The Wharf Reviews

Had a great dinner then walked around and looked at all the shops. Most were fairly expensive, but they had good selection. They also had a DJ playing music which was kind of cool.

The Wharf is mainly a shopping/business district. We went during the morning hours and I would recommend visiting 4pm or later because that is when the ferris wheel runs. There are plenty of places to eat at The Wharf including bars, cafes, and more. There are also a lot of shops at The Wharf including: a Build-a-Bear shop, beachwear shops, and a movie theater. We only ended up staying there for 1 hour or so, but again we came at the wrong time. If you are looking for a shopping, eating, and riding a ferris wheel kind of day, then this is the place to be.

There was nothing special about it. Says closes at 6pm but most places started closing at 5pm. If you like expensive stores and restaurants but not my vibe. Would not go back

The shops there are all very expensive items....what ever happened to family-friendly, economically feasible for the normal person. There is a yacht-club and eaterys...but all the restaurants are expensive and cater to the "five-cent millionaires". The Wharf continues to struggle as a tourist destination and will continue to do so until they begin catering to "normal families". We have money to spend also !!!!!!

Weekend Adventure with the girls and mom's birthday, so we decided to visit the Wharf. My sister wanted us to see the venue because we had never been. Pleasantly surprised at how nice it was! There was plenty of parking and a good police presence. Felt very safe walking around shopping all the vendors and checking out the cars.

Visited during the July 1st 5,000 Beach ball drop. Had an amazing time. There are different stores, activities, and restaurants to suit different styles. There are different nights themed for different things. Tuesday nights were kids night with special activities for kids. It was well maintained, well lit, and very clean. I would suggest a visit if you are nearby.

Nice place with lots of activities to do and fun shopping and great food choices. Great wave pool and lazy river too

If you cannot find something to keep you occupied or entertain you then you are a lost soul. There is something for everyone here. Movie theater. Ferris wheel. Miniature golf. Ice skating (in winter). car show. Shops. And there are restaurant that will delight your taste buds. Villagio is wonderful Italian fare and great pizza. Ginny Lane is Americana cuisine at its best. Yo Ho Rum and Taco is absolutely wonderful. If your more inclined for lighter fare there are several other types of eateries for you. And you have to catch a show at the outdoor Amphitheater that is an excellent venue for bands.

What a surprise! Lots of cute shops and a few nice restaurants. Light display in the evening was great. We got lucky and saw a weighing of an almost 700 pound black marlin. Very cool. Definitely a must go to when visiting Orange Beach.

We went to The Wharf expecting great things. Only great thing we found, was a place to eat. We looked in a few of the shops, but most weren't kid friendly. There was an arcade with laser tag some games but it was a little dingy. After supper, the kids wanted to ride the ferris wheel and it was closed for some reason. Overall, I would not recommend The Wharf as a must-do in Orange Beach.

The Wharf in Orange Beach, AL has something for absolutely everyone to enjoy! The shopping, restaurants, and entertainment are impressive - with fun for all ages (children-senior adults!) Our family enjoyed the Dolphin and Nature Cruise with Cetacean Cruises-Orange Beach and shopping at Shades! The grounds are clean and well-kept, and our family thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of touring The Wharf!!!

We chose this time to come to orange beach because of a 2 day car show. The Wharf is a happening place. We enjoyed good food and interesting shops. The venue is kept very clean. We will always visit when we are in orange beach

We paid $90 for tickets. It was pouring rain at 15 minutes before the show with thunder and lighting in the background. They did not call off the show at the open air amphitheater. This will be the last time I buy tickets to anything there. Not only irresponsible but greedy.

Nice, upscale complex with many shopping and dining options. A lot of unique shops that are fun to explore,

Unless you are going later in the day for the light show or come here to eat, there isn't much to entertain. The ferris wheel wasn't in operation. We tried getting a daiquiri at a place that turned out to be grubby and unfriendly. And we couldn't even find a decent souvenir. Sad.

Nice place to check out. Cool stores and it's outdoor so you still get to enjoy the weather
It is covered around the store so option for a rainy day too.

Great place to walk around. Well lit and clean with friendly locals. There are several reasonably priced dining options. The area could use a Jersey Mike’s or some other premium sub shop along with another ice cream shop!

The Ferris Wheel is dog friendly. Most of the stores are also pet friendly, they even have water available. Some of the restaurants, with outdoor seating, allow dogs. Bathrooms are large and clean. Plenty of parking.

This seems to be a shopping center for the people staying in the nearby hotel. Not bad for what it is, but a lot of empty suites and chain stores. Didn't not find anything very unique about it. Ferris wheel looked fun, but was closed when we got there.

It was pretty chilly and deserted. The shops really weren't our type of places. I thought this would be a fun visit and it wasn't.

We lived walking around the Wharf! It was raining that day we came, but there was plenty of cover!! All of the shops are a little different, but there is something for everyone! Plus plenty of food options and coffee!

Fun place to go for the evening...shops are different and eclectic. The Ferris wheel was great as well as the light show!

An excellent range of stores to meet your fancy. A Music venue that hosts big names. We attended the Zac Brown concert. Bleacher seats, may want to bring a cushion with good views and a large pit in front of stage. We found the crowd to be quite courteous.

The Wharf is a nice area with shopping, restaurants, and several hotels, along with entertainment options...but it is a work in progress and a lot of empty retail spaces and not many customers yet. Lots of potential.

My sister and I went shopping while our husband went fishing. The people were very friendly and welcoming, however I wish they had more stores. We did go back at night (Monday) they had a laser lights and fireworks show that was great and at the back of the Whaft they had a really good band playing.

Great time during the Marlin Tournament with the family. Huge blue marlins on display as well as other fish. Lots of people and a great time. Always like staying here and we come once a year.

There are so many things to do at the wharf that you probably should plan on spending the whole day there! They have mini golf and other activities for everyone to enjoy! There are so many variety of shops and food choices to go to all in walking distance from each other! Park and spend the day exploring! Go see all the huge boats in the marina and even go on a dolphin cruise while your there!

Fun spot to walk around on a day that is not beach worthy. Lots of great shops and restaurants. Overhang makes it easy to do on a rainy afternoon. Mile 158 is a great place for lunch.

Live entertainment, eateries and great shops positioned right next to a beautiful marina the Wharf is a great place to visit in Orange Beach, AL.

We stop here a couple times a year - they have great events so watch for them on Facebook. Hoping to see some new stores open soon - off season is hard on them. Always clean and friendly.

The Ferris wheel was just okay. The movie theater is dead. But there are some good shops and restaurants. It was a fun environment.

We stopped here after a wedding to have some drinks. We went to the Ginny bar which was phenomenal and the walked to the other end to have drinks at the daiquiri bar and the bar across the street from there .. both places really cool... everything closes soooo sooooo early tho but bars ok!

buttttttttt
Don’t bring kids there at night!!! About 11:30- 12am while at bar across from daiquiri bar last night .. we were outside watching Michigan v penn state and random people having extra extraaaaa fun on balcony... even after making it clear we saw them.. they didn’t stop!

We stayed here for three nights in June 2019. It definitely kept us occupied for a couple of days. We are two retirees spending our time cruising in our own boat. This Marina was extremely clean and well-kept. Staff is friendly and helpful. There are 2 areas for dogs which were maintained nicely. However, I felt this marina was slightly overpriced. Sandestin has so much more to offer at a cost of $0.50 more per foot.

We visited on a weekday so there was no entertainment going on. The shops were kind of expensive. We did eat at Dick’s Last Resort, which was also pretty expensive for what we got,but not completely unexpected. We also had great ice cream at a little shop—honestly the best stop of the day. Would not go again unless going for a concert.

We were shocked to see that very few people were wearing masks during the New Year's event. Even the employees at the mall were expressing anger that the COVID precautions were not being enforced. There were lots of activities for kids, but we didn't see them cleaning the climbing wall or mechanical bull and families were standing close to each other in line without distancing. We decided to leave because it wasn't safe in our opinion. I bet the light show would have been fun and the atmosphere would have been better in a non-COVID year.

This place appeared to be dead. Found a bar on TripAdvisor, so we drove out to the wharf to find it. After walking around for 30 minutes, we asked an employee at another establishment, she informed us that the particular bar (Cowgirls) had closed about 2 years ago. This is an entertainment area but most of the shops close up about 9 and there is very little going on. There was supposed to be outside entertainers the night we went, and nothing.

My family visited The Wharf during spring break. There are lots of shops and restaurants to see. We ate dinner somewhere else, but decided to get ice cream at Kilwins. The ice cream was really good. I would recommend The Wharf if you need a place that has a variety of restaurants so that everyone can choose their own place to eat or need a place to sit and eat ice cream while the kids look in all the shops. There is also a movie theater there if you need another form of entertainment for a rainy beach day.

We went during the day, so we missed the evening light show. Also the ferris wheel was down until mid March for maintenance. This was a good option to kill some time. My hubby and son went to the arcade and said it didn't have a lot of games and not worth the money. My daughter and I went to the shops. There are a couple of cute boutiques. We stopped at the Dippin Dots, which was a nice little break.

The light show is a must see---flashing laser lights put to music. Shopping at fine stores, great restaurant choices, and a fine stroll.

Not what we were expecting based on advertisements. Shops were like any others, amusements were way out of line price wise unless you belonged to or was staying at the condo's. It was more or less a waste of time going there. I guess if you wanted to kill some time on vacation it is nice to walk around.

We visit the Wharf every year we come to OB. It has nice shops and restaurants, a movie theater and an arcade. Something for the whole family.

I loved this place! They had every kind of store you could think of! I just wished the had signs pointing what was where lol

It's a pretty area with lots to see. Shopping, food, and drinking is all around. Friendly service and easy to park.

it was super fun and we even went ice skating there which was a fun new experience!!! most of the shops closed at 6 and we didn’t realize it so we didn’t go into all of them but the stores we did go into were super cool and there were good boutiques!!!

This was a fun and interesting place . We enjoyed ourselves we rode the Farris and went to dick last resort and we had a ball.

The Wharf is a nice selection of shops and eateries. I stopped in for coffee, and ended up walking into a confectionery as well! Free parking was a bonus.

We had heard the Wharf was having a fireworks shows while we were on vacation and decided to attend. We were able to get a great seat for the fireworks and the kids really enjoyed them. They were huge and lit up the sky! The show was pretty short (5-10 min) but we enjoyed every minute. In addition to the fireworks, the wharf has several shops and places to eat. There was also a movie theater and a Ferris wheel. If you are looking for a place to spend some leisure time, this is the place! Everyone was very friendly and the stores were unique.

Really nice development and has a nice music venue that is really good. There are a lot of shops and several food places. It is very noisy if you stay in the condos as the maintenance people are power washing and making noise as early as 6:30am.

So much here for the whole family, also just adults!!! So many options! Loved the convince of ANYTHING we wanted! Something for the children, something for the adults only!!! We WILL return!!

Looks like a fun place to hang out, but all the shops close early. By 8pm the light show is going but its like a ghost town. Only the Ferris wheel was operational.

We usually visit The Wharf every time we are in Orange Beach. It was nice to see the retail and restaurant areas a little more populated than last time. We especially enjoyed the coffee shop and the ice cream shop. The evening activities were fun for our family including a light show and fireworks. What I cannot understand is how this place has zero changing tables in its restrooms. Once I had to change my one year old on the bathroom counter and once on the floor in the coffee shop bathroom. For a place that advertises for families, you would think there would be those accommodations. Other than that, definitely recommend The Wharf for fun activities!

I can’t say enough! This hotel has great accommodations. Everything you could possibly need is here. If you’re holding an event next door at the convention center and need somewhere to stay, then look no further than this place. A hotel with great accommodations is nothing without its staff though. During my stay I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with two of the wonderful staff here. “Momma E” and Orlando are top notch! You won’t find better than those two.

My wife and I went to the Wharf. It is really nice, alot of shops to chose from. It is a very nice place

Came over to walk around. It was right after Hurricane Sally. Not much activity during the day. A lot of shops seemed to be not open. Went around back by marina to local bar and sat outside. Few people there. Bartender said it was a night spot. Hope so. Shame to see this area go done the tubes.

After seeing all the ads for " the warf", we gallllve it a try. Bummer. Condo still being sold and development is not complete. Shops allclosed couldn' even get a cup of coffeel. LTheir ad ohould say: closed until______. From the store we saw, the shops are not intresting. If you are into shopping TLanger outlets are 10 mijutes up the road. No beach or ocean- on the inland waterway. etc. etc.

Not as much to do as we thought there would be. The mini golf was closed and we didn’t want to spend a ton of money on the laser tag. When we came later for the dolphin cruise it was extremely crowded so we didn’t stay for the light show or Ferris wheel.

A friwnd rwcommended the Light Show for my daughter. What a fun show it was - lights, a fun story, and great music! My daughter sang and danced throughout the whole show. We rode the Ferris Wheel which gave us some pretty views of everuthing lite up! Very fun night!

Love the carousel, we walked the entire place and it was such a great day trip. Lots of restaurants and shops. They were setting up a little kids fair when we were there so they keep it active. They have zip lining but we chose to just enjoy the upper views from the carousel. Everyone was friendly and we had a blast just browsing at our own pace

My family and I visited on a Monday night during the summer. We rode the ferris wheel and watched fireworks. We also visited the indoor arcade and played laser tag! So much fun!!!!

We were there in May of 2020 and saw an amazing light show we happened upon after our dolphin cruise ended it was great

This venue is nice when the weather is nice but the management is horrible about canceling shows in bad weather. DON’T GO

There are a lot of shops, a few restaurants, and even a couple ice cream places. We did the escape room and it was very fun!

Lots to do! Check out Andy Andrews Wisdom Harbour. Great little museum and bookstore. Vinny’s Pizzeria very good! Lots of nice shops to visit.

I was surprised at the selection of local shops available. Lots of places to eat and have fun too. There is a Ferris wheel for families and a whiskey tasting for adults.

I am a disappointed that the really nice cigar bar didn't make it and I don't even smoke. But I had some very enjoyable cocktails there while enjoying some fantastic piano or relaxed jazz, but that's how it goes. There's some other pretty decent choices for grabbing a drink so there's that.

Well as forThe Wharf it's a pretty nice place to go rain or shine with lots of reasons to make it a destination day and night. There's restaurants, an electic assortment of places to shop, an arcade, ferris wheel, marina and more plus be sure to check out the laser light show, fireworks and street party too, just check the Mullet or their website for times. Speaking of the ferris wheel, it's kinda sporadic for times of operation and it's shut down way too much but it's pretty cool when it's up and running.

I've been here for shows like the Jimmy Buffet concert and it's nicely arranged with decent acoustics. Only down sides are the hike is a little bit much and I think a shuttle would be a nice touch when you're stuck in the boonies. Also big loss of a star because they don't have signs or any kind of numbering or section markers for your exit when leaving shows. My example is this, after one show it had started to put rain, that's a 50/50 proposition here, and when leaving in the dark everything looks the same. It's poorly lit, everything looks the same even if you are going out the wrong way and there is NOBODY around to even answer a question or possibly give some guidance, that's not cool and should be fixed.

I hear the movie theater is quite nice and the convention center is well done. Plus check put the marina for dolphin cruises and water stuff.

The parking situation is pretty darn good because you can do street parking, garage and lot parking which is pretty convenient.

The shopping and dining can be a little expensive but the real estate here is gotta be super expensive but I really love the Pepper Place and House of Jerky and always leave with too much stuff. As for dining there's okay choices from the finer dining to just grabbing a burger or treating yourself to ice cream or the more decadent candy shop experience.

I am not convinced that the owner/management is doing the best they can do with all the vacancies, turn over, ferris wheel down time and situation with the concert attendees/signage because it's a really great concept with a great location that needs some attention before it goes the way of the malls. They can do better and until then I am stuck on three stars. But I will still be coming for shows and shopping and you know, hanging out and digging the sunset on the deck.

A Rainey's day, so we came here. Some shops closed. Most shops are for women. Ferris wheel, zip line closed

I'm not much of a shopper, but I went with my wife and daughter and actually really enjoyed myself. There are a lot of cool and unique stores. They are a little pricey, but it is fun to browse. You can grab a drink and take it with you and there are a couple of restaurants too. It was off season by only a couple of weeks and was pretty dead, but I think it would be lively and more fun in the peak season.

It’s a very nice area to shop. A couple of nice outdoor bars throughout are nice to cool off. The 2nd level is all local businesses and the main floor is a lot of clothing stores. Most of them were not interesting to us, but the area was fun.

We missed the Mexican restaurant that used to be there this year, but stopped for a while to get a frozen drink and take in the ferris wheel and lights. There are a lot of little shops that have cute things in them.

Came to see the Coastal shops that we were told had some unique things and they did. It would be easy to decorate your whole house from them. There was a candy shop with some of the best Carmel salt fudge. It would be worth going back for. The Farris Wheel was closed when we were there but thats no problem. But all was quaint!

The wharf is missing restaurants and many shops were closed or closed too early, losing potential sales. I hope by summer foot traffic will increase and bring back business and people.

I rented a condo at The Wharf for a girl's shopping trip. The roomy condo was the perfect place to rest from our busy days. The marina views were peaceful with lots of bird watching and some dolphin sightings. Several great restaurants and bars within walking distance. Great place to stroll and watch the lights in the evening.

Just ok. A few shops boutiques, souvenirs, hot sauce shop, candy shops, ice cream, small arcade, movie theater and the Ferris wheel. Good to pass an hour or two. Atmosphere was fair. A lot of empty or closed shops. A few restaurants as well.

Great time at the Wharf as usual. Had my annual family vacation and there was really no need to stress. My family (and other families) honored social distancing. The Oasis is the best. Get their lemon ice drink if you do not drink. All and everything is good. Plenty of places to shop and eat.

It all closes down early. Great restaurants and bars there. Stores seemed pricy. Free parking. Nice to walk around.

Was very nice to spend a day shopping and visit the many unique stores. Food choices were pretty good too.

Went to the Car show, tried Dick’s Last Resort. GREAT FUN TIME. GREAT PEOPLE FOR IS GOOD .I had the 12 inch Hot Dog it was fantastic, we wore the Hats and had a great time. You got to try5his place

The Oasis was a bust. No tubes for the lazy river, no hammocks, and the “hot tub” and wave pool pumps were broke.

Maintenance said stuff is on order from China, so not sure when it would be there.

The front desk of our condo said they’d call us back after we complained and never did. I called twice and spoke to them with a promise of a call back.

We wanted to check out and go somewhere else, but it wasn’t an option without losing all our money. They should have at least offered this.

The beds in the condo were low grade and felt 20 years old.

I’ve stayed at the wharf 20+ times over the years, but first time back since 2020. It is not the same place and guest service ain’t a thing as you are locked into a condo contract..

Worst part is I convinced my brother and his family to come and said how great the condos and the oasis were.. I said you don’t have to worry about the water temp, because the kids can go on the lazy river or distracted with the waves and can warm up in the hot tub. Didn’t happen. Not going back and wish I wouldn’t have recommended it. Do yourself a favor and stay at the beach. You can go to the restaurants at the wharf without staying there. The restaurant quality also dropped and the place is dead at night. I know it is early in the year, but we’ve stayed there in the off season a lot.

This place is not a wharf. It's an outdoor shopping mall. Cool place but I was expecting boardwalks and ocean/beach views with the beach atmosphere. This place is NOT that. Its a street with shops on either side. It has a second level but those places were mostly offices. That said, the place has some great little shops with local artists creations. Ice cream & candy shops. A few boutiques. Name brand stores. They have a ferris wheel & an amphitheater which are cool. There is a boardwalk out to the amphitheater

Quite a few local shops and eateries. Plenty for kids to do. Not a bad place to kill some time. We enjoyed speaking with the shop owners, etc. We were waiting for our boarding time on a sightseeing tour and this was a good place for it.

This is a great place for an afternoon walk and some window shopping. Worth a visit, with easy parking and a couple of nice restaurants.

We visited twice during Fall Break. The majority of the shops close at 6. I will say that most of the establishments are dog friendly so that’s a plus, but in general, there isn’t much variety and little entertainment to be labeled an “Entertainment District”. It was very empty both visits. The second time we visited was during Freedom Fest but everything ends at 5. Most people are enjoying the beach and pools during the day so the timing of the event (9-5) is not good for most people. The area has a lot of potential, but not with everything closing so early.

Went to the Wharf for breakfast (Southern Grind Coffee Company - fantastic) and then spent a couple of hours browsing the stores. Especially loved Faux Paws and Gulf Coast House of Jerky. But there are many restaurants and shops to browse, great fun!

Nice place to go in a rainy afternoon. Cute shops. I loved that they are dog friendly and I met some sweet puppies 😊

The Wharf was a nice change of pace from the beach. Most of the staff was very friendly except for High Cotton. They were smart aleck and condescending when one of our party asked re a “sale” item that was on a sale rack but not marked down. They said they should start collecting money for every dumb question that were asked, which shows it is not clear to start with!

We were not impressed with the shopping options. Very few people around considering it was a holiday weekend. We thought it was closed when we got there because the parking lots were nearly empty. Kind of fun to look at the boats in the marina. Wouldn’t go back.

This place has some great shops and restaurants! It is a great place to kill time or just shop if you are looking for a different place to shop around!

We were really underwhelmed with this shopping/entertainment complex. We were there during off season, or the shoulder, at least, but the ferris wheel wasn't operating and there wasn't any entertainment going on anywhere. There was a movie theater and a few stores that mostly catered to wealthy old women. The best part was that a lot of the stores had dogs. I had a nice time saying hi to all the dogs.

There is definitely plenty to do here. We ended up visiting this area twice during our week long visit to Gulf Shores. If you need a few hours away from the beach, this will do the trick. There is lots of shopping, places to eat and even some entertainment.
We visited the AMC theater, some restaurants, the Ferris wheel, and lots of stores!
I recommend spending at least a few hours here!

We rode the Ferris wheel and watched the light show one night and the kids had a blast. The wait was not bad at all the line seemed to move really fast. Definitely a place to visit at least once while in town.

Parking was easier than expected - on the street or very close garage parking. We stopped at the dog store where the kids had fun filling a little treat bag for our dog. Several ice cream spots and fun stores to check out - though our only non- food purchase was the dog treats. Good for a break from the beach.

The Wharf is such an exciting place to shop, eat, find entertainment or take a dolphin cruise. Our favorite place to eat is the Ginny Lane. They take reservations, and you can sit out back overlooking the marina. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. The staff are so nice and give great service. We went to Orange Beach June 13 for a week and dined at the Ginny Lane several nights. They were very much following the CDC guidelines/protocol. Try them out, if you haven't already, on your next trip to The Wharf. We will definitely be back.

Nice place with alot of shops. Most of them are high end and plenty of places to eat. We went during day time so did not get to see it at its best. I heard night time is the best time to visit.

At 62 years old I forgot what a ferris wheel ride was like. It was great, for 5 bucks you get a nice ride and 5 times around. Felt like a kid again..

The Orange Beach/ Gulf Shores area is better known for its sugar sand beaches, friendly people, dive beach bars (FloraBama, Pink Pony Pub, etc.), than for destination locations. Thankfully The Wharf sort of bridges that gap. Lots of cool shops from high end retailers (Tommy Bahama, Guy Garvey, several clothiers) to family friendly ice cream and activity shops. It has a ferris wheel (I reviewed separately), movie theater, dock, fishing charters, amphitheater, etc. Overall great venue... my only regret and the rain it doesn't get 5* is that it is located on canal road, on the intracoastal waterway a little of the beaten path from the rest of the beach. Definitely nearby, but would be even better if closer.

We bumped into this place looking for a coffee shop. It was a great area to walk around, shop, and people watch. It has a few restaurants and bars that I would definitely go back to for lunch or dinner. The giant Ferris wheel was a bonus for kids. There was also an arcade and VR area for my teenage son. Lots of stores tfor shopping.

Great crab cakes and clam chowder . If they weren’t the best ever, they were 2nd best ever. Best device too.

Visiting The Wharf is a must! We had so much fun. The atmosphere is laid back and a lot of fun. In the evening the all the palm trees have lights that dance with the music up and down the trunks. We loved this. There are so many great shops to shop in and something to eat for everyone since there are so many restaurants.

A regular on our rotation when we are in the area. Entertainment can be fabulous, shopping is normally above average and the food can be very good. Great offerings worth a visit.

We were 1/2 a mile down from the wharf and visited a couple times to shop and walk. There was live music back by the boats and bar. I enjoyed the daiquiri bar! Lots of family activities and kids carnival type events. Variety of shops and food plus the bigger activities like movies, zip lines, mini golf, arcade...

There were a ton of fun little shops along the strip. Most were priced like downtown boutiques and a few higher end chains. It was not a place I would go specifically with kids.

The Wharf has a pretty good variety of shops and dining choices. The Ferris Wheel was a fun extra. Parking was a bit jumbled. We did find a spot behind the shops but the lot is not paved. The only criticism I really have is the drink vending machines. None of them were stocked with water and it was HOT out. Of all 6 drink options only Diet Pepsi would work.

We attended a Luke Bryan concert with our grandchild, and it was HOT! I love the venue, and it is pretty easy to leave also. I just wish they had some shaded areas for the brutal sun.

Since it was a bit of a chilly day we had some time to use and decided to go to the Wharf. It is a bit of a charming little shopping area to walk around and grab a snack or sweets. I would not put this on my list of have to dos.

This is a very cool place to spend an hour or two. There are tons of shops, ferris wheel, and a few restaurants. The staff is friendly, the whole place is clean with a lot of parking. Dont miss out on the wharf for an evening of fun.

Visited the wharf over memorial Day weekend it was great nice area touchy of good restaurants beaches etc.

Shops were mostly upscale. There is a local score that makes there own teas and spices that was cool. Beautiful marina to see some very nice boats.

Believe it or not...it’s like fast food, but amazing seafood. Had the Balckened Mai Mai...and it was actually really good. Plus ice cold beer.... :)

We have been to The Wharf to visit multiple times but this was the first time we stayed there. The condo was awesome and the proximity to everything was so convenient! The Oasis wave pool and lazy river were one of the reasons we decided to stay there this time. Not too busy because it’s not open to the public. There are amazing restaurants with multiple options for people with celiac (including myself - I never got sick from cross-contamination). Tons of activities including a Ferris wheel, dance parties (family friendly) at night, an arcade, an escape room, a movie theater and an awesome Zipline course. Short drive to a public beach. There is a little market there for some necessities. I highly recommend staying at The Wharf if you’d rather not drive anywhere during your vacation - you can do everything there! There’s a salon/spa but I didn’t have time to check it out.

We had a wonderful time at the wharf. Watching the boats come and go. Eating, shopping, having ice cream all in one location. Wonderful experience.

Great place for a rainy day ... lots of cute shops and places for food and drinks. It is an entertainment district so you can walk around with a beverage . Loved POUR . Check it out !

I found this place while exploring the area. Small, cute shops and restaurants. There is a Ferris Wheel too. The shops have everything from beach decor to specialty shops for children’s clothing. It was a nice stop to wander around a couple of hours when it was too hot to be on the beach.

This place was so cool! It's a big shopping, dining and entertainment district. The night we were there, they'd closed up the central drive/parking lot, fired up the light show and cranked up the music. There were families and kids dancing everywhere!

We got ice cream and walked the length of the development, stopping to do a little souvenir shopping. There's also a Ferris Wheel here, and we all rode it. From the top of it, you can see the whole of The Wharf stretched out below you. So pretty all lit up in the night!

Definte stop if you are visiting the area. Tourist outdoor shopping center but that is what most people are in town for. Couple nice restaurants (casual) and some nice stores. Seems like they are continuing to build up the area and I am looking forward to see what stores move in. Check the concert schedule also. They host some good country music artists.

We were rather disappointed with our visit. We went around dinner time but with young children there was not a lot of family friendly restaurants. They could use a Margaritaville or Hard Rock etc... The stores were boutique type stores. They were clean and employees were polite.

After having come to the Gulf multiple times we have never ventured over to Orange Beach so on this Tuesday night we want to experience the Spectra Light Show at the Wharf. And can we say it was amazing! Sight and sound something I know the whole family would enjoy. Before hand we took in viewing the complex made up of many high end, high quality establishments, although many were closed for the evening when we arrived it still gave us a good glimpse of what we could return again to explore. Thought about taking a ride on the lit up Ferris wheel,, but noticed that it ran much faster than the one we have in our home town of Branson, MO so opted out. We highly recommend this entertainment venue for children of all ages again especially the Spectra show, its truly one not to be missed!

We were looking for something to do in between playing at a softball tournament. We came here because we heard that there was shopping and fun stuff to do. Not much really interested my teens in the shopping area. It seems like afternoon was not the time to go. I’m guessing that there might be a little more happening in the evenings. Some things were not functioning in the afternoon. It’s really not worth going out of your way for. It’s basically just like an outdoor shopping area.

We went here for the beach ball drop and summer kick-off. Had a good time but was VERY crowded. Looked like a good area to hang out and shop if it wasn't so crowded. If we would've had time we would have come back on a less busy evening. They seem to have several events during the summer months that a kid and family friendly. Only thing that seemed lacking was restaurant options.

The Warf was awesome. We booked a tour and had fun watching the dolphins 🐬! That was great and we got the opportunity to see other boats / Yachts. We enjoyed the stores and bought souvenirs for the family.

What a great place! My wife and I, along with my daughter's family (including two of my grandbabies) went here one afternoon while vacationing in Gulf Shores. While most of the outdoor attractions were closed due to a line of thunderstorms rolling through, we enjoyed a great afternoon and evening going through the amazing variety of shops. There was something for every member of our party! I particularly liked the Kentucky Mist Distillery. They offer tastings of a number of unusual and great quality spirits. My wife and daughter loved shopping at the numerous clothes, shoes, and apparel stores. We finished the evening by having an amazing meal at Yo Ho Rum & Tacos. The service was super friendly, and the food was fresh and flavorful. I had the fish tacos that were amazing! I look forward to coming back here under better weather conditions to enjoy the rest of the activities offered. We had a great time regardless!

We were here for the Eric Church concert and it was our first time to The Wharf and won't be the last. Great venue! We were in walking distance from our hotel so had no issues with parking. We did drive over the night before and had trouble finding parking (also a concert night) but ultimately found one in the garage. There are several places to eat as well as a movie theater. I love that the shops and ice cream shop stay open until 9. The light show is ok. The walking areas are good. The amphitheater is fantastic!

An outdoor mall with restaurants and shopping. From a hot sauce shop to an ice cream/fudge eatery. The arcade area upstairs doesn't really have much to entertain the kids.

Not what I was expecting. Basically just a couple of blocks down a road of shopping, candy, and a couple of restaurants. Needs a better variety of shops and more of them.

An upscale but reasonably priced mall of stores, restaurant, and bars. Beautiful fireworks on designated evenings.

Very nice place to shop, eat and enjoy the marina. We had lunch at Ginny Lane. Our server was very nice and gave us info to enjoy other sights near by.

We went to ride the Ferris wheel and were able to be up in the air right at sunset providing fabulous views!! For $5, the ride was really nice.
There wasn’t much in the way of affordable shopping, but the ice cream at the candy store was really good. We loved the light show and dancing/hula hoops after dark!

Spent a couple of days at The Wharf while in town for a concert. Lots of shopping available as well as restaurants. The area was very clean and right on the marina so there’s lots to see and do! There’s a movie theater as well as a Ferris wheel.

It's a mall. As long as you know that going in, it's as expected. The stores are a nice variety of merchandise, but it's still just a mall. It was clean with adequate parking and facilities. There is nothing wrong with it as long as you manage your expectations.

we loved this place!!! My husband, me and our 5 year old daughter visited here when there was a car show going on and it was packed but fun. There's so much to do here from shopping, movies and eating. I will definitely be back again soon.

We enjoyed The Wharf. I highly recommend going on Monday night for the firework show, it was excellent. The light show is nightly and was good also. We spent some time at the arcade, my son loved playing games. There's lots of shopping and places to eat and a ferris wheel. Fun place.

I enjoyed the unique shops at The Wharf. It was a great shopping experience and we enjoyed dinner at the Italian restaurant (sorry, I cannot remember the restaurant's name).

Spent some time here the last week. Lots of fun. It seemed odd that the dance show that is usually down in the circle did not occur. Some nights the lights went off, but beyond that it was odd. Kilwins was a great new add on. I am upset that Intracoastal isn't there anymore. The Marlin Tournament was cancelled because of Hurricane Barry. Will be back next year. OH! Thank you for getting rid of that terrible Mexican Restaurant... Sol Y Mar. It was awful.

Worst experience of vacation. Ruined a whole afternoon/evening. Every single person except one exceptional young lady in Kilwins Sweet Shope was rude and aloof. Half of the stores were closed before 3pm and the “conductor” of the kids train was so nasty, noticeably rolling her eyes, and obviously not wanting to be there. Really made it a bad experience for the kids. Will not be returning, ever.

Nice place to walk around, but the shops there are very expensive. We did ride the ferris wheel, which was nice. But other than that, we probably wouldn't return.

Extremely clean shopping pavilion, lots of good food and choices of shopping! Could use more restrooms.

We enjoyed exploring the shops and restaurants. There was a ferris wheel and a little train. On select nights there is a Fireworks show.

We got here a late afternoon, after a day at the beach. We enjoyed looking through the shops, having a nice supper, and then watching the light show and fireworks. We were a group of 8 and all enjoyed it.

Very interesting area! We were passing through on our way to Louisiana. Stayed at Springhill suites which is on property. Reminded us of an area in northern Michigan called Bay Harbor. The hotel was excellent!

Stopped by one day to look around, pop into some shops, and take a walk by the marina. There are lots of shops with some restaurants, and a number of places to grab a drink. A few places with outdoor seating by the water which is nice. It was pretty busy, but parking wasn't bad.

Higher priced stores and food. Beautiful mall, though. It was also nice to walk along the water and see the large boats coming in.

A neat little place with a few shops, but only plan on 2 hrs. While the guys were on a fishing excursion, my 17 y.o. daughter and I visited the Wharf. The landscaping was pretty and there are a few places to eat, but there weren't many shops. They were all more boutique style or specific. Ok, for an outing, but wouldn't go back.

We stopped by since we were in the area. There is a lot of potential for this shopping center. We didn’t find it particularly interesting as is. There are high end boutiques and a few other shops you can find many other places. Best thing we saw were the puppies at Shades. I doubt I would return to the Wharf.

Good venue. Very family friendly. The wife and I just walked around looking at the rides & sights, but our kids and our grandkids has a blast. Any place that gives them that kid of joy is a great place in my book.

Great shopping. Lots to choose from; coffee, candy, clothing, jewelry, pet items, restaurants, rides, souvenirs, and more.

Would have been a lot of fun if more things were open, but Covid had a lot of things closed. Light show nightly was a must see. Condos and the pool were really nice.

The Wharf is no longer in its prime sadly. When I was younger it was filled with shops and people, but it has been less popular over the years. Don't let this stop you from going! There are still some great places to eat and we love going and seeing movies here! It's a great place to go when you're too sunburned to go back to the beach.

The Wharf was clean and inviting. Will return. Must ride the ferris wheel. Its a staple. Oh, and don't forget the burgers and ice cream.

Fun place to spend a few hours....it’s pricey shopping.
But always fun to have a drink and watch the light show.
We went on a Dolphin sunset cruise from there. Very nice.

We really liked visiting the Wharf. It is a fun cheery place with restaurants and shopping and life music at certain days and times. I would also love to ride the Ferris wheel but we did not get to do that. I would definitely recommend checking this place out if you are in the area.

We frequent The Wharf often and enjoy the restaurants (especially The Villagio) and the shops (when they are open) and concerts. I greatly appreciate The Wharf putting on an Independence Day Street Party Celebration, and we have attended the celebration the last 2 years. Both years, we have experienced extremely rude staff. I certainly appreciate the free activities like the bounce house and the awesome fireworks show, but the people supervising the kids activities make it a terrible experience. Both years, we have heard the staff complaining the entire time. Last year the staff wouldn’t let my child in and said she was closing because she wanted to see the fireworks so she just left her post. Last night, the staff was so busy complaining about her job that a child rolled right out of the house onto the concrete. The child was injured and her parents scooped her up right away, but the staff didn’t even acknowledge her. We also experienced a ferris wheel staff member upset and yelling and cursing at other staff and a family who clearly didn’t understand her directions due to a language barrier.
Our biggest disappointment is the lack of restrooms at the facility. There was ONE bathroom open (and a few portipotties) with about 35 children in line last night. We were told by an officer that The Wharf is concerned about vandalism so they close the larger upstairs restrooms. After the fireworks, we were told there was another restroom open and we walked our family up all the stairs only to have a staff member close and lock the door in our face saying it was closed.
While we will continue to frequent the shops and the restaurants we enjoy at The Wharf, it is clear they are not equipped with enough quality and well-trained staff to make large events a safe family experience.

Great venue to see him and his Songs for the Saints Tour. Smaller venue makes it so much more personal and it was terrific. Weather was perfect and everyone, of all ages, seemed to have an excellent time. I know we did!

If you like parked yachts and expensive gift shops, then this is the place. Other than Ginny Lane, i wouldnt go back

Went for a concert and had very little time to shop or eat. Very crowded due to the concert. The concert venue was great even though it was extremely hot.

My husband and I love our visit to The Wharf. While I was shopping at the cute little shops, he went to the marina and looked at the big boats. Especially loved the Shades store - there were at least friendly 4 golden retriever dogs. Also, enjoyed Southern Grind Coffee. Will definitely visit again.

Have stayed at the Wharf the last 2 years. Great accommodations. Great atmosphere. The pool is a drawing card. Plan to stay at the wharf every time

Went on an event night(girls night out). All the shops were very friendly and well staffed. Many offered complimentary wine/margaritas. Very nice time shopping and eating

My boys are too old for the activities, so next time will leave them back at the condo. We went in the evening,& enjoyed the shops. Mine & my mother’s favorite was BUNGALOWS. Such cuteness, could’ve bought so much. We ate at the burger place, see that review (skip it). Next time will try the Italian restaurant. When it was dark the Palm trees light up, and they have a music light show.

Don't EVER rent one from Meyer Realty! NO REFUNDS EVEN FOR CAT 2 HURRICANE. I literally checked in and checked out 3 hrs later when Sally went from tropical storm to Cat 2. Condo 415 was clean cute and perfect for couple or family with small kids. 1 bdrm n bunks in hallway. Door on side with wharf shopes but open door n can see all way through to intercoastal. Condo nicely updated.

The Wharf has it all! Great restaurants, shopping, entertainment, all in one place. You can walk along the water or leisurely shop at the nice variety of stores. There are plenty of places to have a cocktail or relax with a cup of coffee. They host lots of events here as well. Always plenty to do.

Back in the beginning, The Wharf was a great place to take your family. It has really gone downhill. There’s very little to see there with the exception of the House of Jerky (Johnny and Phyllis are fabulous). Empty store fronts are everywhere. Spend your money in Gulf Shores instead.

The Wharf is a place for the entire family, movie theater, miniature golf, several really good restaurants(try Vilaggio or Southern grind) Laser tag, Arcade, Ferris Wheel, Clothing Stores, etc. The Wharf is also home to many Outdoor Concert's including Jimmy Buffet.

I visit The Wharf every year while in town for Spring Break. Kilwins is a must for fresh salt water taffy and ice cream. There is some serious shopping available here if you want it. If you just want to leisurely shop and people watch or grab a steak and a bourbon, that can happen as well.

There’s a light show every night and a Ferris wheel which the kids enjoy. Family fun can be had with laser tag and breakout rooms as well.

Basically my family goes for the ice cream, taffy, Ferris wheel, and some light-duty shopping. But if you like fine dining and high-end shopping, you can find that as well.

Felt that the wharf had more that it could offer. Stores closed by 6:00, Ferris Wheel wasn’t running so other than the bars there wasn’t much to do in the evening. Will say there are several stores and wide variety of shopping options so a daytime visit would have a different feel. Various restaurants options.

I attended this Concert 3/10/2019, We were super excited to see the band. I’m sad to say that it was just okay, it was rehearsed with no emotion to the crowd, I was expecting lots of energy and excitement from them, and didn’t get that at all. Don’t get me wrong super talented, just was a mediocre show and I wouldn’t go again.

This was a nice little shopping center. They stores and live music. They even had fireworks that evening. The kids enjoyed it. I'd recommend going early in the morning when things first open because it gets hot quick.

Great assortment of shops and specialty food as well as restaurants. We ate at the Genni Lane restaurant and loved it. Great bread, great shrimp scampi, great peso shrimp pasta.

There is a Venue To see and hear top music singers .... a movie theater .... all type of shopping .... restaurants .... even some rides for kids .... Coffee and ice cream shops Worth the stop In Gulf shores

This place shows up as one of the “must-see” locations of coastal Alabama! NOT SURE WHY!!!
Nice place for a stroll and maybe an expensive meal! The marina is filled with beautiful boats and is a great vista! Huge movie house! Shops are underwhelming! The day I was there the iconic Ferris Wheel was not running and there was no way to find out why or when it dies run!

Great shops, some good deals, fun Dogs @ Shades - made for an enjoyable day! Good way to spend a rainy day

Excellent layout for a walk-a-bout mall. Potential is there for this place to be booming once the plandemic is over. Give it a few months to a year, and it should be as popular as Disney World.

Nice place to visit in Orange Beach Al. It is like a little shopping area, and they have events or concerts constantly. The marina and condominiums are right there and it has several attractions for kids as well. Not very crowded at all when we were visiting and has great restaurants and snacks stores, souvenir boutiques, earthbound, movie theaters, etc. We will be visiting this place more often as it is right next to our new beach house.

I wished there was a better selection of stores to fit ALL budgets. I do like the fact that there are local store owners but I do not feel like The Wharf caters to ALL.
There is no longer a Tervis Store :( There is an arcade,movie theater, train ride, and carousel.
There is more than enough parking. We visited while checking out the movie theater and the best thing about the Wharf is the movie theater.

My husband and I visited The Wharf for a movie night. Even with all the people that were out there, the atmosphere was so family friendly and peaceful. It was also very clean and inviting. After the movie was over we went for ice cream at one of the ice cream parlors in The Wharf. It was also friendly and inviting. They also have a lights show at night that is totally awesome.

Beautiful shopping center. Great place to walk, shop, eat, ride rides. Beautifully kept grounds, Parking is convenient.

This place was huge and had a bunch of stores to go to and shop family friendly and very pretty place definitely recommended to visit they also have a fairoswheel.

Everyone was very nice and helpful. We went on a sail boat and watched dolphins. They told us detailed descriptions of the restaurants nearby also.

Awesome venue for. Great sound. Hootie and the blowfish had great sound. East assess and egress. Parking was great.

Read the reviews and was excited to go, your selection of shopping is limited and expensive. Good ice cream shop, I expected more shops

Really nice concept. Shopping, eating and entertainment including a movie theater all are here. It was our last day at the gulf. We did the civil axe. Went back at night to see the laser show. The show was fun. A great way to end the trip!
Parking is free.

We been here numerous times! Lots of great shopping, dining, marina and concerts. We were here for the Kenny Chesney concert and the weather was perfect. We rented a slip at the wharf...second time doing this...and drove our boat over from our vacation rental. Great ride over for a group of 10 and we didn’t have all the traffic to deal with when it let out. The concerts are the best because it’s a more intimate size venue.

We got there in the morning. Bad idea. Not much happens until afternoons and then the evenings are pretty full. We did get in a few shops early and had lunch at Ginny Lane, which I HIGHLY recommend. As the shops started to open things picked up and we ultimately had a fun afternoon.

Really great place! Lots of shops! Great little coffee shop there! Fabulous at night!! They have an amazing light show! Something for everyone! Also a great movie theater there if you have a rainy day!!

We went to here to the movie theater because it rained us out. When we came out they had the best light show & music going on that we ended up staying & walking around. Got some great shops just wish they stayed open later.

We rode the Ferris Wheel at night and it was great! There is music with kids of all ages dancing in the street. Belle and the Beast even dropped in for a visit!

We ended up here on two nights. Once for dinner...which was right on the water and beautiful. the second time for ice cream! Delicious!

Loved everything about our stay! Private beach like pool area with lazy river, restaurants, stores, and a light show at night. Everything right where you are. No need to leave!

We stayed at the Springhill Suites and enjoyed being able to walk to The Wharf. Shopping, Restaurants, bars and ferris wheel.

Been here a couple of times. It looks like a bar but the food is top notch and incredibly affordable for what you get. Five stars all the way!!

Didn't go in many stores as we went to see the Spectra "laser show". Our timing wasn't ideal and we were only there for the 8:00 p.m.
"Mini" shows. They definitely didn't live up to the hype but I guess if you were there eating or shopping anyway

My wife and I always enjoy going here. Good spot. Recommend the effort of going when in the area. We will be back.

This place is so much fun, just stop in all the stores. Fun stores, different items. Love it. We ate tacos at a place there, so good. Will go there agai n next year.

A good variety of shops. A bit on the pricey end, but we had a good experience. And the dogs that are in the stores are absolutely adorable!

Our family see the wharf advertised as a must go to place and when we got there it seemed way over hyped, doesn’t have all the shopping you would expect from what people say or what’s advertised. I will say at night it does look nice.

The Wharf is a collection of interesting shops, restaurants, a theater, a meeting center, condos to rent, and a hotel. There's even a ferris wheel. It is also a great place to see and admire hundreds of boats moored on the inland waterway.

Love the marina, Villagario is a great restaurant. Fun shopping.
Nice to walk around on marina or through the shopping strip. Various clothing, souviner shopping and specialty food, jewelry, clothing etc.

Even though it was cold that evening we had a great time with the Grand-kids. The event was well laid out. The location made for a safe place to bring the family.

Love the environment. Had a blast with the food and restaurants around the spring hill suites at the wharf

Lots of things to do there especially if the weather may not be cooperating if you're on the beach. Such a variety, from restaurants to little bars food ice cream shops shopping etc and the ferris wheel
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We went to the Wharf for the Seafood Festival and Car Show.
They also had art and craft vendors. It was very crowded and we had quite a hike for parking. It was free and we enjoyed the time we spent. Car show was pretty good. Live music was great! My wife and her friend found some things with the vendors. Lots of seafood food trucks, but not really anyplace to sit and eat! We went to a sit down restaurant and had a very long wait. We will go next year, but probably eat lunch first somewhere else and let the crowd clear out.

We went to the Warf in the evening to view the fireworks and ride the ferris wheel. There were also lots of shops to visit.

Walked around and had some drinks and food. Nice folks everywhere, very friendly. Looks like it would be even more fun when the pandemic is done.

A waste of time. Wasted 40 minutes trying to find a parking spot just to experience the most bland and cookie cutter excuse for shops. The stores have nothing unique to offer and the overly hyped laser light show was laughably underwhelming.

We loved the little specialty shops, especially the one that had items made by local artists. The harbor right behind it was cool. Everyone in the shops were so nice.

Nice crowd, nice atmosphere. The marlin drop was a first for me . My daughter enjoyed it throughly. The fireworks show was spectacular. It was loud colorful and pretty lengthy. A vibrant display of colors and the finale was excellent I will be back next year.

We visited on New Year’s Eve weekend and were very disappointed that most shops were closed. All the bathrooms were locked. We did try the ice skating and my grandson seemed to enjoy it. We were disappointed that they don’t offer an assist for those just learning to ice skate.

We went to a couple movies while here. It was easy to get to. The popcorn was excellent. I'd recommend this theater to all.

Can't beat the relaxed atmosphere on the water. Long line to order food but the ambiance can't be beat. Place packs quickly and early. Worth waiting though and watching the boats return to the marinas is priceless!

Not sure if it was covid related but this seemed to be like a place where businesses go to die! It was odd seeing bars, restaurants and then churches!

The Wharf is mostly just T-shirt shops and a couple of places to eat. They had a Farrish wheel but the view from on top was not much of a view. We watched a movie there. We probably won’t go back.

Loved the fireworks they were really good. Laser was ok for young kids. My older teens thought was silly. Loved the store that had the dogs hanging out in it.

The front entrance is beautiful. The rest of the property is neglected, filthy, and unappealing. The restaurants outdoor dining spaces are covered in mold and mildew. The trash along the walkways in the parking areas. Though I saw people empty trash cans. No one picks up any trash not in a can. The waterfront is being used as a part time entertainment area and storage for broken furniture, trash cans, mop buckets, and other debris. The stairwell on one end to the retail on level 2 has had vomit in it this last 5 days. None of the escalators are working. The elevators are hot and smelly. The obviously accepted method of electrical wiring is an extension cord across side walks. What has happened to the Wharf. Have been coming for 12 years and this is absolutely the worst

We usually ate near the beach during our visit to the area, but this place gave a nice option with restaurants with outdoor seating near the boats. That was neat. I wish they had open piers where we could get a closer look at the boats. But they were still fun to see from the railing. They had some fun light shows with palm trees lined in colored lights, set to the beat of the music. Our favorite one was the patriotic medley. Really neat. But yes as some others have said the area is rather deserted. I felt like we were the only ones who stopped to watch it. But that didn't detract from the fun.

Perfect weather and clear water. Sand was pure white and clean.
Ate at several fine places with good food and service.
The Shores Condo unit was excellent and great balcony to sit and watch the views.

Most everything was closed when we got there at 8 pm in the height of summer/tourist season. Decided to eat at Villagio (sp?!) & was even more disappointed there. Sat outside & was somewhat entertained by the music & lighted palm trees during dinner. Don’t recommend wasting your time or money on this ghost town. The few places that are open like the restaurant clearly were not interested in even decent courteous service, much less service that would want to make tourists want to come back here

Wanted something fun to do with the kids for New Year's Eve and this place was what we decided on. Earlier in the evening they all different activities set up for kids like a rock wall, mechanical bull, surf simulater, ice skating, which most of it was free, some for a fee. Shops were open for a while, restaurants were open. There were a lot of people so plan accordingly if you want to eat, wait time was long for a table. Luckily we saw some spots at the bar and grabbed those quick. They did a marlin drop at midnight along with fireworks. We had a good time.

The place was clean and well kept. Parking is free. The shops are a bit pricey as are the restaurants. Not a lot of options for kids.

The Wharf has a lot of shops we don't have back home. Some were great, some expensive. Our kids got bored quickly was the downfall.

The Wharf is a great place to explore in Orange Beach. Lots of shopping, restaurants plus check out the beautiful boats in the marina. You can also ride the Ferris wheel. Def a fun place to check out.

We attended the Alabama concert last night. Our seats were next to the exit. There was a Pizza food truck under our seats. They ran a generator all night. It was so loud we could not hear the concert. I can’t believe a generator is allowed in that spot. We drove a long ways and spent a lot of money for a very negative experience. Our whole section was upset. Upsetting night. Yes we did complain to the staff but nothing happened.

Somewhat nice if you have an adult only group. However most people bring their children. The shops are very high end and expensive and not much for the kids to look at. I agree with the other reviewer, it was weird seeing a bar on one end and then a church right in the middle of the shops upstairs. Most stuff was closed but I wouldn't have brought my kids in there anyway. Again, a lot of high end shops. This place is not for the average family looking for something to do.

Lots of shopping, arcade and a zip line. Stores were not all that great but had an amazing wine store called red and white. We stayed for maybe an hour and lost interest.

What a sweet gem!

We are from Houston and I love to shop. I can always see my husband’s buttcheeks start clenching when I nosedive deep into shopping.

My first stop was Sand & Kisses Children’s boutique. It’s a cute smocked clothing & similar clothing store. The store was 60% off and I found some cute things for my 15 month old. At this point, husband took off to go drown his “boredom” at dippin dots. We ventured over to Fish on a Dish which is the cutest store dedicated to local artisans & just what I was looking for to bring back home. I found some pretty pieces at Seaside Shoes & Swim.

& what do ya know; Husband found a pair of grey Sperry water shoes for 50% off!

If you’re looking to shop local or support this Gulf Coast community - come here! There’s something for everyone, even the dog lover at Good Dog.

Why does this site advertise a $37.00 fee to go to The Wharf? It’s free!!
There is a delightful selection of restaurants, some with a view of the canal and boats. Shopping is plentiful. However, the first item anyone sees when using Trip Advisor to find The Wharf is this non-existent $37 fee. Very confusing!
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Meh. It wasn't as interesting as I had hoped. We have kids from 10 down to 2 and unless you have lots of money to shop it's a skip.
The ferris wheel was not even operating. The bungee jumping activity by the theater was run by a teenager who apparently had WAY better things to do then be there doing his job.
The burger restaurant there was RIDICULOUSLY over priced with more workers who hated their job.
It was neat to see the yahts and boats but that was the best thing. Won't be back.

I have been coming here for years. Restaurant selection is decent, there should be more options. Aside from shopping and eating, there’s not much else to do, should build a put-put, playground, bowling alley. Also, this place is behind the times they need Tesla superchargers, this is a big opportunity as there are non for 25 miles, this would bring people like me to the wharf more often.

Just go! Grab lunch or coffee and walk along the wharf boardwalk just to see the impressive line-up of boats docked!

There are a few shops here and restaurants. There is also a ferris wheel. Fun to walk and see the marina/boats.

We went to check it out. Got there and was excited when we saw the Ferris wheel and all the lighted trees. Arrived around 6:30 pm to find dessert. As soon as we parked - the area ERUPTED into a Baby Shark light show. It was nuts and kind of scary! Our iPhones registered the sound as “extremely loud.” Random shops and most were closed when we got there. We did find awesome ice cream at Kilman’s. Go there for sure! We did ride the Ferris wheel. Our toddler liked it. I’m good to not visit again - unless I want more of that ice cream!

Visited the wharf on a Tuesday night, kids night. Tons of free activities such as bouncy houses, live animals, and a water slide. The best face painting I have ever seen was also available for $10. Adults and kids loved the Ferris wheel. Lots of restaurants and shops too! Very fun.

Huge!! Has everything in one place. Very nice. And everyone I so friendly and outgoing. Suggest YoHo tacos

Cool variety of stores, live music at night, laser light show 3x nightly- fun to stroll by all the yachts in the marina!! Good variety of restaurants and bars- no way to go hungry here

Always a good time down here. New places as well. They now have a distillery here. The strawberry moonshine is incredible. Got some to bring home to Texas. This is a great thing to do at night to walk around and eat and just shop. Don’t forget to watch the light show they put on.

This is a good place to checkout for an hour or so with kids. The ferris wheel and light show is good for a bit of entertainment and shopping. Clean, friendly area.

The shops have outrageous prices on over the top brands but well known and a few well known . A few shops were worth visiting such as the Salsa Shop and the Jerky shop . Business was slow and the workers were too bored to care !!! I did like the southern shop which had some southern gift ware with prices under $50 !

Have stayed at The Wharf 12 years in a row and have never been disappointed-until this most recent trip. The issues were all related to the unit we stayed in, 317, not The Wharf in general. There was jack-hammering going on above our unit for 2 full days, probably removing tile flooring. The dishwasher leaked all over the kitchen floor the first time we used it. The wifi information provided in the room and in the pre-arrival message sent was not correct. I called the property manager and it took two days to respond! That in itself was very disappointing. (I will add that we did tried the dishwasher again and it did not leak). There were many other issues including some concerning safety issues that were bought to her attention: cover plate missing from bathroom outlet, grill ignitor dangling, missing smoke detector, some dishes in cabinet dirty, one TV had no cable/streaming, shower hardware falling off, etc. Not sure who this falls on, whether it is the owner or property manager, but someone needs to take responsibility. Our son, daughter-in-law, and two small grandchildren drove 12 hours to Orange Beach from Texas, only to be frustrated because of the toddlers not being able to nap because of the construction noise. We feel that we should have been notified of the construction noise prior to our arrival, to give us the opportunity to re-schedule or move to another unit. I honestly think that if either the owner or property manager experienced what we did anywhere, they would not be happy, too. Treat your clients that way!
Pros: The pool and lazy river was fun for the little ones, as was the beach. Walking around at night and the kids activities were well suited for families.
My husband and I travel a lot and I leave good reviews when they are due. However, what drove me to this review is the defensive response I got from the property manager, who made me feel like the "bad guy" complaining.

Nice to get out and walk around. They have some unique shops. If you’re a dog lover, stop by shades. The employees are allowed to bring their dogs to work with them. There were 5 dogs just walking around greeting everyone. The owner/manager was so friendly. They also have a shop with lots of crystals.

This place is overrated. I think people speak so highly of it because it's almost the only thing to do in Orange Beach. There are overpriced Boutiques and lots of Real Estate Offices there. There were a couple of hidden gems in there, but not anything super special.

This is a good area to go if you are a tourist and want to do some browsing of boutique stores. There's a café, a distillery, and a couple of restaurants, too. A nice break from the beach.

This is the best place to go. We love the wharf. There is so much to do and everyone is so very nice and friendly. We will definitely be back!!!

Rented a condo for the week. Great places to eat, and shop. Great family venue. Movie theater, Ferris wheel, mini golf, Amphitheater. Water Park. Nightly laser show or fireworks.

Kids enjoyed the Ferris wheel and music but little else. Most shops are geared towards adults. We went on a weeknight and it wasn’t very crowded

We visited this location twice during our week long stay in Gulf Shores. I recommend to go at night as the palm tress that line the street have lights in sync with music that is played at regular intervals. There are unique shops here, and likely something for everyone. There are also placed to eat.

The food was pretty good but the highlight of the dinner was the view. Directly on the water and beautiful at sunset. There Is daily feeding of the tarpons off the wharf. The staff provide food for customers to feed them for a hands on experience. Great entertainment for kids and adults.

Very quickly seated. Excellent steak and scallops. Beautiful view. Fun games by the dock for the family.

My husband and I really enjoyed visiting the ward. Great little shops and restaurants! We ate Dip and Dots.

Archipelago was a wonderful shop. The young woman and young man working (11/17/2023) were amazing!! They were both knowledgeable about the Oncloud product we were shopping for and Alabama football. I was afraid they’d be snobby, but that was totally not the the case!! Great customer service!! So glad we went inside! They have a good selection of Oncloud and clothing! Highly recommend this store!!

Went to every shop (minus the bars) and left with no interest in purchasing any merchandise. Breakout was only taking reservations for the next day, and I will leave it at that on this review. The ferris wheel is the highlight of the Wharf, unless the goal is to go bar hopping.

It’s a nice and fun area! Lots of shops, but I wish there was more food options. Theres only 4-5 restaurants and it seems like there should be more.
My young boys had fun riding the Ferris wheel and trains and also enjoyed the light show and music after dark! It was fun. We recommend!

We drove an hour because we thought the train was running. The website didn’t say it or I didn’t see that the train is out of service until further notice. We still shopped but left a little disappointed.

the place e is unreal, it was clean, seems like they always have something going on there, from car shows to boat shows and concerts, its great place

Enjoyed this place as it is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the main drag. If you are there in the evening stay for the light show!

We stopped at The Wharf while waiting to go on our dolphin cruise. It is a neat shopping area with many restaurants and bars. It is worth a stop while in the area.

We wandered around the Wharf when the weather was not great for swimming being at the beach/pool. A variety of shops and activities. The kids got an ice cream, but we went elsewhere for a meal as the options were limited.

There’s not a whole lot to do there but what shops we did go to were nice. We loved the arcade. My favorite was the Red Or White wine shop, they have awesome meat and cheese boards. My husband found the best ice cream ever over at Kilwins. The Ferris Wheel was pretty cool.

We went to the wharf for the seafood festival and car show. There were lots of great food, vendors, and music. Lots of shopping and restaurants at the wharf to visit even when theres not a festival going on. If your want to just hang out and relax for a day the wharf is a great place to to it. Always something going on.

Having been to the area for quite some time now, the Wharf offers a nice, relaxing location that is family-friendly. Within the Wharf, there is a wide variety of stores to go shopping at, as well as restaurants to enjoy a nice dine-in experience. The area even has a movie theater and a ferris wheel. Overall, I recommend this place on a cloudy day, as the other locations in Orange Beach are best for a sunny day.

Located in a very beautiful area. Very clean lots of beautiful shops n several nice eateries a really good place for beach shopping, we enjoyed it so much went twice

The Wharf has a nice variety of shops. Whether you're looking to eat, for coffee, or shop for unique souvenirs. It is kept up very nice. There is lots of parking, and fun for the kids (AMC movie theatre, arcade, ferris wheel).

Our condo was beautiful and well furnished. If you are going to relax this is the LAST place you should stay. Quiet hours are from 8:00-10:00 however that’s a joke. It’s not the other guest ITS THE RESORT! They had a fishing kickoff party that was so loud our windows ratted on a Wednesday night till11:00 pm!. To make it even better they had a weigh in the following Friday AM starting with a loud announcement and music at 6:45 am!!!! We were on 5th floor and could hear every word. So no sleeping till 8:00 on vacation. So why set quite hours if the resort could care less? Why couldn’t activities start at 8:00? What about families with small children? Ridiculous waste of valuable vacation time & $$$!!!

Very good location with a mini mall around it, the rooms were nice and really enjoyed the wave pool and the lazy river. They feature some kind of entertainment each night it seems, it’s not on the beach, but not a far drive. Would stay there again.

Inside, outside, have a drink or just viewing a number of nice boats. Several choices for dinner, fast slow or casual. Several places for shopping and entertainment.

My girls and I came here to check it out. There is so much to see and do. We loved the selfie museum, riding the Ferris wheel, eating at Dicks, and checking out all the shops. The fire works at night we’re beautiful and well displayed. It is well worth the visit.

Only took an hour to walk around. Loved the dog store had ice cream and that was about it for the stores. Did see a cute boat bar. We did a dolphin sunset cruise from the marina. Loved the dolphin cruse. After the dolphin cruise we watched the light show. Worth seeing if you are already there. The fireworks on Monday’s are very good.

Great restaurants and fun vibe. Plenty to see and do even during Covid 19. Get out and enjoy cheap eats to fine dining. Good for all ages.

This was our first time here and quickly realized that there is not really a bad seat in the house. The concessions were well staffed except for the concert merchandise but it is island time. The show was great as anticipated!!!!

I would suggest that if you attend a concert here that you drive and tolerate the traffic and high parking prices. We took Lyft in and thought that we could get a ride back to the hotel. Didn’t happen that way at all. There is a very weak cell signal in this particular area that is trying to be accessed by a few thousand folks looking to get a ride as well. We were fortunate and were able to hitch a ride with a cab that had 2 empty spaces and was going our way. That guy made some quick cash and we got to the hotel without having to walk a few miles.

I will also add here that I had a full battery when I got to the Wharf and had less than 30 percent half way through the concert and did not try to use my phone for anything during that time. I suggest
that you shut your phone off when there if you need your phone when you get away from the venue. I have AT&T and my wife has Verizon and both had the same issues. The lady sitting in front of me got a message from her carrier when she was trying to send a text that said she was in a area that wound have interruption until midnight. Seems a bit bizarre...........

The Wharf is the quintessential tourist “trap”. It has a lot of shopping and dining options. I did not like it’s design quite as much as similar venues such as Destin’s Harbor Boardwalk or Pigeon Forge’s Island. Looking to kill a couple of hours? This will suffice.

My teen daughter and I came here to see The Pentatonix and Rachel Platten in concert. Didn't realize it was outdoors until the last minute and they don't let you bring in an umbrella and it rained between shows. Still really loved the unique venue, outdoors surrounded by trees. We were in the nosebleed and still could see and hear just fine. Had overpriced hot dogs and pizza but that is expected. Really great vibe, friendly people and an awesome experience. Would visit again.

The locals rave this is the place to be even in the winter. They forget to tell you in the "winter" they all but close it down. Only a handful of places open.

The Wharf is a marina, condo development, shopping center, and dining & entertainment district all rolled into one for a great 1/2 day stop whether arriving by car or boat. We usually call the dockmaster about 10 minutes before arrival and have our arrival slip destination in hand. Also just a good place to wander about and people watch.

There is shopping, shows, rides, and dining, it's a one stop shop! We loved it!! The rides were cheap and my 3y/o was able to ride the ferris wheel and he was so excited for that!!

Nice condo, Ferris wheel ride $5 for 2 minutes, stores on property very expensive,
Too many restrictions. Would not recommend if you intend to enjoy your time without driving 30 minutes away.

went here on cold day for a movie, walked around some nice small shops here and a couple resturants.

This place is nice but not for a long time visit. Mostly clothing stores and ice cream shops. Ferris wheel is cheap to ride

We were there on a Monday night. It was not crowded at all, which surprised us. Parking was free and there are several restaurants and tons of shops and things to do. Great place for a day away from the beach.

Nice shopping area with lots to do and see. They had events for the kids and the laser light show was really cool.

Wharf Amphitheater is very hot and humid in the summer. The floor has no air moving and can be stifling. No seat backs in upper seats, 200 sections may be best. Last concert we had to evacuate for a thunderstorm, 2 hour delay waiting in car. We had to get re-enty info on social media. There was 8000-10000 people trying to get back in at once, reshow tickets, security check, etc. Not the best process.

We LOVE everything about The Wharf! So much to do and see there. You never even have to leave once you arrive (unless you go to the beach)! You can eat, shop, float in the lazy river, see a concert, ride the ferris wheel, play putt putt golf, go on a dolphin cruise, and even buy a yacht! Or you could just watch all the big boats go by while you're enjoying a delicious dinner outside, listening to live music. It's the best place to stay in Orange Beach!!

The wharf is a unique event experience with entertainment, restaurants, and shopping, most places are unique to the area. The one thing we did discover was the prices seem to be higher than the norm.

I have twin 21 month old girls. We went down to see what it was like. They had a magician, silk dancers, face painting, a little train, and a Ferris wheel. My girls loved the train but older kids wouldn’t like it. My girls were too young for the magician but other kids liked it. Right at 9pm music came on and the kids danced in the street. This was a huge hit with my girls. Great family night. Wish there would have been more stuff at the circus but fun night.

I live near The Wharf so I have been going for years. My last 3 experiences have been just awful. It has became so crowded you can barely walk on the side walks, people are so rude they just try to walk all over you. This time my experience was absolutely the worst. I noticed a lady walking with her young child and a group of people just walked right into this child they were so intoxicated they never even stopped to check on her. Everyone there is extremely intoxicated and security does absolutely nothing to help. They have people getting beaten and robbed after concerts. People trying to fight and force people to back up so they can have there parking spaces. It's ridiculous. Security is a joke, they never report and incidents to authorities they just do their best to hide everything that happens. If you care about your safety I would stay clear of the wharf. Try OWA or the Tanger Mall for your shopping needs it's much more safe.

We went on a rainy day and it was great for our family. There was something for everyone. Although most stores were pretty expensive, it was still nice to walk around. Parking was so easy!

Stayed at Marriott hotel at the Wharf - looks of stores - boutique type - movie theaters - small cafes - Ferris wheel - restaurants an event center - we stayed in sept end of summer crowd - Loved the marina area - Nice place to enjoy in orange beach area

Prices are a little lower in Alabama than where we are from, so that was neat. Many more shops here than the impression I got from other reviews. A lady who likes to shop could be here half a day. Also there's an AMC theater, for the really bad weather days or to keep the family entertained while you shop.

Lots of stores, mostly boutique though, and lots of restaurants too. Beautiful light show at night, definitely worth the trip.

We visited The Wharf in June and had a great time. All the shops along the street were great. The fireworks were the best

Saw Hootie and the Blowfish June 2019. We were about 8 seats from the very top and back of the facility - and truthfully, not a bad seat in the house. Sound system was fantastic. Large projector screen on each side of the stage helped (although i would have expected them to be larger than they were). Contrary to other reviews I had read about port-a-potties (??), I never saw any and the women bathrooms in the faciity were huge and the wait not bad (I even went during the intermission between the opening band and main band). Yes, prices at concessions ridiculous ($5-8 hot dogs) but that's to be expected at any public venue, nothing new there. The Barenaked Ladies and Hootie and the Blowfish were both outstanding, and they seemed to love the venue as well. Parking - we just knew to ask the parking attendants (there were plenty) the best free place to park in order to get out quickly. That resulted in our parking on a completely different side of the park than we had planned but thank goodness, it got us in and out of there so quickly. We did begin leaving the concert as soon as Hootie said good-bye, knowing he would be back for an encore...and scooted down the stairs quickly and got to the ground in time to watch his final songs...still beating the crowd and getting to our car quickly. For a great overall experience, you just have to be smart and have a strategy in advance. It likely helps I am in my 50's and you just learn this stuff as you go. But my party of four was happy the entire night. :) One negative - wifi was poor, I could not post any of my great pics to Facebook as they would not load, nor would anyone else's close to me. But not the end of the world, I did it when I got home.

Stopped by later in the evening to check it out and mainly to ride the Ferris wheel. Unfortunately a storm had just passed through and the wheel was closed. So instead we went up to the arcade on the second level. It was small, but reasonable and we had fun. (Thumbs up to the guy working who was actually nice!) As we were headed to our car we were pleasantly surprised by the light show which was great, lots of fun! Didn't check the whole place out but noticed a couple of restaurants that seemed very popular. Parking decks available (free) and lots of covered walking, could be a good rain day option. But worth stopping by in the evening for the wheel and the light show alone in my opinion.

clean restrooms, there's a lot of eateries an shopping. Car show was a plus!! Carmel Apples Ice Cream Coffee oh my!!

As we continued to explore the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area we visited The Wharf, a shopping and dining area, just north of the beach. There are many boutique shops, restaurants and an excellent coffee and gift shop. We also visited Good Dog Boutique to get gifts for our two Golden Retrievers. We also enjoyed the Kentucky Mist Distillery where you can have a tasting of their whiskey. And of course there is a gift shop. The area is clean and well maintained. On the grounds there is also a Ferris wheel and AMC theaters. Glad we took the time to visit The Wharf. Suggest you do also.

Ladies wanted to go out of the house but not to the beach. Retail therapy always welcome ! Loved the little specialty stores and variety of merchandise

Good shopping, walking and dinning area in Orange Beach. We ended up visiting a few shops. Overall it’s shopping.

The kids liked the pirate photo prop. The Southern Grind coffee place was amazing! The shops were expensive. I would just go to a SurfShop if I were you. Not good for small kids. Also all the restrooms are up a flight of stairs. None on the bottom floors.

Over the years I have seen the cool wharf grow and become better and better up on every visit. The restaurants are wonderful the scenery is amazing the docs are worth visiting and the theater is a good place for the kids to hang out. I have a large Ferris wheel as well which seems hokey but fun. We always visit on every visit to the golf

I will NOT be returning to the wharf again due to the restroom facilities being closed at 7:45pm. When a concert is shut down for weather and everyone is forced to leave the venue, and then to just try to use the facilities before waiting it out in our cars or local eateries, the restrooms are locked and closed suddenly.

This is not okay, especially without an explanation. As people are exiting and cannot, until someone unlocks the door and prohibits others from entering.

A great place for a change of pace from going to the beach. The Wharf has a Cinema, shopping and our favorite two restaurants, The Voyager and Jenny Lanes.

Nice area, visited for dinner one night and didn’t realize everything closed at 6. Fun laser show at 8:30, and would have been nice if the stores were open a little later.

This was a very pleasant surprise for a beach town. You typically don’t see a shopping/dining area like this in beach towns. The Wharf has the prefect combination of nicer boutique stores and reasonably priced shopping. The same goes for the restaurants/bars. If you want a phenomenal meal, you have Villaggio for cocktails, appetizers, and lunch/dinner. Also, there are some great bars along the pier to visit after a concert. If you need a hair blow out or a spa treatment, I love Fusion.
The kids love the shopping, nightly music and light show and family friendly environment.
We visit the Wharf at least a few times we are in town.
If you haven’t been, it’s a must see when you are in town.

Very cool to checkout, worth going and walking around. Shops are extremely overpriced, a lot of items can be had at beach stores down the main strips for nearly half the cost. We enjoyed walking around though and was able to see their lazer light show they had that night.

So many stores to shop at! The ferris wheel is just 5 dollars per person for a roughly 10 minute ride. A lot of great restaurants too. We enjoyed our Sunday afternoon at The Wharf!

Was not what we expected. It is just shopping of quaint over priced shops. Was nice to see the merchandise and purchase a few items. When they advertise rides, it is just a Ferris wheel, which gives you a great view of the shops roof tops. We were prehaps just expecting more.

There were a couple of cute stops but overall it wasn’t impressive. We didn’t go upstairs due to the escalator being broken and it being so dang hot outside. I thought it would be a little more interesting, I guess that’s why there were so few people milling around the area.