Gulf Shores is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,044.

Gulf Shores is one of only two major (Orange Beach being the other one) seaside resorts in the state of Alabama. (Dauphin Island also contains a large number of beachfront homes, but is too isolated and vulnerable to hurricanes to be a viable resort). Most of the town is therefore devoted to hotels and a service industry. Because the nearby Mississippi Gulf Coast is protected by barrier islands, Gulf Shores is the only resort with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico between New Orleans, Louisiana and the well-known resorts of Florida. Gulf Shores is therefore more popular with local populations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana than the Florida resorts, which tend to be dominated by visitors from other regions of the United States. (However, the extensive spring break facilities of Panama City and Destin on the east side and the casinos of Gulfport and Biloxi on the west give Gulf Shores plenty of competition.) Gulf Shores bore the brunt of Hurricane Ivan on September 16, 2004.

Geography
Gulf Shores is located at 30°16'4.069" North, 87°42'5.285" West (30.267797, -87.701468)GR1.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 59.6 km² (23.0 mi²). 47.6 km² (18.4 mi²) of it is land and 12.0 km² (4.6 mi²) of it (20.11%) is water.

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