Annual ban on alcohol on Gulf Shores beaches begins this weekend

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) - The spring break season is finally here, and city officials in Gulf Shores want to make sure that everyone is able to enjoy it safely.

That’s why starting this weekend, you won’t be able to drink alcohol on the beaches.

“We’ve been to beach areas, and I grew up on the coast. So, I think it’s a great idea. You can have all of the fun you want to have, but it just simply enables it to be a better environment,” Bruce Smythe said.

Patti and Bruce Smythe just moved to Gulf Shores, and they say they’re on board with the change.

“We feel very much at ease here. Everyone is having a good time. And there’s not anything that’s weird or people getting upset. They’re enjoying it. They really are enjoying it,” Patti Smythe said.

The alcohol ban extends from the water all the way to the sand dunes. Police say throughout the eight-year history of the ban during spring break, alcohol-related offenses and arrests have gone down.

Helping Gulf Shores maintain its family-friendly atmosphere.

“We’ve been all over the country and lived in 14 states. Everybody knows about Gulf Shores and the one thing that stands out the most versus other places is family-friendly. Everybody tells me that. So this reinforces that,” Bruce Smythe said.

The alcohol ban will last through the spring break season and will end in April.

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