Happy New Year! 2023 Wow!!
While I was dreaming about how the Natchez Trace might be a fun RV trip, I also spent some of the time that we were in Gulf Shores, dreaming about a winter near the beach. If we were ever to drive our RV to Gulf Shores, I knew it would be for an extended stay. That is just our style. So we decided to do some research and what follows are some options for anyone wanting to spend a month, two, or even three months of the winter in this area. I am told that it rarely freezes so the risk of needing to do an emergency winterize is pretty low. But I also know that is what many RV campers in Texas thought until last winter.
There are two small private RV parks in the Ft. Morgan area. Bay Breeze RV and Fort Morgan RV Park. Both appear to be small but you can walk right to the bay even if your site doesn’t overlook. The sites are close together and we didn’t get any exact pricing because the office was closed that day (Wednesday before Thanksgiving). Campendium says both are around $70 per day but I am sure there is a monthly rate.
We also visited two campgrounds that are closer in toward Gulf Shores but also on the road toward Ft. Morgan. Neither park had direct water access but the water is across the road and there is a great bike trail nearby. The Island Retreat RV Park quoted us a monthly price of $1200 and said that booking is done a year in advance. Doc’s RV is very close and looked similar but perhaps a little smaller and not quite on the level of the Island Retreat park but all in all, they are fairly similar.
In town, we visited a park named the Luxury RV Resort. It was all concrete pads and very tidy. It is right next to Wade Ward Nature Park which features a wetland area with a boardwalk. Per Campendium, the pricing seems comparable to the ones nearer Ft. Morgan. Personally, I would pick Bay Breeze RV Park as my favorite among the private campgrounds. Below is a view of the Wade Ward Nature Park.
But the best option seems to be the Gulf Park State Park. It has some limited number of water view sites. During the winter months, there are sites with monthly rates that come in around $1000 per month. I am sure it is not easy to book one but even the sites without a water view are more spacious than in any of the private campgrounds and more affordable. The park has 496 sites and there are some pull through sites. There are 11 air-conditioned bathhouses throughout the campground as well as laundry facilities. The larger area of the State park is 6500 acres and overlooks Orange Beach, Alabama. The park does include a beach area, a restaurant, bike and hiking trails and so much to do. It is simply beautiful.