09/01/2026
Peaceful and relaxing on the OTHER side of West Beach! We have the best of both worlds with Little Lagoon on one side and the beach on the other side.
Everybody talks about the Gulf when they talk about Gulf Shores.
But for generations of families, there was another body of water that was just as much a part of being here.
Little Lagoon.
Stretching behind West Beach, Little Lagoon creates an entirely different side of Gulf Shores. Instead of big Gulf waves, you've got calmer water, marshes, fishing spots, docks and sunsets that can stop you in your tracks.
And then there's Little Lagoon Pass, the narrow connection where lagoon water meets the Gulf.
Today, Lagoon Pass Park gives the public access to both sides of this unique little piece of Gulf Shores.
But longtime visitors remember when West Beach itself felt different.
Fewer giant developments.
More beach houses.
More empty stretches.
Kids fishing from docks.
Families crabbing along the water.
Small boats heading into the lagoon.
And somebody's uncle insisting he knew exactly where the fish were even though he hadn't caught anything in six hours.
Little Lagoon is also an important reminder of what Gulf Shores actually is geographically.
There's the Gulf of Mexico on one side and this long, protected lagoon immediately behind the barrier beach.
That combination helped create a Gulf Shores experience that wasn't limited to sitting beside the ocean.
You could fish.
Kayak.
Boat.
Watch birds.
Or simply sit beside quieter water while everybody else fought for a spot on the Gulf beach.
Modern Gulf Shores gets busier every year.
Little Lagoon is still back there.
And for plenty of people who grew up vacationing here, some of their best Gulf Shores memories happened on the OTHER side of West Beach.
