Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
How to plan beach trips now for a happier 2026
Reading time: 4 minutes
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Imagine looking at your 2026 calendar, and the first things that meet your eye are swaths of days marked, “OFF – Beach trip! ☀️”
Research proves that looking forward to something makes people as happy as doing the thing. You can step into the new year carrying those wonderful feelings, planning and anticipating your glorious getaways to Alabama’s Beaches.
We’re here with all you need to know about giving that gift to yourself, someone else (or both of you), including info on how planning now gets you the best scheduling, lodging and deals.
Vacation smarter in 2026
Planning in December and January offers the widest range of lodging options along Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan throughout the coming year. That means you get first pick of the best spring and summer beach houses, roomy condos with prime views and family favorites closest to the sand.
For many folks, the same goes for PTO this time of year. A little strategy can help early planners lock in those coveted extra days around company holidays.
📆 2026 Holiday Planning Cheat Sheet
- Spring Break: March 23-27 for Birmingham City Schools (BCS)
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
- Back-to-School: Late July before early August restart (BCS)
- Labor Day: Monday, Sept. 7
- Fall Break: One week in early October + a Friday later that month (BCS)
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26
- Winter Holidays: Christmas Eve + Christmas, as well as New Year’s Eve + New Year’s Day, fall on Thursday/Friday pairs in 2026
Giving the gift of travel + shared experiences
Memories of lived experiences and special times outlast anything wrapped in paper, making travel a wonderful gift for almost everyone on your holiday shopping list. That sentiment extends beyond this season’s gift-giving, too. Plan now to celebrate an anniversary, a milestone birthday, years of friendship over a girls’ weekend or a family reunion.
Alabama’s Beaches offer excellent stays for every crew, including beachfront rentals with wide porches, cozy condos with Gulf views and large houses that allow everyone their space on friend group getaways and multigenerational trips.
Here are a few fun ways to reveal your surprise:
🎄Hide a sand-filled ornament on your Christmas tree
📖 Wrap a free Alabama’s Beaches vacation guide (or text a link to the e-guide)
🐚 Slip a painted shell into a stocking
😎 Add a note to snazzy new sunnies or flip flops
🍾Drop a message in a bottle into a bubble bath
What’s new in 2026
The new year brings everything wonderful about Alabama’s Beaches: sugar-white sand, calm Gulf water, dolphin cruises, bike paths, nature trails and food ranging from seafood shacks to elevated, date-night fine dining.
✈️ HUGE NEWS FOR SUMMER 2026: The destination is adding 30% more flights, including a new one from Huntsville, a welcome option for travelers who prefer to fly rather than drive.
Meanwhile, road-tripping remains part of the whole experience for many others. Do it once or twice, and you’ll soon have some favorite stops for snacks and shopping, plus new rituals like rolling down the windows to catch the salty breezes in those final miles getting there.
Free vacation planning help
We know it’s a busy time of year, and you’ll thank us later for making these plans the last critical thing you do in 2025.
To make the task an easy lift for you, Alabama’s Beaches specialists are on standby with free vacation-planning help. They’ll match you with the best options for accommodations to suit your stay and point you to local favorite shops, restaurants, attractions and services.
Visit AlabamasBeaches.com today and start the year with plans that fill you with joy every time you look at your calendar.
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