Gulf Coast Eco Center - Gulf Shores

Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability in Gulf Shores, Alabama, offers onsite classes, youth programs, summer camps, and so much more.

Gulf Coast Eco Center

The Gulf Coast Eco Center is tucked in the woods near Gulf State Park and the Gulf Shores Middle School. It is amazing to see everything that is offered just around the corner from the heart of Gulf Shores.

One of my favorite things at the Gulf Shores Eco Center is their workshops that are open to both locals and visitors. You can learn to hand-pour candles, make soap, beeswax wraps, and other fun activities.

The Eco Center campus is filled with so much more than I expected when I first visited. There is a farm and garden complex, a bicycle hub, a wetland lab, an event space, and the challenge course, and it is built with the latest in green building design.

Classes

The Eco Center runs regular Wild Crafted Workshops. Previous classes have included hand-poured candles, natural indigo dye shirts, cold process soap making, beeswax wraps and lip balm, and native yaupon tea.

I took the Yaupon Tea class, and it was fantastic. I learned a ton about the local tea, how it was used historically, and we had the opportunity to pick leaves and learn how to dry them to make tea in the future.

Garden and Potting Shed

The Potting Shed is an open-air garden classroom with 9 raised beds, a rainwater collection system, and a compost tumbler. The Eco Center is growing sunflowers, basil, tomatoes, squash, dill, and more.

Event Space

The campus offers several rentable spaces, including the Palmetto Room (seating for 45-50 with a 98-inch screen), the screened-in Trailside Pavilion with a massive fireplace and prep kitchen, and Swifts' Nest, a cozy arts and crafts classroom with seating for 20-25.

Bike Hub

The Bike Hub is located just off Gulf State Park trails and the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail. There is space for bike repairs, a water refill station, covered seating, and recycling/garbage cans.

Lookout Adventure Course

Rising 28 feet into the pines, the Lookout Adventure Course features a continuous belay system with 12 elements ranging in difficulty.

Participants must be at least 10 years old and sign a waiver, and all minors must be accompanied by an adult. The course is available to groups by request for school field trips, corporate team building, birthday parties, and family gatherings.

Gulf Camp: Summer Day Camp

GULF CAMP is a summer day camp for youth ages 7-13, with activities including kayaking, biking, beach exploration, swimming, nature study, arts and crafts, outdoor cooking, and the ropes course for ages 10 and up.

A sample weekly schedule may include arts and gardening, biking, and the ropes course at the Eco Center campus, a day trip to Lake Shelby, and a Friday beach day. Families can register for a full week, multiple weeks, or individual day passes.

Why you will love Gulf Coast Eco Center

• A LEED Gold campus built specifically to connect the community with the Gulf Coast environment
• Hands-on workshops teach practical skills like soap making, candle pouring, and natural dyeing
• The Lookout Adventure Course is a genuinely thrilling, one-of-a-kind experience in the area
• Multiple event spaces available for rent, from intimate classrooms to a grand screened pavilion
• Located right next to Gulf State Park for an easy add-on to your visit

Things to know when planning a visit

Address - 1650 Eco Trail, Gulf Shores, Alabama

Phone - 251-210-8721

Hours - open for events and classes

Accessibility - There is accessible parking available near the event buildings.

Plus Size Seating - The chairs do not have arms and are pretty comfortable. There is also bench seating in some of the event spaces.

Dress Code/Suggestions - casual, class specific

Pets -

Parking  - There is parking next to the Eco Center

Gulf Shores Restaurants and Attractions nearby

Gulf State Park - 6,150 acres of trails, lakes, and white sand beach right next door.

Woodside Restaurant - A family-friendly restaurant inside Gulf State Park with great outdoor dining and live music.

Gulf State Park Pier - Epic fishing, wildlife viewing, and beach access on a pier stretching into the Gulf.

Wade Ward Nature Park - A free elevated boardwalk over wetlands, great for spotting alligators and birds.

Additional Gulf Shores Articles

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Bywater Beachside Bar & Grill - Fantastic Gulf views right on the Gulf State Park Pier.

The Lodge at Gulf State Park - A sustainable Hilton resort tucked inside Gulf State Park with 2.5 miles of beach access.

Free Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama - A roundup of free attractions and activities across the Alabama Gulf Coast.