Aside from its blindingly white sand, clear emerald waters, and eternal Gulf Coast breezes, one of the nicest things about Cotton Bayou Beach is that it is open to the public free of charge. Off-street parking is available for about 30 vehicles, without the $5.00 fee charged at the nearby Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion.

Gorgeous wide swaths of white sand, with no sign of oil, yet tourists have stayed away in droves

Cotton Bayou is one of a series of beaches that are part of Gulf State Park, which stretches for miles along the Gulf of Mexico in the community of Orange Beach, Alabama. Recently suffering from a loss of tourism due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the town is struggling to get the word out that the problems have been remedied and the beaches are as clean and pristine as they have ever been. But as with most disasters, it is easier to create a reaction with negative news than with positive; as a result, the beaches are still fairly deserted as visitors slowly accept that it is once again safe to go in the water. Tourists can reap a big benefit from the loss of tourism dollar, however, as many resorts and hotels are offering great week-long and weekend deals, combined with a great lineup of concerts to entice people back to the area.

Lovely afternoon on Cotton Bayou Beach, one of several beautiful beaches along Alabama's Gulf Coast

Cotton Bayou Beach is located about five miles east of Alabama Hwy. 59 and .2 mile west of Hwy. 161. In addition to offering free parking, the beach access area has restrooms and outdoor showers, and the beach is a short walk from the parking lot.

Photo Credit: Barbara Weibel
Article by Barbara Weibel of Cultural Travel with Hole In The Donut