local culture and architecture. The Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum displays the folk artist's paintings, antiques, and pottery inside a recreation of her house. The Beignet and History Walk is a guided tour that stops at historical sites across town. The downtown includes antique stores and cafés, and the Bayfront Cottage is among the local accommodations.
Venice, Florida
Venice is a town on Florida's Gulf Coast with a population of about 25,000. The community was initially planned in the 1920s as a retirement colony for members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Cooperative Association, but the 1929 stock-market crash halted full development. Downtown Venice includes moss-draped oaks along Venice Avenue and concerts at the gazebo in Centennial Park.
Venice beaches are known for fossilized shark teeth that wash ashore. The Hotel Venice, added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 1984, is a historic lodging option in the downtown core.
Orange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach is the easternmost town on Alabama's Gulf Coast, near the Florida border on Perdido Bay. The town includes beach access and marina-based tours, including Cruisin' Tikis (floating tiki bars that operate boat tours with drinks) and glass-bottom dolphin tours from boats with four glass panels in the hull. Accommodations include Beach Getaways rentals and beachfront hotels.
Weekend Trips on the Gulf Coast
The nine coastal towns and small cities above span five states, from the Greek heritage of Tarpon Springs to the shark-tooth beaches of Venice and the barrier-island access at South Padre Island. Each community has a compact center with beach or waterfront access within a short drive.
