The average price of a 7-day trip to Gulf Shores is $1,594 for a solo traveler, $2,863 for a couple, and $5,367 for a family of 4. Gulf Shores hotels range from $62 to $284 per night with an average of $92, while most vacation rentals will cost $360 to $480 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Pensacola International Airport (PNS) are between $490 and $779 per person for economy flights and $1,538 to $2,445 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $47 to $90 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Gulf Shores, AL, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to PNS and stay in a Gulf Shores hotel:
- January 8th to March 4th
- April 23rd to May 6th
- August 6th to November 18th
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Gulf Shores is usually mid to late September.
Average Gulf Shores Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $1,210-$2,361($173-$337 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $47 to $90 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $359 to $639 for economy
Lodging: $87 to $114 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $149 to $182 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $2,160-$3,910($309-$559 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $94 to $180 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $718 to $1,278 for economy
Lodging: $87 to $114 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $149 to $182 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $3,796-$6,714($542-$959 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $188 to $360 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,436 to $2,556 for economy
Lodging: $174 to $228 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $238 to $273 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Gulf Shores
How cheap can you make a vacation to Gulf Shores? The cheapest trip to Gulf Shores is about $118 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $260 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $50.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $827-$2,768($118-$395 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $24 to $47 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $359 to $639 for economy
Lodging: $50 to $62 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $260 to $300 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $1,354-$3,736($193-$534 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $94 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $718 to $1,278 for economy
Lodging: $50 to $62 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $260 to $300 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $2,708-$6,752($387-$965 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $188 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,436 to $2,556 for economy
Lodging: $100 to $124 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $390 to $480 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Gulf Shores cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Gulf Shores Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Gulf Shores.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $2,252-$8,972($322-$1,282 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $85 to $162 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $811 to $1,502 for first class
Lodging: $141 to $284 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $480 to $1,056 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $3,658-$11,608($523-$1,658 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $170 to $324 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,622 to $3,004 for first class
Lodging: $141 to $284 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $480 to $1,056 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Gulf Shores for a week is $7,316-$20,048($1,045-$2,864 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $340 to $648 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,244 to $6,008 for first class
Lodging: $282 to $568 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $672 to $1,584 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Gulf Shores Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Gulf Shores is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Gulf Shores due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Gulf Shores Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Gulf Shores hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are many options for vacation rentals across many price ranges in Gulf Shores.
Flight Costs to Gulf Shores
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $779 average in mid December to a low of $490 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $507. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Gulf Shores our data includes 456 originating airports, and 93 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Gulf Shores from an airport like Shevchenko (SCO) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $5,198 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Tampa International (TPA) in Tampa, FL (the United States) at an average of just $228.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Gulf Shores, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $289, so you can easily save about 59% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Gulf Shores can easily cost $350 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $24 per person. Private tours can cost $707 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.