Content Produced in Partnership with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
Spring vacations at the beach are the perfect way to unwind, get some sun and hang out with the people you love. The Alabama Gulf Coast has some of the prettiest sugar-white sand beaches and turquoise waters around, so kick off your flip flops and enjoy the soft sand between your toes. While in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, check out the action packed springtime events and activities.
Lodging to Fit Your Every Need
The Alabama Gulf Coast has a variety of lodging options to accommodate your every need from beautiful condos and one-of-a-kind beach houses to pet-friendly hotels. When you book directly with area lodging, local experts are here to assist you with finding the hotel, condo or beach house to fit your travel needs. They are dedicated to providing you with a great vacation experience, from planning through departure. Check out the great spring rates on Gulf Shores hotels and Orange Beach lodging.
Mouthwatering Food
You’ll want to explore the many delicious restaurants on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The variety of tastes, styles and flavors of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach’s award-winning restaurants are sure to please all palates. Most of the restaurants are kid-friendly, and some offer playgrounds and other activities to keep your children entertained before and after their meals.
Keep the Children Amused
Your family may have a touch of cabin fever after being cooped up all winter, so spring is the perfect time to get out, explore and find new adventures on the Gulf Coast. Perfect your family’s sand castle building skills by taking a class at Sand Castle University or listen to your children ooh and aah at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. If your children are running circles around you, take them to The Track Recreation Center for kiddie rides, bumper cars and boats, go-karts, miniature golf and more. For some high-flying, bouncing action, visit The Factory in Gulf Shores. And it’s so much more than meets the eye with their batting cages with pitching machines, foam pits, trampoline dodgeball, trampoline basketball and arcade games. Your children will be worn out from all the fun.
Hands-on Learning
Your children will get a hands-on learning experience exploring the habitats of coastal Alabama at The Estuarium on Dauphin Island, the fourth largest estuary system in the United States. Enjoy the educational and informative exhibit hall, the “oh-so-cool” sting ray touch pool and the scenic, living marsh boardwalk while learning about the more than 100 local species of plants and animals on display.
Or spend a day at Gulf State Park where you will enjoy hiking, biking, fishing and nature. Prepare to gasp in amazement when you spot an alligator basking in the sun in a freshwater marsh. Or spy a white-tailed deer on Gulf Oak Ridge among the park’s 6,000 acres of pristine coastline and wildlife refuge. While there, check out the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail that includes more than 27 miles of paved, winding scenic paths perfect for hiking and biking. The state park is also a fisherman’s dream-come-true. It has more than 900 acres of scenic freshwater lakes on one side, and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico on the opposite side.
Delve into History
Visit historic Fort Morgan and travel back in time when the thundering booms of cannons protected the turquoise waterways. And imagine the shout of Admiral David Farragut, “Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead!” as he led his troops into battle across the sugar-white sand. The fort was built between 1819 and 1823 and is a site not to be missed.
Or tour another of the many unique, historical museums and sites throughout Gulf Shores and Orange Beach including Native American museums, antebellum mansions, military history, maritime and railroad museums, and much more.
Plan your getaway today with the 2018 Gulf Shores and Orange Beach vacation guide, then come experience this piece of paradise for yourself. Order a FREE copy of our all-new vacation guide or view the online version with bonus extras such as videos, recipes, itineraries and more. The Alabama Gulf Coast specializes in creating family memories that will last a lifetime.