The best things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in October! The Shrimp Festival, Halloween events and parties, beach time, and so many cool things to see and do.
Things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in October
I have to admit that October is one of my absolute favorite months in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. The weather is perfect, the crowds are minimal, and you can still spend time at the beach without being chilled.
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🏨Hotels and Vacation Rentals
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October Events in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
October is the perfect time to visit Gulf Shores & Orange Beach! As a local, it is my favorite time of year. There are so many great Family-Friendly Fall activities, fun events, great weather, and epic food to enjoy.
October 4-10 Events, Festivals and Things to Do
October 9th and 10th events are most likely cancelled due to storm activity! We will post an update for next weeks events after the storm
October 11-17 Events, Festivals and Things to Do
- Sunday, October 11 - Oktoberfest, Flora Bama
- Monday, October 12 - Columbus Day
- Tuesday October 13 - Blue Angels Practice, NAS Pensacola
- Tuesday October 13- National Fossil Day, Learning Campus at Gulf State Park
- Wednesday October 14 - Midday Melodies, Foley Heritage Park
- Thursday October 15 - Foley Third Thursdays, Downtown Foley
- Thursday October 15 - 18 - 10 Year Anniversary Weekend, Big Beach Brewing
- Friday October 16 - Shower the People, Music of James Taylor and Carole King, OWA Theater
- Friday October 16-17 - Primal Fear 2026, Downtown OWA
- Friday October 16-17 - Halloween Haunted Forest Pirates of the Cursed Forest, Baldwin County Heritage Museum
- Saturday October 17 - Haunted Hustle 5k/Run, Wicked Walk Costume Parade, Monster Dash Beach Fun Run, Gulf Place Town Green
- Saturday October 17 - Magnolia Springs Firefighter Festival
- Saturday October 17 - Monster's Ball, Exploreum Science Center, Mobile
- Saturday October 17 - Haunted Forest Sinister Circus, Graham Creek Nature Preserve
- Saturday October 17 - Game Day on the Green, Portside on Main, The Wharf
- Saturday October 17 - Beer & Bourbon Fest, Tiki & Raw Bar
October 18-24 Events, Festivals and Things to Do
- Sunday October 18 - Orange Beach Pop-up Farmers Market, Orange Beach Waterfront Park
- Sunday October 18 - Pirates Cove Dog Olympics, Pirates Cove
- Monday October 19 - Devon Gilfillian Time Will Tell Tour, OWA Theater
- Wednesday October 21 - Midday Melodies, Foley Heritage Park
- Wednesday October 21-25 - Parrot Heads in Paradise "Meeting of the Minds", The Hangout + Other locations
- Thursday October 22-31 - Primal Fear 2026, Downtown OWA
- Friday October 23 - Pirate Family Fun Night and Fall Market, Baldwin County Heritage Museum
- Friday October 23 - The Laughing Dead Comedy Show, OWA Theater
- Saturday October 24 - 8am-3pm - Live WWII Drill at the USS Alabama
- Saturday October 24 - Skippin & Sippin 5K & Phun Run/Walk, LuLu's Gulf Shores
- Saturday October 24 - Tee-Offtoberfest, Tee Off at The Wharf
- Saturday October 24 - Trek or Treat, Learning Campus at Gulf State Park
- Saturday October 24 - Boo Bash by the Bay, USS Alabama
- Saturday October 24 - Game Day on the Green, Portside on Main, The Wharf
- Saturday October 24 - Haunted Forest Sinister Circus, Graham Creek Nature Preserve
- Saturday October 24 - Rocky Horror Halloween Picture Show, OWA Theater
October 25-31 Events, Festivals and Things to Do
- Monday October 26 - Light of the Moon Climb, Pensacola Lighthouse
- Wednesday October 28 - Midday Melodies, Foley Heritage Park
- Wednesday October 28 - Trunk or Treat, The Wharf
- Thursday October 29 - 21+ Haunted Forest Sinister Circus, Graham Creek Nature Preserve
- Friday October 30 - Treats on the Trail, Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, Sportsplex Trailhead
- Friday October 30 = Little Creatures Ball, Downtown OWA
- Friday October 30 - Haunted Forest Sinister Circus, Graham Creek Nature Preserve
- Friday October 30 - Dining with the Dead, Swift-Coles Historic Home
- Friday October 23 - The Laughing Dead Comedy Show, OWA Theater
- Saturday, October 31 - Halloween Events
- Saturday October 31 - The Original German Sausage Festival, Elberta Town Park
- Saturday October 31 - Wag-O-Ween, Downtown OWA
- Saturday, October 31 - Flora Bama Halloween Contest
- Saturday October 31 - Halloween Critters of the Night, Gulf State Park Nature Center
- Saturday October 31 - Candy Crawl, Downtown OWA
- Saturday October 31 - Game Day on the Green, Portside on Main, The Wharf
- Saturday October 31 - A Vampire Murder Mystery Dinner, Swift-Coles Historic Home
- Saturday October 31 - Halloween Night Ghost Tour, Pensacola Lighthouse
- Saturday October 31 - Rocky Horror Halloween Picture Show, OWA Theater
Additional October Events along the Gulf Coast
Blue Angels Practice
Dates - October 14*, 20, 28*
Location - Pensacola Naval Air Station
Gates open at 9:30 am
The Blue Angels are scheduled to take off at 10:30 am
The dates with a * includes an autograph day in the museum following the Blue Angels Practice.
Practices last approximately 55 minutes. There are open bleacher seats for 500 people. You can also rent a chair for $6 (there are limited quantities of chairs).
Please note that backpacks, daypacks, luggage, or similar items are NOT allowed on the flight line during Blue Angel practice air shows.
You will need to have your ID to enter onto the Naval Air Station. Public access to NAS Pensacola is available only from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway.
Make sure to plan time to visit the National Naval Aviation Museum after practice. The museum is truly amazing.
October Things to do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
These are some of our favorite things to do in Gulf Shore and Orange Beach around town.
Sunset Dolphin Sail
The weather in October is still gorgeous for being out on the water.
You can relax with a cold drink while watching dolphins frolicking nearby. As the sun goes down, you can savor the warm weather and epic views from the sailboat.
This is one of our favorite date night activities on the water. It is so relaxing and the views are amazing.
Hot Shop at Coastal Art Center
Now that the weather is colling down it is the perfect time to head to the Coastal Art Center in Orange Beach and participate in their Hot Shop classes! Learn to blow or pull an epic piece of glass art.
This is one of my favorite unique things to do in Orange Beach.
Wade Ward Nature Park
Fall migration and cooler weather makes it the perfect time to walk the boardwalk at Wade Ward Nature Park in Gulf Shores.
Located right off of Highway 59 is one of our favorite easy walks to see birds and look for the occasional gator.
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Dolphin Cruises
We are blessed to live in an area with an amazing Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin population. One of our favorite day dates is to book a tour to see our local dolphins.
You can also book an amazing sunset cruise. Sail through the back bays, enjoy great music, a cocktail, and, hopefully, lots of dolphins.
Here are a few of the dolphin tours we have done so you can see photos and video of what to expect.
Cruise OB - We were amazed at how many dolphin we saw leaping from the water on this dolphin tour. Book HERE
Explorer Dolphin Boat - This is a great option for families. The boat is one level with easy bench seating. Book this dolphin cruise here
Southern Rose Dolphin Tour - They guarantee you will see dolphins on your tour. Book this dolphin cruise here
Hammock Time Tiki Tours - You can talk with Captain Glenn and set up a private dolphin tour for the family.
Sunny Lady Dolphin Cruise - Leaves from the Wharf making it a really easy cruise to hop on. They have a two story boat with indoor and outdoor seating. Book this dolphin cruise here
Sail Wild Hearts - Enjoy a gorgeous sailboat tour while looking for dolphins.
Check out additional dolphin cruises here.
There are also private charter boats available if you want to set up a family dolphin tour on a private boat.
Orange Beach and Gulf Shores Weather in October
The weather in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is still warm in October. It is my favorite month.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach enjoy Fall weather in October with temperatures ranging from 56 degrees to 74 degrees.
Daylight hours continue to decrease in October with the shortest day of the month is October 31, with 10 hours, 59 minutes of daylight and the longest day is October 1, with 11 hours, 51 minutes of daylight.
The earliest sunrise of the month in Gulf Shores is 6:44 AM on October 1 and the latest sunrise is 20 minutes later at 7:04 AM on October 31.
The latest sunset is 6:35 PM on October 1 and the earliest sunset is 32 minutes earlier at 6:03 PM on October 31.
Water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico starts to fall in October from 81°F to 75°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 personally stayed at each of these lodging options (except Margaritaville, coming 2027!):
Use code GULFJOURNEY at checkout with Spectrum Resorts and Beachball Properties and Lucky Bird Vacations for an exclusive discount!
🏖️ Beachball Properties - Vacation houses and condos throughout Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Use Code GULFJOURNEY for a discount. Book with Beachball Properties
🏖️ The Beach Club Resort and Spa (Fort Morgan) - Beachfront condos with amazing amenities, a spa, and the incredible Coast Restaurant on-site. Use Code GULFJOURNEY for a discount with Spectrum Resorts. Book The Beach Club
🏖️ Turquoise Place (Orange Beach) - Our favorite resort in the area! Luxury amenities, epic Gulf-front views, and stunning condos. Truly unforgettable. Use Code GULFJOURNEY for a discount with Spectrum Resorts. Book Turquoise Place
🏨 The Tides Hotel (Orange Beach) - Gorgeous beachfront hotel with a great breakfast buffet, outdoor pool, and top-notch customer service. Book The Tides
🏨 Island House Hotel (Orange Beach) - Right on the beach with epic views from every room. Book Island House
⛺ Timberline Glamping (Orange Beach) - Stay in an amazing glamping tent with a private bathroom, right next to Gulf State Park. Book Timberline
🏨 The Lodge at Gulf State Park - Beachfront Hilton hotel in Gulf State Park offering epic views, sustainable practices, and great on-site restaurants. Book The Lodge
🏨 Springhill Suites Orange Beach - Located next to The Wharf with a gorgeous pool. Perfect location for shopping and dining. Book Springhill Suites
🔜 Margaritaville Resort Orange Beach (Coming 2027) - The highly anticipated Margaritaville resort is coming to Orange Beach! The first phase opens in 2027 and will include beachfront cottages, bungalows, condos, pickleball courts, and an entertainment district.
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.
Additional Gulf Coast Travel Guides
Things to do in Fort Morgan, Alabama - All of the fun things to do and see while visiting Fort Morgan.
Fun Things to do in Foley, AL - The very best things to do while visiting Foley, Alabama
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!
Best Coffee shops in Fairhope, AL - Great coffee shops you don't want to miss while visiting Fairhope.
Unique Things to do in Gulf Shores - There are so many amazing and unique things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama!
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!
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