Whether you’re interested in spending time at the beach, bay or on the lake, there are plenty of charming waterfront towns in the state that are worth a visit.

From boating to fishing, swimming, just taking in a picturesque view and more, spending time on the water is always a good time, so next time you’re planning a weekend getaway, be sure to pack a swimsuit and head to one of these waterfront Alabama towns.

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Orange Beach

Thanks to its white, sandy beaches and deep blue waters, Orange Beach is one of the most popular waterfront towns in Alabama, and tourists on vacation from all over the country flock to it every summer. Whether you’re interested in fishing, boating and other water activities or just relaxing on the shore while listening to the waves crash, Orange Beach has you covered. It also has a large variety of restaurants, shops and entertainment to choose from.

Dauphin Island

If you want all the beach access Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have to offer, but without all the crowds of tourists, Dauphin Island might be the better waterfront town for you. It has been given the nickname of “Sunset Capital of Alabama,” and for good reason. While there, you can enjoy the beaches with an unobstructed view or check out some of the island’s attractions, like Fort Gaines, the Alabama Aquarium and more. Plus, there are several restaurants to dine at and shops to browse.

Read more: 11 Alabama small towns you should visit

Fort Morgan

Fort Morgan is another waterfront town that offers access to the state’s gorgeous beaches, as well as the Mobile Bay, but allows you to forgo the heavy crowds you’ll find elsewhere. The quaint town, which is located along a peninsula, offers a peaceful place to spend time on the water or relaxing on the sand. That said, if you find yourself eager to play a round of mini-golf or try a new restaurant, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are just a quick drive away.

Read more: 10 places to see on your next vacation

Gulf Shores

If you’re looking for that quintessential beach town experience, Gulf Shores is the way to go, which is probably why families from all over the state and country visit there every year. It has everything from gorgeous, white sand beaches to restaurants serving fresh seafood (and even better views) to entertainment attractions, waterparks, tons of shopping and so much more. The worst part of the trip will be having to decide what to do each day.

Eufaula

The town of Eufaula is full of charm and scenic views thanks to its picturesque downtown, filled with popular shops, fountains and parks as well as its proximity to beautiful Lake Eufaula, making it the perfect waterfront town to visit. While there, you can spend the afternoon exploring Lake Eufaula — either at Lakepoint State Park or via the Yoholo Micco Trail — then get in a tour one of the towns many historic houses before grabbing a bite to eat at a local restaurant.

Read more: Places to spend a beautiful day in Alabama

Wedowee

For a waterfront town with gorgeous lake view and plenty of charm, plan a visit to Wedowee. The small town is located next to 9,000-acre Lake Wedowee, offering plenty of opportunities for fishing, boating, water sports and more. When not on the water, you can browse some of the local shoppes and restaurants that make up its downtown area or enjoy a glass of wine at the Lake Wedowee Winery and Tasting Room, which serves artisanal wines that made in-house using local ingredients.

Read more: The story behind the state’s coolest Little Free Library

Guntersville

Considering Lake Guntersville has become known for its beauty throughout the South, it’s no surprise that Guntersville is a popular place to visit among vacationers looking to spend some time on the water. After spending a day fishing, boating, kayaking and more at Lake Guntersville State Park though, be sure to check out what the small town has to offer on land too — including outdoor activities like hiking and birding as well as plenty of restaurants, local businesses and an active arts scene.

Read more: 10 Alabama places worthy of a vacation

Dadeville

Nestled into Lake Martin, Dadeville is a quaint small town offering access to all the water activities you could want as well as local restaurants and more. Whether you want to go out on the boat for some wakeboarding, paddleboarding and fishing or just spend some time exploring and relaxing in the water, Lake Martin is full of scenic spots to do so. Afterward, you can grab a catfish plate at Oskar’s Cafe or chow down on a one-of-a-kind burger at Niffer’s Place.

Cullman

The town of Cullman has plenty to offer, from gorgeous views of scenic Lewis Smith Lake and all the water activities that comes along with it to other unique attractions, like the Ave Maria Grotto, you won’t find anywhere else. Just spend a day on Smith Lake, which has a reputation for being one of the cleanest lakes in the state, and then spend a day exploring all the location attractions, restaurants and shoppes too.

Read more: Alabama city has one of the nation’s best small-town cultural scenes, USA Today says

Daphne

Daphne might be the largest city in Baldwin County, but it still has plenty of small town charm as well as beautiful views of the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. While there, you can access the bay along one of its many public parks and piers or explore some of the unique features Daphne as to offer, like the Gator Boardwalk where alligators are often on full display, or do some shopping and grab a bite to eat at one of the many local restaurants.

Read more: Daphne’s best-kept secret in dining

Alabama’s preseason betting outlook isn’t as rosy in the post-Nick Saban era. 

The Crimson Tide are currently +1500 (BetMGM Sportsbook) to win the national championship in Year 1 under new head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Those are Alabama’s worst preseason title odds in 16 years, during Nick Saban’s second season at the helm in Tuscaloosa in 2008, when the Tide was a +6000 long shot, according to Sports Odds History.

Since 2008, Alabama has been worse than 7/1 to win the national title just one time and hasn’t been worse than 12/1.

While expectations are a tad lower at Alabama, oddsmakers are still expecting a strong season for the Tide. 

Their national championship odds are tied for the fifth-best chances in college football with Ole Miss. 

Alabama’s win total over/under is sitting at 9.5 wins, and if they hit the over, the Tide would be all but certain to make the college football playoff, which they are +105 to crash.

They’ve won at least 10 games every season since 2008. 

DeBoer will have Heisman trophy contender Jalen Milroe, who is +1000 to win the award, running the offense in his second season at Alabama. 

The new Crimson Tide coach is coming off an excellent season at Washington that saw him lead the Huskies to a national championship game appearance before falling to Michigan. 

Betting on College Football?

Alabama will play tough road games against Wisconsin, Tennessee and LSU and also host Georgia at home, which could ultimately determine their fate next season. 

With Saban out of college football coaching, Georgia (+300) and Ohio State (+325) are the clear top-two favorites with Texas (+775) and Oregon (+800) trailing. 

Michigan, the reigning national champion that also had its legendary coach, Jim Harbaugh, depart for the Chargers, is +2500.

For the second time this week, Alabama has landed a commitment in the 2027 recruiting cycle, adding edge rusher JaBarrius Garror on Wednesday afternoon.

Garror is an in-state product, hailing from Mobile, Alabama where he attends Vigor High School. Vigor also produced Micah DeBose, a commit in Alabama’s 2025 class that’s currently ranked in the top-2 nationally.

Garror stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs right at 200 pounds, but both of those measurements may change significantly between now and the time he enrolls in college in three years.

Earlier this week, Alabama landed Ba’Roc Willis, another edge rusher in the 2027 class that’s also an in-state prospect, coming from Moody High School. Both players are rising sophomores in high school, and while the 2027 class doesn’t have consensus recruiting rankings quite yet, both prospects are viewed as some of the best in their class.

The in-state commits are notable, coming off a week where in-state rival Auburn flipped multiple in-state commits away from Alabama in the 2025 class. Analysts and fans have expressed concern over head coach Kalen DeBoer’s ability to recruit in-state, though his No. 2-ranked class in 2025 is still filled with loads of talent from outside Alabama.

These two commits, however, give DeBoer an excellent starting point to build on for his in-state recruiting in the future. Alabama’s 2027 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 1, likely due to the fact that hardly any schools have taken a commit from a 2027 prospect so far. Regardless, it’s a strong foundation for DeBoer to build from.