A Gulf Shores and Biloxi golf trip: how to split one week across two coasts
Plan a Gulf Shores and Biloxi golf trip: fly into Pensacola, play Alabama first, drive west on I-10 past Mobile, end in the casinos and fly out of Gulfport.
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A Gulf Shores and Biloxi golf trip works as a one-way run along I-10. Fly into Pensacola, play Gulf Shores and Orange Beach first, drive west past Mobile, and finish with Fallen Oak, Grand Bear and the casino nights in Biloxi. Fly home from Gulfport-Biloxi. Three nights in each town fits six rounds without backtracking.
This guide covers the airports, the drive, the courses to pick on each side and a sample week. Gulf Shores facts come from our Gulf Shores golf map data. Prices were seen in October 2026 and change; drive times are free-flow estimates with no traffic.
Quick facts
- Fly in: Pensacola (PNS), about 69 min to Gulf Shores, 56 min to Orange Beach.
- Fly out: Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT), about 27 min from the Biloxi casinos.
- Between: I-10 through Mobile. PNS to Biloxi is about 2 hr 19 min.
- Time zone: Central in both states.
- Best seasons: spring and October-November.
- Must-plan: Fallen Oak needs a Beau Rivage stay; Kiva Dunes opens 120 days out.
How the two towns fit together
| Gulf Shores / Orange Beach (AL) | Biloxi / Mississippi coast | |
|---|---|---|
| Best airport | PNS, 69 min to Gulf Shores | GPT, 27 min to Biloxi |
| Mobile Regional (MOB) | 98 min | 81 min |
| Signature course | Kiva Dunes | Fallen Oak |
| Evenings | Beach towns and condos | Casino resorts |
| Peak golf season | Feb-May | Mar-May |
| Second season | Fall (Oct-Nov) | Oct-Nov |
| Big event to avoid | National Shrimp Festival (October) | Cruisin' the Coast (first full week of October) |
Our data does not include a direct Gulf Shores to Biloxi drive time, so check a map for the transfer day. The route is I-10 west through Mobile, and the research flags Mobile at rush hour and the I-10 tunnel as places to add time.
Flights: open-jaw is easiest
Pensacola has the most airlines on the Alabama side: American, Delta, United, Southwest, Breeze and Frontier among them, per the Gulf Shores research. Gulfport-Biloxi has Delta (Atlanta), American Eagle (Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth), United Express (Houston-IAH), Breeze and seasonal Sun Country. Flying into one and out of the other saves a return drive. If you rent one car for both towns, check the one-way terms with the rental company.
The Biloxi travel research names PNS as worth using for Biloxi only for a specific nonstop or fare, or for exactly this kind of two-stop trip. Mobile Regional sits between the two towns but uses the same hubs as Gulfport; see Mobile to Biloxi and Gulfport Biloxi airport flights. For the Alabama side, read flying to Gulf Shores for golf.
The Gulf Shores half
The Gulf Shores map shows these courses close to the beach (drive times from central Gulf Shores):
| Course | Drive | Price seen (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Shores Golf Club | 7 min | $139 before about 1:30-2 PM, $99 twilight (Oct-Nov 2026) |
| Craft Farms (Cotton Creek, Cypress Bend) | 12 min | Winter Six-Pack $420 for 6 rounds, valid to Feb 15, 2027 |
| Peninsula Golf & Racquet | 14 min | Dynamic, from $89 (Nov 15, 2026-Mar 31, 2027) |
| GlenLakes, Foley | 22 min | $86 + tax before 1:52 PM, $66 from 2 PM (2026 rates) |
| Kiva Dunes | 24 min | $174.77 before 2 PM, $144.86 after (late Oct 2026) |
| Lost Key, Perdido Key | 33 min | $95 rack before 1 PM (effective Aug 21, 2026) |
Kiva Dunes is the area's top-ranked public course and its priciest, and its tee times open 120 days out. Lost Key, with paspalum from tee to green, sits toward Pensacola, which makes it a good arrival or first-day round. The Gulf Shores guides go deeper: Kiva Dunes, Craft Farms, Lost Key and the best golf courses in Gulf Shores.
On the way: Magnolia Grove in Mobile
The RTJ Trail's Magnolia Grove (Crossings and Falls, plus a par-3 Short Course) is in Mobile, on the transfer route. RTJ's multi-day special there started at $115 per person per day for Sept 8 to Nov 15, 2026 and at $85 for Nov 16, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027, with cart and range balls, plus tax. Public times book online only, 7 days ahead. See Magnolia Grove golf course in Mobile.
The Biloxi half
Arriving from the east on I-10, the first Mississippi courses are on the east end of the coast, and the best two are inland at Saucier.
| Course | Drive from downtown Biloxi | Price seen (Oct 2026) | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Landing, Gautier | 25 min | Not posted online; call | Public |
| The Preserve, Vancleave | 28 min | Fall $175-$225, $150 after 3 PM | Public; Palace packages |
| Fallen Oak, Saucier | 29 min | Sold with a Beau Rivage stay | Beau Rivage guests only |
| Grand Bear, Saucier | 57 min | No dated card; GolfLink estimate about $170 | Public |
| Windance, Gulfport | 41 min | $110, $85 from 2 PM | Public times, 14 days |
| The Oaks, Pass Christian | 38 min | $99-$109; $39-$49 late | Public, 365 days |
Fallen Oak, Tom Fazio's course, is the reason many golfers come. It is open only to guests of Beau Rivage, booked through the hotel with the room, and the resort provides transport. Book the Biloxi nights there if Fallen Oak is on your list. Palace Casino Resort owns The Preserve and sells stay-and-play packages with it. Our Fallen Oak course guide, The Preserve course guide and Grand Bear course guide have the details, and best golf courses in Biloxi ranks the rest.
A sample Gulf Shores and Biloxi golf week
- Day 1 (Fri): fly into PNS. Play Lost Key on the way to Orange Beach or Gulf Shores.
- Day 2 (Sat): Kiva Dunes, booked the day its 120-day window opened.
- Day 3 (Sun): Peninsula or Craft Farms, then drive west on I-10 through Mobile. Optional: stop at Magnolia Grove instead.
- Day 4 (Mon): The Preserve or Shell Landing on the way into Biloxi; check in at Beau Rivage or Palace.
- Day 5 (Tue): Fallen Oak with your Beau Rivage stay.
- Day 6 (Wed): Grand Bear, then fly out of GPT, or add Windance or The Oaks for a seventh round.
This puts the weekend nights in Alabama and the casino nights midweek. Biloxi's casino hotels charge noticeably more on Friday and Saturday; one published Beau Rivage group rate was $154 Sunday to Thursday against $174 Friday and Saturday (spring 2023). For a Biloxi-only plan, see the Biloxi golf trip itinerary.
When to go
Both coasts have the same rhythm: a spring peak, a fall second season, a hot and stormy summer with lower green fees, and a mild, cheap winter. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 on both, with the main risk from August to October. Mardi Gras falls on Feb 9, 2027 for both.
Check the big October dates on each side. Cruisin' the Coast, the hardest hotel week on the Mississippi coast, runs the first full week of October. The National Shrimp Festival is normally Gulf Shores' big fall weekend; the 2026 festival was cancelled because of Hurricane Isaias. Our best time to golf in Biloxi and the Gulf Shores golf trip planner have the month-by-month detail.
Packages on each side
- Gulf Shores: Coastal Alabama Golf sells three-night, three-round stay-and-play packages with the Hampton Inn Gulf Shores and the Courtyard at Craft Farms, priced on request, and Kiva Dunes builds packages for groups. See Gulf Shores golf packages.
- Biloxi: Beau Rivage (Fallen Oak), Palace (The Preserve), Island View (Windance, from $99) and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast (The Bridges, from $119) sell stay-and-play. See Biloxi golf packages and casino golf trip.
Plan it on the map
Open the Biloxi golf map to plan the Mississippi half with drive times from each hotel, and the Gulf Shores map for the Alabama half. The $30 plan builds the Biloxi days around the night you arrive from Alabama.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Can you combine Gulf Shores and Biloxi in one golf trip?
Yes. Both are on I-10 on the northern Gulf, with Mobile in between. Fly into Pensacola (PNS), which is about 69 minutes from Gulf Shores, play Alabama first, drive west to Biloxi and fly home from Gulfport-Biloxi (GPT), about 27 minutes from the casinos.
How far is Biloxi from Gulf Shores?
Our data does not include a direct Gulf Shores to Biloxi drive time. For reference, Pensacola's airport is about 2 hours 19 minutes west to Biloxi on I-10, and Mobile Regional Airport is about 98 minutes from Gulf Shores and 81 minutes from Biloxi, all without traffic.
Which airport is best for a Gulf Shores and Biloxi trip?
Pensacola for the Alabama end and Gulfport-Biloxi for the Mississippi end. The Biloxi research names PNS as worth it mainly for a two-stop trip that combines Gulf Shores or Orange Beach with Biloxi.
What are the best courses on a Gulf Shores and Biloxi trip?
On the Mississippi side, Fallen Oak (Beau Rivage guests only), Grand Bear and The Preserve. On the Alabama side, Kiva Dunes is the top-ranked public course, with Peninsula, Craft Farms and Lost Key close by.
When is the best time for a Gulf Shores and Biloxi golf trip?
Spring and fall. Gulf Shores treats February to May as peak golf season, Biloxi March to May, and both have a second high season in October and November. Watch for Cruisin' the Coast in early October on the Mississippi side.
Are both towns on the same time zone?
Yes. Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Mobile, Pensacola, Biloxi and Gulfport are all on Central Time.
How should I split the nights?
Play Gulf Shores over a weekend and Biloxi midweek if you can. Biloxi's casino hotels charge noticeably more on Friday and Saturday nights, so arriving there on a Sunday saves money.
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