Yes, Gulf Shores has sea turtles. Loggerheads, Kemp’s ridleys and green turtles nest on Alabama’s Gulf beaches each summer, mostly at night and mostly out of sight. Nesting season runs May 1 through October 31. You are unlikely to watch a turtle lay eggs or see a nest hatch, and there are no public hatchling tours here. But your vacation can still help the turtles, and there is one family-friendly event built around them. This guide covers all of it.

One quick note for readers in Florida: Gulf Shores is in Alabama, not Florida. It is a short drive west of the Florida line, and the rules, hotline and volunteer program below are Alabama’s.

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TL;DR

  • Three species nest on Alabama’s coast: loggerhead (the most frequent), Kemp’s ridley and green. Nesting season is May 1 to October 31.
  • There are no public hatching tours in Alabama. Seeing a turtle is a matter of luck, and the best thing you can do is keep the beach clean, dark and flat.
  • If you see a turtle at night, stay back at least 30 feet, stay low and quiet, and use no lights. Call 1-866-732-8878 to report a turtle or nest.
  • Disturbing a sea turtle or nest is a federal crime. Penalties can reach $15,000 per offense.
  • To learn more in person, the annual Turtle Fest at the Gulf State Park Pier is the right place to go.

Table of Contents

Do sea turtles really nest in Gulf Shores?

They do. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are home to three nesting species: loggerheads, which are the most frequent, Kemp’s ridley and green sea turtles. Nesting happens mainly after dark. Turtles show what biologists call site fidelity, meaning they return to the beach where they hatched, so the turtles on our shores are considered native to Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

The numbers are small, which is part of why every nest matters. According to the Alabama Coastal Foundation’s nesting statistics, volunteers documented 96 nests on Alabama beaches in 2025. Most were loggerhead nests. Four were verified as Kemp’s ridley and one was a hybrid green. The first nest of the year turned up on April 30 at Fort Morgan, and the last on August 8 at Dauphin Island. The same page reports that 6,336 hatchlings reached the water that season.

Alabama sea turtle nesting statistics for 2025

A female lays about 110 eggs per nest on average, according to Outdoor Alabama. Many of those hatchlings will not survive their first stretch in the Gulf, so anything that helps them reach the water counts.

Who watches over the nests

The work is done by Share the Beach, a program of the Alabama Coastal Foundation. It was founded in 2005 and follows U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocols. Volunteers walk the shoreline looking for “crawls,” the tracks a turtle leaves in the sand when she comes ashore to nest. Per the Fish and Wildlife Service, those volunteers search for crawls so they can track and mark the nests. The program monitors all 47 miles of Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

That is a professional conservation effort, not a tourist attraction. Keep that in mind and the rest of the rules make sense.

When is sea turtle season in Gulf Shores?

Official nesting season is May 1 through October 31. Here is how a typical season fits together, using the 2025 dates as a guide:

Stage What happens Timing
First nests Females come ashore at night to dig and lay 2025’s first nest was recorded April 30
Peak nesting Most nests are laid through the summer Late spring into summer
Incubation Eggs develop under the sand Typically 55 to 70 days
Hatching Hatchlings emerge, usually at night, and head for the water Summer into early fall
Season ends Beach rules stay in effect through the official window October 31

Incubation time comes from the Alabama Coastal Foundation. Because nesting began on April 30 in 2025 and the last nest was recorded on August 8, a nest laid late in the season can still be incubating well into the fall. If you are staying in September or October, the turtles are still your neighbors.

What month is best to see a sea turtle?

There is no month that guarantees a sighting. Nesting happens at night and turtles spend the rest of their lives at sea. If you want to be on the beach during the busiest part of the season, summer is when nests are being laid and incubated. Just know that being there does not mean you will see anything, and that is by design. The turtles do best when people are not around.

Can you watch sea turtles hatch in Gulf Shores?

This is the question most visitors ask, and the honest answer is no, not as a planned activity. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach tourism officials say there are no public hatching-watching tours in Alabama, because the animals are endangered and need protection. Conservationists would rather you contribute by keeping the beach quiet, dark and flat than by trying to witness a hatch.

You may have read about organized turtle walks or hatchling releases on other coasts. Alabama does not run that kind of program for the public. Do not go searching for a nest, and do not follow volunteers to one.

If you do come across a turtle by chance, here is what to do:

  1. Stop and stay back. Keep at least 30 feet away.
  2. Get low and stay quiet. Sit or crouch so you do not look like a predator, and keep voices down.
  3. Turn off every light. No flashlights, no phone lights and no flash photos.
  4. Let her finish. Do not block her path to or from the water.
  5. Call the hotline. Report the turtle or a suspected nest to 1-866-Sea-Turtle (1-866-732-8878).

These steps come straight from Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism’s Share the Beach page. Save the number in your phone before you head to the beach.

Beach rules that protect nesting turtles

The program boils down to three words: keep the beach clean, dark and flat. Here is what each one means for a normal beach day.

Keep it clean

Take all trash with you, including bottle caps, bits of plastic and food scraps. Litter on the sand can harm turtles and the wildlife around them.

Keep it flat

Beach gear left out overnight is an obstacle course for a mother turtle trying to crawl up the sand and for hatchlings trying to reach the water. The tourism office’s conservation guidance asks you to remove tents, chairs and coolers from the sand by sunset. It also asks you to fill in every hole you dig. Holes are a hazard for people and for turtles.

Sandcastles count too. Big castles and trenches can block hatchlings, so knock them down before you leave for the day.

Before you leave the beach each evening:

  • Fold up and carry off chairs, umbrellas, canopies and coolers.
  • Fill in holes and level any sandcastles or mounds.
  • Pick up toys, floats and trash.
  • Check the sand around your spot one last time.

Keep it dark

Light is the biggest problem. The Fish and Wildlife Service’s story “A Shining Light” reports that research shows artificial lighting deters sea turtles from nesting on Alabama’s beaches. Outdoor Alabama explains why it matters for hatchlings: artificial light masks the natural moonlight they use to find the ocean, so they head the wrong way.

That is why the rules about lights are so firm:

  • No flashlights on the beach at night.
  • No flash photography.
  • Keep phone screens dim and pointed away from the water.

If you must have a light, use a red or amber one. The tourism office’s conservation post lists red or amber-filtered lights among the most effective things vacationers can do. Better still, let your eyes adjust. On a clear night the Gulf Coast sky is bright enough to walk by.

Interfering with a sea turtle or its nest is not a minor matter. Per the Gulf Shores tourism office, it is a federal crime to disturb, feed or touch sea turtles or their nests, with penalties up to $15,000 per offense. The animals are protected under the Endangered Species Act, as the Alabama Coastal Foundation notes. That covers picking up a hatchling “to help” it. If you think a turtle is in trouble, call the hotline and wait for trained responders.

Turning your rental into turtle-friendly lodging

If you are staying in a beachfront condo or house, you have more control over the lights than you might think. The balcony, the porch and the windows facing the Gulf all spill light onto the sand.

Try this routine from your first night:

  • Close the curtains or blinds on Gulf-facing windows after dark.
  • Switch off porch and balcony lights unless you truly need them, and ask your host which fixtures are turtle-friendly.
  • Skip the flashlight on the walkway to the beach. Learn the route in daylight.
  • Bring your gear back inside at sunset so nothing is left on the sand or dune walkover.
  • Tell your group. Kids and teenagers with phones are the most likely to forget.

The Fish and Wildlife Service’s article on leaving only footprints is a good primer to share with the family before you arrive. One practical tip: when you message the owner before booking, ask how the property handles outdoor lighting during nesting season. Direct contact with owners is one of the things we like most about booking this way.

How to learn more about Gulf Coast sea turtles

If you want a closer connection with the turtles, go to an education event rather than looking for a nest. The tourism office promotes Turtle Fest, a family-friendly celebration of all things sea turtle held at the Gulf State Park Education Pier. It is built for guests of all ages to learn and explore. Check the event page for the current year’s date and details before you plan around it, since schedules change.

Other ways to take part:

  • Read up first. Outdoor Alabama’s guide covers species, nesting behavior and what to do if you find a turtle.
  • Support the program. The Alabama Coastal Foundation runs Share the Beach and relies on volunteers and donations, as described on its program page.
  • Pack up with the kids. Turning the nightly beach cleanup into a game is an easy way to teach them why it matters.

Want more to fill your days? Our guide to things to do in Gulf Shores has a family bucket list, and our post on free things to do with kids helps with budgeting. If you plan to spend time on the sand, see our notes on beach access and parking fees.

Our perspective: a good turtle neighbor is a good guest

We run a marketplace where travelers book directly with owners and managers of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan rentals. We hear the same hope from many guests: “We’d love to see a turtle.” We understand it. But the best vacations here are the ones where you leave the beach exactly as the turtles need it.

The habits are small. Take the chairs in at sunset. Fill the hole the kids dug. Close the curtains. Those things cost you nothing, and in a season with 96 recorded nests, each one counts.

Our perspective: a good turtle neighbor is a good guest — overview diagram

We also think the choice of where you stay plays a part. Because you talk to the owner or manager directly, you can ask about outdoor lights, beach gear storage and house rules before you book. Good hosts appreciate guests who care. If a rental has a Gulf-facing porch, ask how they handle it in nesting season, and tell them you will follow the beach rules. Most owners love to share what they know.

If you leave with a few great sunsets and no turtle sightings, count it a success. Somewhere on that beach a nest may be incubating undisturbed, because people like you kept it dark.

— Joe

Find a Gulf Coast rental that fits your trip

When you are ready to pick a place, browse Gulf Shores vacation rentals across Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan. You will find condos, beach houses, cottages, townhomes, studios and beachfront stays, and you contact owners and managers directly with no guest service fees. Traveling with a four-legged friend? Use the pet-friendly filter, or read our pet-friendly condo guide. You can also start from our home page to compare property types.

Planning your trip around turtle season

Nesting season overlaps with the busy beach months, so a little planning helps both your trip and the turtles.

Pack for the rules.

  • A small red or amber light for emergencies.
  • A bag for chairs, toys and trash so cleanup is quick.
  • A sand shovel the kids know must be used for filling holes back in.

Plan your evenings.

  • Watch the sunset, then head in with your gear while there is still light.
  • Choose dinner spots where you can walk or drive without crossing the beach in the dark.
  • Keep late-night beach walks short, dim and quiet.

Make the most of daytime.

  • Spend mornings on the sand and afternoons on a boat, a pier or the water. Our Orange Beach snorkeling guide covers spots, timing and safety.
  • Check the Gulf State Park and tourism event calendars for educational programs.

What if you are visiting outside the season? From November through April, the beach rules are less critical for turtles, but clean sand and no trash are good manners year-round. Nesting dates can shift a little from year to year, as 2025’s first nest on April 30 shows, so keep the habits all spring.

Sources

About the Author

Joe Godar of the GulfShoresAlabama.com Editorial Team create destination guides, vacation-planning resources, and local travel content focused on Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan, Alabama.

Our team researches Alabama Gulf Coast beaches, vacation rental trends, family activities, local attractions, restaurants, events, and direct-booking best practices. Every guide is created to help travelers plan more confidently, discover the best of the Alabama Gulf Coast, and avoid unnecessary third-party guest service fees.

GulfShoresAlabama.com is part of the Emerald Coast by Owner marketing family, connecting travelers directly with verified vacation rental hosts throughout the Gulf Coast since 2016.

This article was reviewed for accuracy and updated using local destination research and current Alabama Gulf Coast vacation rental market insights.