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Large crowds return to Alabama beaches

Sunbathers watch booming operations in the Perdido Pass as they sit in the shade under the Perdido Pass bridge in Orange Beach, Ala., Sunday, June 6, 2010. Alabama booming operations are being ramped up with oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster approaching the coast. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) Sunbathers watch booming operations in the Perdido Pass as they sit in the shade under the Perdido Pass bridge in Orange Beach, Ala., Sunday, June 6, 2010. Alabama booming operations are being ramped up with oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster approaching the coast. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

By Associated Press May 18, 2020 2 min read

GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) – Large crowds have returned to Alabama beaches as the state loosened restrictions on restaurants and social gatherings.

WKRG-TV reports that beaches are seeing sizeable crowds. Alabama beaches opened this month after being closed for six weeks. The state last week allowed restaurants to reopen dining rooms if social distancing measures were being followed.

“Each weekend has gotten bigger than the one before,” said Herb Malone with Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Tourism.

Malone said hotel and condo rentals are seeing big numbers for this time of year.

“Some businesses reporting in that they were right at a 100 percent for their occupancy,” Malone said.