Perdido Key & Orange Beach, the way it actually is.
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The Key Today · Thursday, September 17
One stretch of sand, two state flags — check the access sign before you wade in.
Take the kids to the calm bay side at Johnson Beach — gentler water.
5-Day Forecast
Forecast via the National Weather Service.
Latest
Sand in the Coffee, Vol. 104: the bushwacker, and how strong it actually is
The Bushwacker looks like a chocolate milkshake and hides three kinds of rum. One is plenty in the sun. Here's what's in it, where to find the good ones, and how not to overdo it.
The Salt Line, Vol. 95: The Rare Grant Nobody Had to Beg the State For
Thirteen nonprofits will each get $101,000 this fall — funded by neighbors writing $1,000 checks and voting on the winners. It's the rare grant on this coast nobody had to beg the state for.
Sand in the Coffee, Vol. 103: the early walk, and what the tide leaves for whoever gets there first
The best shells aren't gone by the time you wake up — they arrive when you do. Get to the wet sand by seven and September hands you an empty beach and first pick of the tide line.
Sunset toast. Cans, not crystal.
Photo: site library
Got a better shot? Prove it.
Sunrises, dog-on-the-beach portraits, that fish you swear was bigger — send us your best from the Key or Orange Beach and we'll run our favorites right here, credited to you.
Areas
Perdido Key Drive
The strip. Gulf-front high-rises, the Sandshaker, and the smell of fryer oil drifting south.
Johnson Beach / Gulf Islands
The undeveloped end. National park rules apply. Bring shade — there isn't any.
Innerarity Point
Bay side. Where locals drink. Hub Stacey's, Pirate's Cove, and a sunset that beats the Gulf for half the year.
Sorrento / Bauer Road
The inland part. Where the Publix is. Where everyone who actually lives here goes for cat litter.
The Flora-Bama Line
Two states, one parking lot. The Mullet Toss, the Songwriters, the line. Where the Key is, in spirit.
Ono Island
Gated, quiet, and across a bridge. Locals live here. Tourists do not, on purpose.
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