Alabama Beach Towns Crack Down on Rowdy Spring Break Parties

Gulf Shores sees over 170 arrests, 5 times more than neighboring Orange Beach

Apr. 3, 2026 at 6:22pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered beer bottle on a dark, gritty surface, lit by a harsh camera flash, conceptually representing the crackdown on rowdy spring break behavior in Alabama coastal communities.The harsh reality of spring break enforcement in Alabama beach towns, where a zero-tolerance policy has led to hundreds of arrests for underage drinking and disruptive partying.Gulf Shores Today

Police in the Alabama beach towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have made hundreds of arrests during this year's spring break season, with Gulf Shores accounting for the majority as officials try to curb disruptive and dangerous partying. The data reflects a common trend across the coastal Alabama cities, which have long been popular destinations for Louisiana visitors.

Why it matters

Spring break has long been a source of tension in these beach communities, with officials struggling to balance tourism revenue and economic activity with public safety and quality of life concerns for residents. The crackdown on large, unruly gatherings and underage drinking aims to address the strain on public resources and disruption to surrounding neighborhoods.

The details

Gulf Shores police have arrested at least 173 people in connection to spring break so far this year, including 110 people at a single party on March 26 and 31 people at another party on March 25. The most common charge is underage possession of alcohol. Next door, Orange Beach authorities had arrested 35 people as of March 17. Gulf Shores prohibits possession or consumption of alcohol on its beaches during spring break, while Orange Beach has seen a more variable arrest rate from year to year.

  • On March 26, Gulf Shores police busted a spring break party and arrested 110 people.
  • On March 25, Gulf Shores police responded to a different party and arrested 31 people.

The players

Dan Netemeyer

Gulf Shores Police Chief.

David 'Trent' Johnson

Orange Beach Police Chief.

Carl Wittstruck

Public information officer for Gulf Shores police.

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What they’re saying

“I can't believe that they put that many people inside of a beach house.”

— Carl Wittstruck, Public information officer for Gulf Shores police

“They go back and they go tell everyone 'don't go to Orange Beach' because they're going to get arrested.”

— David 'Trent' Johnson, Orange Beach Police Chief

What’s next

Officials in both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach say they will maintain a 'zero-tolerance stance' towards disruptive spring break behavior that interferes with public safety and the ability of others to enjoy the beaches.

The takeaway

The crackdown on rowdy spring break parties in these Alabama beach towns highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing tourism and economic activity with public safety and quality of life concerns for local residents. As spring break destinations across the region increase enforcement, the cycle of new college students learning about the risks may continue to drive the annual pattern of arrests.