Gulf Shores Alabama

Many people may not realize that you don’t have to go to the Caribbean to experience turquoise waters and silky white sand beaches. The upper Gulf coast has some of the best beaches in the country and beyond, and Gulf Shores is a great example of that.

We spent ten days during January in Gulf Shores amongst the snowbirds escaping the brutal northern winter. We love beach towns in the winter when the summertime chaos has subsided, and the weather is milder. The beaches are less crowded, all the great restaurants are still open, and you feel more like a local rather than a tourist in the off season.

There is no shortage of RV parks in the area, from the popular Gulf State Park to smaller community focused parks like Sugar Sands RV Resort where we stayed. Those traveling out of a suitcase have many choices as well, to fit all budgets.

Gulf Shores, and the adjoining communities of Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, is a fun place to visit and explore with its 30 miles of coastline and sugar sand beaches. We spent our time unwinding and planning the year ahead – but that doesn’t mean we didn’t do our fair share of exploring. Our ten days consisted of some beach combing, nature hikes and “palate exercising”. I’ll be covering some of our favorite things within the broader area not just specifically Gulf Shores.

Let’s start with the beaches. If it’s your first time here you will be amazed, if you’ve been here before, you’ll be amazed again. To the east is the busy area of the Orange Beach beaches and to the west are the resort beaches of Gulf Shores, and in-between are miles of open beaches that are unobstructed by hotels and resorts. Just take your beach chairs and enjoy the white fluffy sand and turquoise water or walk along the shoreline until the sun sets. On a sunny 70 degree day in January, you get to see much more beach and much less people. And don’t forget to take a walk out on the Gulf State Park Pier for an amazing vantage point over the water.

Speaking of Gulf State Park, it extends right across from the pier and is a great place to RV camp or go for the day and enjoy the 28 miles of nature trails. This park is quite unique. If you can imagine a state park and RV resort combined into one, that’s what Gulf State Park delivers.

Fort Morgan, located on the western tip of the peninsula at the mouth of Mobile Bay, is a fun and historical adventure close by. The fort was built between 1819 and 1834 after the War of 1812 as part of a large government coastal defense initiative. The fort had critical strategic importance during the Civil War and was in use through WWII. You can spend hours exploring the fort in its entirety.

On the more unusual side of things, are three attractions that can all be seen within a short drive and an hour or so of exploring. The first is Lady in the Marina, a huge sculpture of a lady sitting in the water at Barber Marina. Just go to the marina and walk down to the end of the pier for a “that’s something you don’t see every day” experience. It’s said that she would be taller than the Statue of Liberty if she was standing up.

Backtracking from the marina is Dinosaurs in the Woods, a series of dinosaur sculptures in the woods along the main road. You’ll have to drive on a dirt road on either side of the paved road to see them (I believe there are seven in total). This is a fun (and quirky) thing to do but heck, who doesn’t like pretending to be eaten by a dinosaur!

Just beyond the last Dinosaur on the southbound side of the road is Bamahenge, a full-size replica of Stonehenge. Look for a small gravel parking area and then take a short walk through the woods to reach this full-scale replica of the famous monument. It’s said to accurately mimic the original’s positioning with the summer solstice. We found it fascinating and since we’ve never been to England, this will have to do for now.

All of these sculptures were created by artist Mark Cline from Virginia for Alabama billionaire George Barber. The dinosaurs were built in 1991 while the Lady in the Marina and Bamahenge where later constructed in 2012. They are all in close proximity to each other and makes for a fun sightseeing adventure.

If you like glass blowing a stop at the Hot Shop in Orange Beach is a must. Very friendly and informative glass blowing artists will demonstrate the trade right in front of your eyes. You can even sign up for a glass blowing class and create your own masterpiece. We will definitely do that next time we are in the area. Keep in mind, they do not operate on the weekends.

We found a couple really nice places to stretch our legs on some hikes in the area. The first spot was at the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. This is a beautiful nature area with boardwalks through the marsh, forests and beach access. We started with the 1-mile Jeff Friend trail and then continued on to Pine Beach Trail which was around 3.5 miles. The Pine Beach Trail ends at a beautiful beach and would be a great place to hang out for a while. We even saw a bald eagle along the way. The only downside is that the refuge does not allow dogs on the trail.

We did, however, find a pet friendly area to hike at Graham Creek Nature Preserve. This expansive area meanders through a large recreation area with exercise and skill challenge obstacles and a disc golf course. You can walk for miles and easily get lost so be sure to use a trail GPS app such as Alltrails.

And now for the real reason to go to Gulf Shores – the food! There are so many great restaurants and bars in the area with amazing seafood. We went to some of the more common establishments and some of the lesser-known spots and left dozens more for our next trip. Here’s a quick overview from our experiences:

Lulu’s Gulf Shores was founded by Lucy Buffett, Jimmy’s sister, and sits right on one of the inlet waterways. Although somewhat tame when we were there, it’s a lively place with lots of indoor and outdoor space, a beach and live bands. It’s one of those “gotta go” places.

My ratings: Food-4.0 Stars / Atmosphere 4.8-Stars

Ruby Slipper is a Louisiana southern style restaurant inspired during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and later expanded to ten locations. It’s a great brunch spot with unique dishes, famous for their many varieties of eggs benedict. Try them and you’ll swear you’re back in the Big Easy.

My ratings: Food-4.7 Stars / Atmosphere-4.0 Stars

BuzzCatz Coffee & Sweets is so more than the name implies. Although counter order, they have a large variety of very unique breakfast items such as the challah breakfast sandwich that I had. Whether for a casual mid-morning late or a full breakfast, BuzzCatz will not disappoint.

My ratings: Food-4.5 Stars / Atmosphere 4.2 Stars

Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar is a cozy place with outstanding food. It’s bright and beachy setting with lots of colorful artwork may surprise you with some of the best food we ate in the area. The pecan crusted redfish, topped with crab meat was excellent!

My ratings. Food-4.8 Stars / Atmosphere 4.3 Stars

Mile Marker 158 is a waterfront restaurant located at the popular Wharf with a picturesque view of the boat docks. Regulars there enjoy the weekly specials which really are an outstanding deal. The food was good but fell short of my high expectation, but to be fair, it’s hard to judge on a single visit.

My ratings: Food-4.3 Stars / Atmosphere 4.4 Stars

The Southern Grind Coffee House is also in the Wharf and provides the opportunity to walk around and check out the shops. The coffee house is adorable inside and had outside seating for us and the pups. They have a good selection of items, although some were a little too sweet for my palette.

My ratings: Food-4.1 Stars / Atmosphere 4.7 Stars

Original Oyster House is a traditional laid-back restaurant with really good seafood and great service. We had a nice table by the window to watch the sunset over the lagoon. I had the crab stuffed flounder and Shannon had the oysters; both were outstanding.

My ratings: Food-4.5 Stars / Atmosphere 4.4 Stars

The Yard Milkshake Bar is worth breaking your diet for. Featured on Shark Tank, this original location has now expanded to around 30 locations and it’s no wonder why. Their unique milkshakes in a mason jar are over the top and made to perfection. You’ve just got to try one!

My ratings: Food-4.9 Stars / Atmosphere 4.7 Stars

The Cove Bar and Grill is a local dive spot that we found out about from some friends we ran into. When you ask a local where the best burger in town is, they will likely point you in this direction. And yes, they are correct, the burger was fantastic, but it’s not the only good thing on the menu.

My ratings: Food-4.7 Stars / Atmosphere 4.2 Stars

Big Beach Brewing is a local craft brewery that’s a great spot to hang out with friends and have a pint or two, and we did just that. We had an enjoyable time catching up with fellow RV friends Fred and Teresa from Ohio and met their friends Darrell and Juanita from Iowa. Good friends and good beer, life doesn’t get much better than that!

Gulf Shores can be a very different experience depending on what time of year you go there. In the summer, it’s going to be a bustling town with families and young partiers alike. However, in the winter it transforms into a snowbird haven, and I mean that in a good way. Instead of folks rushing in and out of town to get the biggest bang from their vacation buck, you have people that are there seasonally as pseudo locals. The pace is slower and you feel that you are amongst locals rather than tourists. We like that.

Consider a beach vacation such as Gulf Shores as a winter destination but don’t tell too many of your friends. We hope you enjoyed reading this blog and be sure to check out the rest of our pictures.