How are the crowds during the hangout fest weekend? Are they comparable to or worse than memorial weekend and July 4? Just trying to get an idea of how the festival impacts travel and the pier.
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How are the crowds during the hangout fest weekend? Are they comparable to or worse than memorial weekend and July 4? Just trying to get an idea of how the festival impacts travel and the pier.
Don't wory about crowds on the pier, these people came for the party. As for travel, cut through the park if coming down HWY 59 because there will be road closures at the end of 59.
I made a trip down there last year during hangout fest, never again, as john g said the pier wont be crowded, but everything else is horrible, not to mention last years crowd of young holligans were obnoxious, though it was funny watching the cops clothesline one off a bike when he decided to ride onto the pier with it while drinking a beer
I have noticed the parking lot at the pier crowded with people parking there and walking to the Hangout from there. Got there before daylight one year and saw some guy passed out on the beach to the west of the pier sleeping it off coiled up in the sand.
If you are local and just driving in to fish, just arrive early before the partiers are even thinking about being awake.
If you are out of town thinking about coming down & staying for the weekend, avoid it like the plague.
If I was an "tourist" I woudn't come near the beach on Memorial Day weekend, 4th of July, Labor Day weekend or Shrimpfest weekend.
It's even going to get worse with the new amusement park opening on the beach express road and next year when our ex governor's conference center opens up next to the pier. We can't seem to get the boards on the pier replaced but we do get the hotel.
I came down during Shrimpfest 2 years ago and I thought my head would explode. Getting from West Beach to J&M seemed like an hour trip. You couldn't go anywhere without fighting traffic. Early in the day was definitely better.
If you are coming in on a holiday weekend and plan to fish the pier, get acomodations in Orange Beach. You don't have the closed roads and detours to put up with.
bill a place as paradise and you'll get visitors aplenty. i agree with my time spent (as a visitor who also adds to the traffic) that it can be inconvenient, but what do we really have going on than relaxing and going to places we what to go, like j&m, the pier, the beach, grabbing a beer at a local spot etc...
i agree it can be frustrating but the wonderful place that gs/ob offers us, along with a little patience is WAY better than time spent in other destinations...for me in particular my time spent above the tree line on this great planet. i can say without a doubt zero mackerel were caught.
Parking is going to be even worse this summer because of CC workers using the parking lot.
Have been during Memorial Day and it was a little to much for me won't do that again. Shrimpfest on the other hand wasn't to bad. The wife had plenty to do without me which gave me some extra fishing time and the crowds seemed more tame. Plus October is my favorite time to be down.
Oh goodies, I'm going to miss that crowd. I'm nervous being so close to a city at all. This is my first "non-rural" beach trip in years.
Is there a road that cuts through the main park and comes on down to the public beach and pier. I'm getting dragged for a family vacation next wednesday through the weekend totally forgot about the festival. We are staying in Elberta i think its called it was a last minute idea of the wife had vacation planed for months but was supposed to be to the mountains up here in Arkansas not down to the coast with the crazies on fest weekend. Looking for a way to bypass all that and get to the pier and public beach there just stay away from down that way if at all possible. Thanks.
There used to be a road that cit through the park but not anymore. Now you must go through the main strip to get to the pier
Above post is incorrect.
Yes, you can bypass the area of the Hangout Fest and go directly to the pier:
From Elberta, Foley & other points north, come down AL 59 to the intersection with AL 180/135.
Take left (east), stay in the right lane and then stay right on HWY 135 which takes you into the Park.
This will bring you out onto the beach road at the pier.
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=6140&stc=1
That is Gulf State Park Road #2 (aka Campground Road).Quote:
Originally Posted by Baughjl
They cut it just east of the Golf Course late last year :-(
So are you saying you can't through the park anymore?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pier#r
Yep...closed State Road 2 to vehicle trafficQuote:
Originally Posted by spottedbass
State stuns mayor, slams door on road to Gulf State Park | AL.com
The part of the road that goes from the Park entrance (over near WalMart) to the Pier is still open (State Road 135). You can no longer go straight through from the Park entrance to the Main Campground. To get to the campground you have to go out to the beach road at the Pier, go east on the beach road for about 1/2 mile and turn left back into the Park (Park Rd 2).Quote:
Originally Posted by spottedbass
Park Road #2 is blocked between the Golf Course and the Campground.
Yes, you can go through the park on State Rd. 135 as stated above. I did it just yesterday.
Read my post and look at the map.
If you leave the pier and go straight across the street you will be on 135. Once it "T's" you turn left and go by Walmart to 59 and turn right to go to 180 East which takes you to J&M. It lets you avoid the festivities and congestion at the intersection of beach Blvd and 59. Some improvements were just made to 135, mainly making it slightly wider. There is a bike lane on this road as well and several blind spots. Just watch where you are going and don't hit a cyclist.
If you go right at the tee,before walmart that is the same road to canal rd without being on 59
Ok thanks i just need to make it to J&M and the pier for the kid to play on the beach for the day and nyself fish from the beach and pier when i have a chance to get away. I usually come down with friends and live on the pier for a few days taking the kid for his first time so i'll mutitask be there with him and fish on down from them off the beach. Haha i've already been told this is a family trip not a fishing trip but hopefully i can get some in.
Good luck with that!Quote:
Originally Posted by ArkansasAngler
If not thats fine also i've been down several times and caught alot of fish snooping around here on this forum and talking to the guys at J&M. Sons first trip to the beach so i'll make sure he enjoys it. He enjoys fishing also i'm sure i can get him on some surf fishing he'd enjoy.
If i can get one spanish on the pier it'll make the 8 hour drive worth it to me. Caught about every other species common at the pier besides spanish and king, and a Mahi or Cobia which i know are luck more than common. First few times down i just set around the octogon and watched the show, tryed last year with no luck but if they are around i think i know enough now to make it happen. You local guys are beyond lucky fishing in the salt even once takes the zing out of freshwater up here. Good luck to you all hopefully i'll be asking someone, maybe one of yall, to borrow a net or gaff always helpfull people down that way.