Beach alcohol ban isn't stopping 2017 spring break turnout - WSFA.com Montgomery Alabama news.

While many are going through the Mardi Gras season, officials near our white sandy beaches have something else on their mind - spring break. Police are sending a message ahead of the crowds that there will be zero tolerance for foolishness, but that doesn't seem to be stopping the big turnout of visitors.

The weekend following Fat Tuesday, umbrellas and beach chairs will start popping up on Baldwin County beaches as the spring break season officially gets underway. 

“What I’ve learned about, just anecdotal, from our lodging partners throughout the island, it’s going to be another great year," CEO of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores Tourism Herb Malone said.

But it won't just be a young crowd. Families and snow birds will also fill pleasure island. 

"It's going to be busy, busy, busy more than anything else," Norman Berry from Indiana said. 

“We’re full-time RV’ers. We got here with the intentions of staying a week and we’re now on our sixth week because we’ve enjoyed the area so much," Michele Carlton said.

Carlton says she enjoys the cleanliness of the beach the most and has the Leave Only Footprints ordinance to thank for that. Another thing she and others are thankful for is the recent ordinance that bans alcohol on the beach. She and her husband Clint think it’ll benefit all beach goers, young and old.

"I think it’s a good idea to limit the alcohol, especially because most of those spring breakers are young and they probably shouldn’t be consuming alcohol to begin with," Clint Carlton said.

“I think it’s a good thing to do. I know they want the spring breakers, because there’s a lot of money there but if they say ‘not at the beach, go to the clubs, go to the restaurants and have fun’ then I think that’s a good idea," Berry said.

Malone says city leaders in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are committed to keeping their “family-friendly” brand. He also says police will not tolerate anything or anyone that tries to change that.

“We want to make sure that everyone that comes here is safe. If there are others here making it unsafe due to their foolishness or rowdiness, our police departments are prepared to take action," Malone said.

All content © 2017, WALA; Mobile, AL. (A Meredith Corporation Station). All Rights Reserved.