This modern facility provides an opportunity for learning through immersive programming and hands-on experiences to connect with the natural and cultural heritage of the park. We hope to inspire visitors to live well and in harmony with the world around them.
The sustainably designed and operated facilities include indoor and outdoor classrooms, a laboratory, meeting space, overnight accommodations, and dining. Instead of struggling to coordinate camping accommodations for groups of students, book the Bunkhouse and sleeping cabins for comfort and security.
The Learning Campus offers an educational basecamp for visiting school groups, post-secondary students, teachers, researchers, scout troops, adult learners, and other nature enthusiasts.
The Learning Campus is ideal for a variety of educational groups, including:
Learn more about the vast diversity of innovative and sustainable learning facilities to host your next educational gathering.
The Learning Campus is ideal for a variety of group gatherings from educational retreats to adventure treks and team-building, learn more about some of the most popular types of groups that can use the campus.
Schedule a program at the Learning Campus for your elementary, middle, high school or collegiate class. We can host student groups of all sizes eager to learn about the diverse Gulf Coast landscape.
Coordinate lesson plans in one of the indoor classrooms, auditorium, or laboratory to inspire your students and facilitate outdoor learning adventures throughout the park. There are a variety of trails that connect the park accessible on foot, bike, or other non-motor vehicles. Gulf State Park is ideal for science and environmental education, and students can learn about the variety of ecosystems in person.
Our staff can help you organize your trip for a safe and productive educational experience like no other. Students can also explore the Interpretive Center, Nature Center, and Fishing Pier for a comprehensive learning experience in the Gulf State Park. Our Educators have developed environmental, ecological, and sustainable education programs aligned with Alabama State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards and are happy to assist in creating your onsite itinerary. See Programs tab for program and curriculum details.
Sustainable and responsible education is at the heart of the Learning Campus mission. We invite coastal and environmental groups to visit the park and camp at our facilities. The Gulf State Park opened in 1939, and it serves as an ideal location for coastal and ecological education.
The Park features a diverse collection of ecosystems, including:
Incorporating local and environmental education resources and activities, day and overnight camps are offered with the ability to customize the experience. Participants learn about the history, formation, and changes that occur in each dynamic ecosystem. Learn about the landscape and wildlife of Gulf State Park and stay on-campus for a truly immersive experience.
Do you have a special family reunion approaching? Want to get out of the city and build a stronger team in the heart of mother nature? Luckily, the Learning Campus is the ideal location for both family gatherings and corporate retreats.
Unique modern Bunkhouse accommodations provide flexible housing arrangements while you enjoy Gulf State Park. Utilize the communal gathering spaces to relax or coordinate plans and organize activities throughout the park.
There is a wide range of recreational and educational activities to explore throughout the park, including kayaking, hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and fishing. For corporate team building events, host speaker sessions in Conservation Hall or various porches and classroom spaces and allow our team to lead the group through teambuilding activities.
Contact us to reserve the Learning Campus for your next event and feel free to ask us for help to coordinate activities to make the most out of your retreat.
The new campus was built to accommodate scientific research and education in the Gulf State Park. We offer a variety of educational facilities and hands-on laboratory to host visiting classes and provide expanded resources for optimum learning.
The Learning Campus features a laboratory and classroom for educators to utilize for a variety of class offerings. Students can use technical equipment, such as chemical fume hoods and other scientific resources so educators can develop fascinating lesson plans. Or come alongside the our inhouse research team to participate in our ongoing research and data collection.
Best of all, the park itself provides unparalleled educational opportunities for scientific education. Students can not only learn about the nine unique ecosystems in Gulf State Park, but educators can also incorporate the various attractions for an immersive lecture.
Study the various woodland and marine wildlife that inhabit the park and learn about the science behind the formation of the great ecosystems within the park. Students and educators will also be able to visit the Interpretive Center, Beach Pavilion, Butterfly Garden, Nature Center, and Fishing Pier to further develop their knowledge of the fascinating wildlife within the Gulf Coast region.
There is no better place to host a scout camping event than the Learning Campus at Gulf State Park. Easily coordinate sleeping accommodations in the Bunkhouse and organize an endless variety of educational and fun events within the park all while earning merit badges.
Visit the pristine beaches, Fishing Pier, marshes, Boulder Park, or many other activities. The Learning Campus makes it easy to host a camping event responsibly. Best of all, the youth will be able to safely stay within the park without having to worry about camping in tents.
Contact us to start organizing a scout camping event, and we can help you come up with a full schedule of fun activities!
Gulf State Park is a marvelous and one-of-a-kind ecotourist destination. The property is located on the Gulf of Mexico in the city of Gulf Shores in Baldwin County, Alabama. The state park is only a short drive from Mobile, Alabama, and attracts visitors from across the United States and Internationally to explore a wide array of activities on the diverse landscape.
Established in 1939, the park is one of the most popular attractions in the state. It has won the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame for winning its Certificate of Excellence five years in a row along with the Alabama Tourism Department 2018 Attraction of the Year.
What makes the state park so unique? The park features nine different ecosystems, including dunes, three freshwater lakes, marshes, streams, forests, and a two-mile-long white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico.
The abundant diversity offers visitors unlimited options of adventures to explore within 6,150 acres of breathtaking landscape, such as fishing, kayaking, or paddle boarding on Lake Shelby, Middle Lake, or Little Lake. Lake Shelby is 900-acres of freshwater and perfect for recreational splendor. Visitors can purchase a fishing license or reserve one of the many pavilions for relaxing or outdoor educational experiences. Enjoy a picnic near the lake or explore over 28 miles of trails throughout the park.
Visitors can journey across the lush landscapes of the park on one of the ten easy hiking and biking trails, including the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail System, a collection of remote trails to discover hidden gems within the park. Voted Best Recreational Trail by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2025. Trails range from 0.9 to 12.2 miles long and allow students to learn about the Gulf State Park ecosystems and see the wildlife up close.
You can even try new activities like geocaching to learn about the park’s natural resources. For group exploration, the best way to experience the park is to reserve the Learning Campus facility for an educational journey you won’t find anywhere else.