The best things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in November! Thanksgiving and holiday events, Small Business Saturday and Black Friday, Sunrise, and boat tours.
Things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in November
November is a lovely time to be in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama! You can start early holiday shopping for fun gifts, enjoy great meals on the water, and savor the warmer weather compared to other parts of the country.
November Events in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
We will continually be updating this list as events are announced and updated.
Experience the Oyster
Dates - November 1 & 2, 2024
Location - The Hangout
Immerse yourself in Murder Point Oysters at the Hangout! This is the perfect opportunity to try local oysters prepared by local chefs.
You can buy tickets ahead of time so you know that you have access to this fun event.
Dusty's All Star Circus - Foley
Dates - November 1st and 2nd
Location - Foley Civic Center
Fall Back Time Bash
Date - Sunday, November 3rd, 3 pm - 6pm
Location - Orange Beach Waterfront Park
3 pm-4 pm: Bingo By The Bay - All Ages Friends and Family. Win some fun prizes!
3 pm-6 pm: Inflatables (enjoy a slide, obstacle course, and toddler play area - Plus the park!)
4 pm: Waterside showing of Back to the Future
Gulf Shores Community Expo
Date - Thursday, November 7th, 11 am - 1 pm, 4 pm - 6 pm
Location - Erie Meyer Civic Center
Meet and learn about local civic groups, clubs, and organizations.
Frank Brown's Songwriters Festival
Dates - November 7 - 17th, 2024
Location - Flora Bama and other locations along the Florida/Alabama Gulf Coast.
More than 200 nationally acclaimed songwriters and musicians will be in town for this great event.
Burgers, Brats & Beer Fest- Foley
Date - November 9th, 10 am - 6 pm
Location - Foley Heritage Park
Enjoy a fun-filled day of food, drinks, and entertainment! Food options will include burgers, bratwurst, polish sausages, and more!
There will be a dance performance by the South Baldwin Dance Center team, Alabama Sunset tribute band, Brat Eating contest, Beer stein hiding contest, Wildflowers Tom Petty tribute performance, burger toss contest, guess the beer contest, Wolfy Grin rock hits performance, and a festival farewell.
Photos with Santa at The Wharf
Dates - November 15-17, 22-24, 29-30 from 3 pm to 6 pm
Location - The Wharf
The Wharf starts photos with Santa normally on weekends in November. This is a great time to plan ahead and get Santa photos early for holiday gifts.
The Wharf Ice Skating Rink
Dates - Opens November 15th 4 pm.
Location - The Wharf
The Wharf has an amazing Ice Skating Rink and hot chocolate stand that normally opens in November.
Coastal Christmas Market
Dates - November 23 & 24th
Location - Orange Beach Event Center
Annual Harvest Festival
Date - November 23rd, 9 am - 2 pm
Location - Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market
Pick up great products and items for your Thanksgiving feast. The Little Miss Harvest pageant will be crowning the 2025 queen during the festival.
OWA Tree Lighting
Date - Saturday, November 23, 2 pm - 7:30 pm
Location - Downtown OWA
Celebrate the magic of the holidays at OWA's 8th annual Tree Lighting, hosted by American Idol winner Taylor Hicks at Downtown OWA.
- 2:00 – 4:00 pm: Take photos with Santa’s Elves in Downtown OWA
- 2:00 – 4:00 pm: Enjoy a mini train ride throughout the streets of Downtown OWA
- 2:00 – 5:00 pm, 7:00 – 8:30 pm: North Pole, learn more here:
- 4:30 – 4:45 pm: Taylor Hicks kicks off the evening with opening remarks on the Island Stage
- 4:45 – 5:15 pm: Aerial Performance by the Luminary Entertainment Company
- 5:15 – 5:30 pm: Elf the Musical Jr. performance by the Foley High School Theatre Program
- 5:30 – 6:30 pm: Live music by emerging country music artist, Walker Montgomery
- 6:30 – 6:50 pm: Performance by Ballet Pensacola
- 6:50 – 7:00 pm: Acoustic performance by Taylor Hicks Duo
- 7:00 – 7:09 pm: Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus share Christmas stories on stage
- 7:09 – 7:10 pm: Taylor Hicks, Walker Montgomery, Santa, and Mrs. Claus countdown to fireworks and tree lighting
- 7:10 – 7:20 pm: Fireworks show synchronized to Holiday Music
- 7:10 – 7:30 pm: Christmas Tree Light show
A Blue Elvis Christmas ft. Shane Tucker
Date - Saturday, November 23rd, 7:30 pm
Location - OWA Theater
“A Blue Elvis Christmas” with Shane Tucker, a remarkable tribute to the legendary soul of rock and roll, at OWA Theater on Saturday, November 23rd.
J+J Christmas Trees
Date - November 27th, 10 am - 6 pm
Location - The Wharf, Gravel Parking lot behind Portside on Main
The Christmas Tree Farm will be opening at The Wharf. Fresh-cut Wisconsin trees –Balsam Firs, Fraser Firs, and Canaan Fir trees.
Flora-Bama's Thanksgiving Potluck
Date - Thursday, November 28, 2024
Location - Flora Bama
Join locals and visitors celebrating Thanksgiving at the Flora-Bama. Bring a covered dish to share. The Flora Bama provides the ham and turkey.
Black Friday Shopping
Date - November 29th, 2024
Locations - Local Businesses in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.
Check out great local businesses offering fun Black Friday Deals. We will update this list as soon as we see Black Friday deals posted locally.
Small Business Saturday
Date - Saturday, November 30, 2024
Locations - Local Businesses in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Support local businesses in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area including Souvenir City, local dolphin tours, local restaurants and more.
Check out our Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Fall Bucket List
Additional November Events along the Gulf Coast
Blue Angels Homecoming Show
Date - November 7 & 8, 2025
Location - Naval Air Station Pensacola
Enjoy not only the Blue Angels but great airplanes on display with the National Naval Aviation Museum, a fun kids zone, sky diving teams, wing walking shows, and so much more.
We will keep this updated as the 2025 Blue Angels Homecoming Show Schedule is announced.
November Things to Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Putt Putt Golf
The weather in November is cooling off by summer standards but still lovely. This is a great time to head out and check out one of the Gulf Shores or Orange Beach Mini Golf Courses.
Birding
Head to Wade Ward Nature Park or Gulf State Park to enjoy epic Fall birding. Look for fun bird species along with year-round residents.
Orange Beach Waterfront Park
Enjoy an afternoon or sunset from Orange Beach Waterfront Park next to the Coastal Art Center. This is one of our favorite places to look for dolphins and relax on the water.
Coastal Art Center - Hot Shop and Clay Studio
Now that the weather is cooling down we love spending time at the Coastal Art Center. You can participate in a Glass Blowing class this is truly amazing.
This year we are talking about taking a few Glass Blowing classes to make holiday gifts for family and friends. The glass flowers and starfish you can create are so cool.
Orange Beach and Gulf Shores Weather in November
The weather in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach cools down in November.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach enjoy Fall weather in November with temperatures ranging from 50 degrees to 68 degrees.
Daylight hours continue to decrease in November with the shortest day of the month is November 30, with 10 hours, 21 minutes of daylight and the longest day is November 1, with 10 hours, 57 minutes of daylight.
The latest sunrise of the month in Gulf Shores is 7:06 AM on November 2 and the earliest sunrise is 59 minutes earlier at 6:07 AM on November 3.
The latest sunset is 6:02 PM on November 1 and the earliest sunset is 1 hour, 13 minutes earlier at 4:50 PM on November 30.
Daylight saving time (DST) starts at 1:00 AM on November 3, 2024, shifting sunrise and sunset to be an hour later.
Water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico starts to fall in November from 75°F to 69°F, over the course of the month.
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Lodging
If you are visiting and need to book accommodations, here are our recommendations. We have stayed at each of these lodging options:
The Beach Club Resort and Spa (Fort Morgan): This resort offers beachfront condos with amazing amenities and a great spa. Don't miss dinner at Coast Restaurant.
Use Code - GULFJOURNEY for a discount when booking with Spectrum Resort.
Turquoise Place Luxury Vacation Rentals (Orange Beach): This is our favorite resort in the area! It offers luxury amenities, epic beachfront views, and unbelievable condos.
Use Code - GULFJOURNEY for a discount when booking with Spectrum Resort.
Springhill Suites Orange Beach: Located next to The Wharf, it is an excellent location near shopping and dining. We enjoyed their gorgeous pool.
The Lodge at Gulf State Park: Located on the beach in Gulf State Park, this Hilton Hotel offers epic beach views, a sustainable hotel experience, and great restaurants.
The map below shows the current hotels and vacation rentals available in the area. You can select the dates you are visiting to see current availability.
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tours
These are some of our favorite tours available in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama.
Dolphin Tours - Book a dolphin cruise here
Check out our experiences on Hammock Time Tiki Tours, Explorer Dolphin Cruise, Southern Rose Dolphin cruise, Cruise OB (Orange Beach), Sail Wild Hearts, and the Sunny Lady Dolphin Cruise.
Pontoon Boat Rentals - Enjoy cruising the waters of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach on a Pontoon. Check out the pontoon boats with slides for extra fun. Book your Boat Rental Here
Parasailing - Check out the epic views as you parasail in the Gulf of Mexico. Look for wildlife and you float high above the water. Book your Parasaiing Trip Here
Jet Ski Rentals - Jet Ski Tours and rentals are a great way to explore the back bays of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Book your Jet Ski Rental Here
Click here to see all of the top rated tours and activities available in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Additional Gulf Coast Travel Guides
Best free things to do in Gulf Shores - Check out the local playground, public beach access points, and so much more.
Things to do in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach when it Rains - Don't let a little rain ruin your trip to the Gulf Coast! These activities are perfect for rainy days.
Things to do in Fairhope, AL - The top things to do in Fairhope, Alabama, include attractions, dining, sunset, wildlife, nature preserves, and so much more!
Things to do in Foley, AL - Don't miss all of the fun to be had in nearby Foley including the amazing Homes Medical Museum and the Railroad Museum.
Dauphin Island Aquarium - Learn about the sea life that can be found in Mobile Bay and along the Gulf Coast while visiting the aquarium. Wait until you see the touch tank! It is so much fun!
Best Sunrise spots in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach - All of the best places to view sunrise.
Gulf Shores Restaurants with a Water View – Check out these great restaurants that offer a water or beach view.
Looking ahead make sure to check out our January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December Guides to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach!
Don't miss our other Gulf Coast destinations, including Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Dauphin Island, Fairhope, Fort Morgan, Foley, Mobile, Bayou La Batre, Alabama, and so many more!
We also have articles on the Emerald Coast of Florida, including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Panama City Beach, Perdido Key, Pensacola, and more.
Keep an eye out for articles on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida!
Check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages for more great ideas for the Gulf Coast.
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