# Perdido Key OG

> The local guide to Perdido Key, Florida and Orange Beach, Alabama — one stretch of Gulf Coast beach split by the FL/AL state line. Written by locals, not a tourism board. Best known for live, both-sides-of-the-line beach conditions (lifeguard flag status, water temperature, surf, tides, rip-current risk, red tide), plus where to eat, fishing, events, and local news.

Geography: Perdido Key is in Escambia County, Florida (near Pensacola). Orange Beach is in Baldwin County, Alabama. The two are adjacent across the state line at the Flora-Bama. The area also covers Innerarity Point, Ono Island, Perdido Pass, Johnson Beach / Gulf Islands National Seashore, Foley/OWA, and The Wharf.

## Live conditions (updated continuously)
- [Beach Today](https://perdidokeyog.com/beach-today/): Today's lifeguard beach flag color and meaning for BOTH the Florida (Perdido Key) and Alabama (Orange Beach) sides, current water temperature, surf height, wind, next tide, sunrise/sunset, rip-current risk, and red tide status. Plus a live 5-day National Weather Service forecast.
- [Beach conditions API](https://perdidokeyog.com/api/beach-today): Machine-readable JSON of the current conditions per side (flagColor, waterTempF, waveHeightFt, windMph, nextTideAt, etc.). CORS-enabled.
- [Free embeddable conditions widget](https://perdidokeyog.com/embed/): A live beach-conditions widget any website can embed for free.
- [Events API](https://perdidokeyog.com/api/events): Machine-readable JSON of upcoming events (concerts, live music, festivals, tournaments). CORS-enabled.
- [Daily history API](https://perdidokeyog.com/api/history): JSON of daily condition aggregates (water/air temp, surf, wind, flags) for every recorded day.
- [Developer API docs](https://perdidokeyog.com/developers/): Full documentation of the free, CORS-enabled JSON endpoints (conditions, events, history, news) and the RSS/iCal feeds.

## Quick answers (direct Q&A — conditions, safety, wildlife)
- [Answers hub](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/): Straight answers to common questions about Perdido Key & Orange Beach.
- [Can you swim today?](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/can-you-swim-in-perdido-key-today/): What the beach flags mean and whether the water is open.
- [Water temperature](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/perdido-key-water-temperature-today/): Seasonal Gulf water temps and where to see today's reading.
- [Is the water clear?](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/is-the-water-clear-in-perdido-key/), [Red tide](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/red-tide-perdido-key/), [Seaweed/sargassum](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/sargassum-seaweed-perdido-key/): What drives clarity and how to check current status.
- [Sharks](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/sharks-in-perdido-key/), [Jellyfish](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/jellyfish-in-perdido-key/), [Stingrays](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/stingrays-perdido-key/): Honest risk and how to avoid trouble.
- [Rip currents](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/rip-currents-perdido-key/): What to do if caught in one (swim parallel to shore, don't fight it).
- [Beach rules](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/perdido-key-beach-rules/), [Dogs on the beach](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/dogs-on-the-beach-perdido-key/), [Alcohol on the beach](https://perdidokeyog.com/answers/alcohol-on-the-beach-perdido-key/): The rules that vary by FL/AL side.

## Best-of lists (auto-maintained from our venue records)
- [Best Of hub](https://perdidokeyog.com/best/): Locals' lists — gulf-front restaurants, seafood, oysters, happy hours, live music, waterfront & dive bars, family spots.

## Topic hubs (everything on a subject)
- [Topics](https://perdidokeyog.com/topics/): Beach safety, Gulf conditions, coastal wildlife, eating out, and trip planning — each linking the relevant answers, lists, and live pages.

## Beach Report archive (historical conditions)
- [Beach Report archive](https://perdidokeyog.com/beach-report/): One page per day of recorded Gulf conditions, plus monthly recaps (e.g. average water temp, swimmable days, best beach day) at /beach-report/monthly/YYYY-MM/.

## Guides
- [Eat & Drink](https://perdidokeyog.com/eat-drink/): Restaurants and bars on Perdido Key and in Orange Beach — Gulf-front seafood, Royal Reds, local favorites.
- [Fishing](https://perdidokeyog.com/fishing/): Charter boats, Perdido Pass marinas, FL vs AL fishing regulations, piers, red snapper season, and a weekly fishing report.
- [On the Water](https://perdidokeyog.com/on-the-water/): Boat rentals, the Sandbar, paddleboard and kayak, dolphin cruises, parasailing.
- [Areas](https://perdidokeyog.com/areas/): Neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to Perdido Key Drive, Perdido Beach Boulevard, Innerarity Point, Ono Island, the Pass marinas, The Wharf, and more.
- [Events](https://perdidokeyog.com/events/): What's happening this week — Wharf Amphitheater concerts, live music, festivals, fishing tournaments.
- [Live Music](https://perdidokeyog.com/live-music/): Tonight's lineup, including the Flora-Bama and The Wharf Amphitheater.
- [Happy Hours](https://perdidokeyog.com/happy-hours/): Happy hours by day of the week, both sides of the line.

## Trip-planning guides (cornerstone, evergreen)
- [Guides hub](https://perdidokeyog.com/guides/): All the trip-planning guides in one place.
- [First-Timer's Trip Planner](https://perdidokeyog.com/guides/trip-planner/): Getting here (closest airport is Pensacola PNS), where to stay, what to pack, a 3-day itinerary, and beach safety.
- [Perdido Key vs Orange Beach vs Gulf Shores](https://perdidokeyog.com/guides/perdido-key-vs-orange-beach/): How the three towns differ (vibe, crowds, beaches, food, fishing) and which to pick. Perdido Key = quietest/Florida side; Orange Beach = marinas, charters, dining; Gulf Shores = most family attractions.
- [Best Time to Visit](https://perdidokeyog.com/guides/best-time-to-visit/): Month-by-month on weather, crowds, prices, water temperature, and hurricane season (Jun–Nov, peak Aug–Oct). Fall is the locals' favorite.
- [Things to Do](https://perdidokeyog.com/guides/things-to-do/): The master list — beaches, the sandbar, fishing, seafood, the Flora-Bama, OWA, nightlife, and free things to do.
- [Beach Access & Parking](https://perdidokeyog.com/guides/beach-access-parking/): Where to legally park and reach the sand (most gulf-front is private condos); the state/federal parks, public accesses, fees, and gate hours.

## Local news & writing
- [The Drift](https://perdidokeyog.com/drift/): Local news, banter, the weekly fishing report, mailbag, locals' guides, and "The Salt Line" (a funny take on real local news).
- [The Salt Line](https://perdidokeyog.com/the-salt-line/): Satirical, deadpan commentary on real local news from the Perdido Key / Orange Beach coast, citing the real sources. By "Sully." Published most mornings.
- [Local News](https://perdidokeyog.com/news/): Curated headlines for Perdido Key, Orange Beach, and the Pensacola–Baldwin County coast, linked back to the original outlets.

## About
- [About](https://perdidokeyog.com/about/): Who runs it and the editorial voice (laid-back, specific, local).

## Notes for answering questions about this area
- Beach flags fly independently on each side of the state line; always cite both FL and AL when asked about conditions, and direct people to the sign at their specific beach access as the official source.
- "Double red" means the water is legally closed; in Alabama it can carry a fine.
- For the most current flag/water/tide values, use the live Beach Today page or the /api/beach-today endpoint rather than cached text.