The latest trend coming to the culinary world is a new take on what was once questionable cuisine, the food truck that used to roll into the workplaces of construction and office workers in towns small and large. Today, the food truck world has become a gourmet one, a world in which flavor rules, especially in the Gulf Coast of Alabama. Your stay in our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals is guaranteed to be a comfortable one and the meals you enjoy will become your newest obsession, especially when you visit the food trucks that we are recommending here!
Making it Easy for Our Guests
Even as the snow may be falling outside the window of your hometown sanctuary, the lazy days of summer are heading toward us and with the beginning of the warm days, a local tradition of food trucks and fun begin in Gulf Shores on the Village Lawn. Located near the Beach Club, the Village Lawn will be the scene of live music, children running willy nilly (Safely, of course!) and a selection of food trucks bringing a chill experience to your Alabama vacation.
- The Chill- Nothing satisfies more than a cold beer on a warm night and The Chill, located in 1 of 3 Air Streams, is a mobile bar offering icy drinks and delicious cocktails.
- Village Creamery- The second Air Stream is home to the Village Creamery, serving sweet and frosty treats your family will love.
- Frost Bite- The third and final Air Stream parked on the Village Lawn provides a Hawaiian favorite, colorful and sweet shaved ice.
Year Round at the Beach Club
The 3 trucks above are only available in the summer months and you may have noticed there was no food, but that’s ok. The Press Club is available year round at the Beach Club, offering delicious sandwiches that your entire family will love!
Another Gulf Shores Favorite
Beachin’ Eats Food Truck & Catering serves up a carefree vibe that reflects our beach hometown offering a menu filled with burgers, tacos, and a local delicacy they call Totchos! What are Totchos you may ask? A southern version of nachos made with tater tots instead of tortilla chips destined to become your newest favorite dish.
Orange Beach Delights
Your stay in our Orange Beach escapes will be made even lovelier when you choose to follow Villaggio Grille’s food truck. Serving the Italian favorites you have loved your entire life, their brick and mortar restaurant is very much loved by all who visit and their food truck is equally delicious. Located just outside Orange Beach in nearby Foley, Alabama, the Fire Ant Grill has only relatively recently opened, serving Cajun favorites, home made potato chips, and a variety of all-American meals. Foley is also home to Tweeds Food Truck, another all-American favorite that serves burgers, hotdogs, and delicious pulled pork.
A Little Bit of a Drive
As you head up and down the coast of Alabama, you may find yourself in the town of Summerdale, located just a few miles away from our Fort Morgan Beach escapes and offering one of our favorite food trucks in the region. Southern Soul, serves the Southern meals our grandmas and mamas raised us on. Adding a gourmet twist to down home favorites, we know that your Summerdale road trip will be made that much more special simply because you chose to dine with Southern Soul.
The Tour of Food Trucks Ends Here
A is the beginning of the alphabet and the end of this tour when you stop by Anna’s Café, a food truck located not far from Fort Morgan in Gulf Shores and offering the best smoothies in town. Also serving ice cream, frozen yogurt, and providing a refreshing, delicious, and healthy juice bar, this food truck is another one of our summer favorites, helping visitors stay chill on the hottest days of the year.
Bring it Home to Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals
It is true that our Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan vacation sanctuaries offer fully equipped kitchens and many will also provide barbecue grills (either private or community ones) on which you will be able to prepare as many meals as you like. But this is your vacation, and you deserve to rest more and work less!
Follow any of the food trucks listed above and if you aren’t hanging out at the Village Lawn sitting at picnic tables and listening to music as you watch your kiddos run wild, bring the goodies home to your Alabama hideaway. Most of the other food trucks will offer places to eat nearby, as well, but we know that you will find your happy place with Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals when you choose the home of your dreams today. Contact us today!
You survived another holiday season and it is time to reward yourself for all the chaos, stress, and emotional drama that often accompanies the most “wonderful” time of the year and we at Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals think that reward should begin and end with a fun filled trip to our Alabama hometown. Offering warmer weather than you might be experiencing in your own wintry town, sunny days, and the call of the Gulf, every adventure you enjoy will help fray the tattered edges of your soul and help you forget the drama that is taking up rent in your brain. This guide to spending your first days and nights of 2024 in Gulf Shores in our comfortable escapes will give you an idea of what to expect.
Sunsets on the Beach
At the new year, we often suggest taking at least one day to rise with the sun, but this vacation is about relaxation and recuperation (the holidays can be brutal) and so we advise you to sleep in as late as you like and enjoy the reverse show at sunset! White sand beaches will have retained the heat of the afternoon sun, (temps rarely drops below 60 degrees) so go ahead and slip out of those flip flops and bury your toes in that soft sand and watch the fire in the sky begin. There are multiple ways to enjoy the show, either sitting on a towel reveling in the peace and quiet the Gulf brings, by walking along shore’s edge, nodding greetings to all who walk the opposite way, or by finding a beach bar with outdoor tables and delicious beverages to accompany these first wonderful moments in 2024.
Time to Play
Here’s the thing. Your calendar for 2024 may be empty at the moment, offering 365 days of blank space just waiting to be filled in, but you know it won’t stay that way for long. School events, meetings at work, chores at home, even social activities with the friends you love will soon start appearing and just as in 2023, 2022, and all the years before you will be tired. Which makes this first vacation of the new year extremely important, setting the tone for all that comes after and making it the ideal time to play. We have listed below some of our favorite ways of playing in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and, of course, Fort Morgan, ensuring that laughter will come quickly and relaxation will be complete.
Arena The Next Level, 4720 Main Street Suite 205 in Orange Beach, The Wharf
Our 80s children remember spending hours at the arcade, hanging with friends and working to get our names as close to the top of the top players list as possible and during your Alabama getaway, you can do that again at Arena the Next Level. This arcade offers 7,500 square feet of space filled with a variety of games, not just video games but gaming tables, basketball games, and even the Claw machine that you used to be so good at, winning your girlfriend all sorts of prizes. Obviously, if you are traveling with children this is going to make them happy as well, but you know, deep in your heart that a trip to the arcade is really meant for you!
Cool Shots Selfie Museum, 4700B Main Street Suite N-207 in Orange Beach, The Wharf
Have teens? A visit to the Cool Shots Selfie Museum should be the first spot on your list, offering a variety of backdrops in front of which your future influencer can show off all the ways he or she is enjoying his Alabama vacation! And the backdrops are so cool, don’t be surprised if you find yourself sneaking in a few for your own social media sites as well, it really is fun and surprisingly affordable.
Coastal Segway Adventures, 21101 AL-135 in Gulf Shores
The weather promises to be beautiful for a Segway exploration of Gulf State Park, 20115 State Park Road, and Coastal Segway Adventures provides the guidance you need to do just that. Offering 1 and 2-hour guided tours of what we consider one of the most beautiful state parks in the world, they also offer bike rentals and for your return visit in the summer, kayak, and paddleboard tours.
Stay in and Explore
Sleeping in late every day, cuddling with your fur baby in our pet-friendly rentals, watching the sun set from your balcony overlooking the Gulf, all of these activities are destined to ensure that you start out this brand new year in the best way! Offering all the comforts of home beautifully blended with the modern conveniences that make travel fun, our Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan sanctuaries will be an integral part of your Alabama getaway. Reserve your favorite today!
Beach vacations deserve to be enjoyed in beautiful beach escapes offering windows that ensure you never have to let the gorgeous blue waters and white sand beaches out of your sight. You want to be able to slide open glass doors, letting the salt air and the roar of the waves slip inside the comfortable spaces like a much loved and welcomed guest and you should be able to sit out on balconies with your favorite drinks, letting the serenity of the sea soak into your bones. Our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals Crystal Tower Unit 1509 escape gives visitors all that and so much more; take a peek inside and never want to leave!
Like an Old Friend
Stepping inside for the first time will remind you of greeting an old friend, warm, welcoming, and inviting, not needing to put on airs, because that friend knows you so well. Light fills every room in the space and although unit 1509 only offers 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, it feels much larger and you will instantly be able to see that 6 guests, the max allowed, will fit in here comfortably.
Tile floors that look like weathered boards that may have drifted ashore on the beaches below offer the best of both worlds, giving the wood look we love and the coolness and functionality we need. This cozy condo is simply designed, with quiet walls painted a color not that different from the sand you will be walking on each morning, and with the colors of the sea reminding you of your purpose here, to visit the beach. Comfort is key here and the furnishings invite relaxation, ensuring your stay with us will recharge and refill all that needs to be filled.
Function and Form
A pretty space without the modern conveniences is just that, a pretty space, and Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals wants our guests to have more. Fully equipped kitchens offering updated appliances encourage staying in on a potentially stormy night, creating a meal to be enjoyed as the rain sprays against large windows and the waves crash angrily on the beaches below.
State of the art televisions may compete against the views from the patio but stealing a few minutes to nap on comfy couches and watch a few minutes of your favorite shows is never something you have to feel guilty for. And although it isn’t a glamorous amenity, the laundry room tucked away in a corner of the condo can be a traveler’s best friend, helping ensure that towels and swimsuits are always dry and clean smelling.
Magic Happens Here
And although they are necessary for a stellar vacation experience, when you step through those sliding doors for the first time (every time!) you will forget all about the comfy furnishings, the updated fixtures in the spa-like bathroom and the world will narrow down to this view, this feeling, this magic. This balcony is a long one, offering breathtaking views of the Alabama sunset from one end, and places to sit and watch the sea from all angles, and because 1509 is a corner unit, your views of the Gulf of Mexico and the lagoon below are practically unlimited. Both bedrooms offer ensuite baths, but it is the sliding glass doors that lead out to the balcony is the memory you will tuck away in your heart, remembering early mornings spent with coffee and peace and how those moments touched your soul.
More Fun to Be Had
Playing board games or building puzzles at the large dining room table, binge watching movies late into the night from the comfort of your premium bed, reading the day away on the balcony (the owner’s mother was a reading teacher and bookshelves are fully stocked in her honor) are just some examples of the fun that can be had during your stay in Unit 1509.
Community amenities add to the opportunities to play and include not just one or two but three resort pools, one of which is heated and indoors. Two hot tubs will help soothe any muscles that may be hurting from too much vacation fun, a workout room is there (but don’t feel bad if you never use it; this is a vacation after all!) a grilling area, and a sun deck ensure that everything you want, or need is included during your escape to Alabama.
And finally, the beach, accessible by an air-conditioned walkway will bring so much fun you will wish the good times never had to end; beach gear can be found in the unit, so you don’t have to worry about lugging chairs, umbrellas, or coolers across the miles.
Come Home to Crystal Tower
The beauty of the gulf coast is reflected in the décor of your seasonal sanctuary. Reserve this special condo today!
As the calendar rolls around to the ‘ber months again, the excitement in the air becomes palpable. The holidays are coming, fast and furious, and Christmas is once again at the forefront of your mind. And although not all Christmases are created equal, you may start to dread the work, the expense, and possibly, the cold, sleet, and snow that often accompanies this not so magical time, searching for ways to “skip Christmas” without ignoring the holiday altogether. A trip to the beach always makes things better and the beaches of Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan will bring a new excitement to your holiday celebrations, especially when you choose Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals for your not so humble holiday abode.
A Different Spin
Whether you are used to waking up to a world blanketed in snow on Christmas day or your Christmases have never been white ones, Christmas on the Gulf Coast offers a different spin to your celebrations. Chances are your home sweet holiday home will be close to the beach, perhaps even in sight of the white sands that resemble snow but are so much warmer to the touch and our early risers may want to start their day out with a walk on white sands at sunrise.
The world looks different, feels different, in these early morning hours and as the sky changes from midnight velvet, to shades of fire, and then finally stops on that sea blue that mimics the waters below, the sunrise will fill your soul and prepare you for the day’s adventures that lie ahead. After, heading back to your holiday sanctuary to open presents and snack on the treats you baked in our fully equipped kitchens in the days leading up to the big day, will feel even more exciting and fun.
So Much to Do
From formal events (Photos with Santa at the Wharf in Orange Beach, through Christmas Eve) to unplanned moments of magic enjoyed with the family (driving through neighborhoods checking out all the Christmas lights) your time in any of the small towns on the Gulf Coast is destined to be a memorable one. Wake up every morning feeling rested and recharged and fall asleep each night feeling pleasantly exhausted as this list of holiday adventures is sure to fill every moment with fun and festivity. Below we have listed just a few ideas that we have to ensure your stay is wonderful, but feel free to add in any of your own holiday traditions, as you can never have too much holiday over Christmas.
Starting Christmas Early
Not every vacation will last through Christmas so a visit that occurs in the week of December 9th and 10th will help build up your holiday spirit. Holly Days on Main at the Wharf offer a Christmas experience you will wish never had to end, including a holiday market, special holiday performances, and our favorite part of the entire event, a lighted boat parade that will change the way you look at parades forevermore.
Hallmark Moments in Real Life
Maybe you want to reenact your own Hallmark Christmas movie moment with a few turns around an outdoor ice rink, holding hands with your sweetie and falling in love all over again. The Wharf in Orange Beach tends to be where most things Christmas takes place in Alabama and from mid-November through mid-January, they offer a skating rink under shelter of a big white tent.
Located next to Sand Dollar Lifestyles near the Main Entrance, you can even take care of some last-minute Christmas shopping while experiencing the most romantic moments in your life. Oh, and because no Hallmark Christmas moment would be complete without a piping hot cup of hot cocoa, the concession stand offers beverages hot and cold, including the sweet hot chocolate treat!
Meeting Santa
And finally, last on this list but not the end of everything holiday, the Eric H. Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores offers an opportunity for your tiniest believers to enjoy a breakfast with Santa on December 17th. Sausage, eggs, and pancakes are what’s for breakfast and pictures with the jolly old elf himself will bring out the biggest smiles on your beautiful children’s faces, making memories that will last a lifetime, and isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
Christmas at Home with Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals
Designed to be an integral part of your vacation experience at any time of the year, at Christmas our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals holiday hideaway shine brighter. Enjoy your own wonderful life as you watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” on state-of-the-art televisions, bake Christmas cookies in our luxuriously appointed kitchens, and dream about sugar plums and new cars in the most comfortable beds in town. Reserve your favorite escape today!
Life at the beach offers a different vibe. Celebrating summer, even in the winter months, the sun shines brighter, the days last longer, and the joys found are that much deeper at the beach, especially when your journey brings you to the beaches of Alabama. The gulf coast is our favorite coast and our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals properties reflect this love, offering a taste of eternal summer, and in the case of our Grand Caribbean Unit 205, views of the sea that will bring peace to your soul. Today we would like to take a few minutes of your time to present a walkthrough of Unit 205, a sanctuary that is surprisingly spacious and accommodating for a 1 bedroom, 1 bath condo, offering room for up to 6 guests to coexist in peace and harmony and without too much stepping on each other’s toes!
The Difference is Clear
Located just across the street from the Gulf in Orange Beach and offering unobstructed views of the water, the Grand Caribbean complex stands out in a sea of condos and unit 205 shares in its charms. Step into a space filled with light, one where pastel hued walls serve as a relaxing backdrop to your Alabama vacation.
Offering an open-concept floor plan, your first steps inside will take you past a set of bunk beds tucked into a hallway niche and a modern and happy kitchen, fully equipped with all the meal making and serving necessities. Stopping in to admire the cheerful style, guests will encounter a contrast of dark and light, in the dark countertops placed above custom cabinets painted a crisp white, while the glass tile backsplash brings the colors together in a harmonic mosaic. Reminders of the beach, including a sign placed atop the updated refrigerator spelling out the word Beach, are all around you, but so are the important items, such as updated appliances, a Keurig coffee maker, and a spacious breakfast bar where meals can be happily devoured.
The bunkbed niche offers twin bunks topped with colorful starfish-themed quilts provides a cheerful and fun sleeping adventure for the youngest travelers, leaving parents the solo bedroom for privacy, while still being close enough when toddlers or tweens suddenly need nighttime hugs or extra drinks of water.
Because this compact space is so well designed, as you continue deeper into the condo, guests will find a full-sized washer and dryer hidden behind the louvred doors next to the bunkbed niche! It isn’t necessary that you use the appliances, unless, of course, being the smart traveler that you are, you packed light to leave room in your luggage for the many souvenirs you know you will be shopping for throughout your beach vacation!
Continuing on, the living room opens up before you, filled with light and cheer, and offering a comfortable sofa that opens out into an equally comfortable queen sleeper, making this space the perfect and most economical space for girl gangs and boy bonding trips! The supersized state-of-the-art television resting on its beach-chic stand fights for attention with the views that lay just beyond the sliding glass doors, doors which bring in all the light and when open, salt air and sea sounds that will enhance your beach getaway.
Step outside and soak in the wonders of the sea, perhaps sinking into the Adirondack-style chairs that are actually pub table height to enjoy the best views of the gulf waters, thankful there are no buildings to obstruct your enjoyment of the serene vista in front of you!
Comfortable Adventures
Unit 205 isn’t a large condo, but its heart and the comforts it offers are destined to make it the most cherished part of your escape to Alabama! The solo bedroom, anchored by a king bed with a padded headboard that will make your nighttime moments of reading or watching television especially comfortable, is a serene space. A large portrait perched on the wall above the headboard offers more of the sea them, featuring Adirondack chairs facing the sea, and seemingly mirroring near identical views from the balcony! Reading lamps, another state-of-the-art television, and a premium bed topped with the softest of linens will make this room your favorite place to retreat to after long days of fun in the sun. Offering a reminder to slow down, with another piece of beach themed art, the solo bathroom offers updated fixtures, a tub shower combo, and soft and fluffy towels that will feel good against slightly sunburned skin!
Access to Community Amenities
The Grand Caribbean community also provides a resort pool surrounded by lounge chairs for happy sunning, a workout room, and a covered patio breezeway offering a third supersized television, perfect for watching big games or enjoying a family movie night. Also offered are picnic tables and a community barbecue, reminding you once more that Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals properties will do anything to ensure you have the best vacation ever! Reserve this charming unit and contact us today!
As the holiday season rolls into full on panic mode for most Americans, Thanksgiving offers the last bit of quiet before the chaos of Christmas begins and you may be deciding that a trip away from home is what will make you the most thankful! Imagine being able to enjoy a beautiful dinner with just the ones you love the most, not having to listen to Uncle Harold complain that your turkey is dry, and not having to work your fingers to the bone to ensure that your home is able to meet your mother-in-law’s most exacting standards. If a Thanksgiving journey does appeal to you, we at Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals can take your adventures to the next level of excitement and wonder when you choose a stay in any of our Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, or Fort Morgan holiday havens! Turkey digests best with a walk along sandy shores and this guide to the perfect Thanksgiving in Alabama will help you make this holiday one you will never forget!
Let Someone Else Do the Cooking
Every year you break your back and bank account preparing a feast that is devoured in minutes and forgotten equally quickly, making 2023 the perfect year to let someone else do all the cooking! Fisher’s, located at 27075 Marina Road in Orange Beach, has been the place to go for Thanksgiving for more than a minute, taking the traditional turkey meal to the next level, just as they do for every meal they normally serve! Providing classic dishes that include brown butter sweet potatoes, it is their oyster Tasso cornbread that we crave, to the point we have even ordered big ole batches of it for our Thanksgiving dinners at home!
For our Gulf Shores visitors, the Hangout is where you will want to hang out on Turkey Day! Located at 101 E Beach Boulevard in Gulf Shores and offering beach views that will make their traditional meal taste even better, the music of waves crashing against the shore provides the perfect accompaniment to your family meal, or if you are traveling with friends, your first Friendsgiving away from home! The best news is that if you are staying in our Fort Morgan escapes, both of these wonderful restaurants are close to your front door, so you get to choose!
Get a Jump on your Christmas Shopping
There really is no way to avoid Christmas (unless you don’t celebrate it, of course!) at Thanksgiving, but that’s ok. Getting a jump start on your Christmas shopping is always more fun in stores you have never visited before! Pick up something perfectly beachy at the Beach House Boutique, located at 3800 Gulf Shores Parkway, Suite 320 in Gulf Shores, extending the beach vibe into real life, especially when you make the first person you shop for yourself!
Something glittery is always appreciated at Christmas and Treasure Chest, 27267 Perdido Beach Boulevard. Suite 111 in Orange Beach sells both women’s clothing and shiny jewelry pieces everyone will love to find under their tree. Pick up a sea turtle necklace as a reminder of all the wonderful times you had during your Alabama holiday of thankfulness, something that will convince those who weren’t able to join you on your holiday away to join in the fun next year! And although they won’t be open on Thanksgiving Day, why not stop by the Fort Morgan giftshop to purchase a meaningful gift that will always remind you of the history of this beautiful area? Located at Fort Morgan State Historic Site, the store is open pretty much everyday from 9 am until 4 pm, leaving shoppers with plenty of time to explore the site before or after!
Everything You Need For The Perfect Beachgiving Celebration!
Of course, you may decide that everything you need for the perfect BEACH-giving celebration can be found right here in our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals holiday hideaways! Offering gourmet kitchens for creating the feast of your dreams, comfortable sofas to nap on after the tryptophan in the turkey makes you sleepy, sofas that are conveniently placed in front of super-sized state of the art televisions that will make you feel as if you have seats on the 50-yard line of your favorite game!
Gather round large dining tables with friends and/or family and give thanks for each other, as well as for the sea that is often located within steps of your vacation home! And if you do participate in some Black Friday shopping, you will find plenty of room to store the packages that were loaded into your rental car! Bringing peace, happiness, and probably a lot of naps, our properties are designed to make you feel welcomed and at home, even during the holidays! Reserve your favorite today!
Every beach vacation is special, but some, especially those spent on the shores of the Gulf Coast in Alabama, shine even brighter. Beginning and ending with the sounds and scents of the sea, the top requirement for a stellar beach getaway is a property that overlooks those gulf waters, and our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals Castaways 7D is the perfect example! Offering 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and room for up to 8 guests to live the beach life that they have always dreamed about. Offering a laidback vibe and all the serenity of the sea, this spacious escape will be an integral part of your vacation experience, helping create memories you will never forget! This guide to this Castaways unit will give you a clearer idea of just how much beach views will enhance the pleasures of your vacation in our Alabama area paradise!
Relaxing in Sunshine
Light fills all the corners of this charming condo, greeting guests with a smile and warmth and as the door swings open for the first time, your heart may skip a beat. Step through the doorway, dropping your bags where you stand and venture further into the space that will be your home for the next however many days of your life, following the paths of sand hued tile floors into rooms filled with treasures waiting to be revealed.
The kitchen of 7D is the first room you will explore, offering crisp white painted cabinets, updated appliances, and stone counters that resemble a sandy beach on a windy day. This room may not be used for more than keeping wine and beer cold and coffee hot or it may be your way of saving money on this beach vacation, providing guests with the opportunity to create as many meals as they need, limiting the expense of frequent restaurant visits! A passthrough also serves as a breakfast bar, fronted by colorful wood and wicker barstools that will often be occupied by coffee drinkers and donut dunkers, especially in the mornings and evenings.
The floorplan of 7D is a unique one, offering multiple dining spaces, including one tucked away in a window alcove, where the views will stun and when the French door that leads out to the balcony is open, can bring the outdoors in. Because this space has two dining tables, it is quite easy to leave a large puzzle set out on one, working together as a unit to complete the picture it creates in the quiet moments of your trip, while the other table continues to serve the purpose of a meal, game, or conversation station!
The living room, open to all the public spaces of the condo, is a cheerful expanse of tile floor blended with plush furnishings, including a sleeper sofa that will allow more people to enjoy the vacation. A state of the art television, perched on a cabinet decorated with crabs and sea turtles may not be the focal point of this room, especially as the Gulf takes that honor, visible through a wall of sliding glass doors. It may, however, be where naps are taken with the glass doors open, allowing the crash of the waves against sandy shores work as a lullaby!
Keep the sliding glass doors and the French door open and you will never have to lose sight of the waters that drew you into your coastal journey! Outside, the purpose of your vacation will suddenly be illuminated as you sit, sip, and savor those stunning views. Start your mornings with a cup of coffee enjoyed as you sit on a bar height Adirondack chair watching the skies turn from midnight black to gray to a cacophony of reds, pinks, oranges, and golds. Or pour a glass of wine to raise a toast to the setting sun, watching the morning’s show in reverse.
This space out here is meant for daydreams and infusions of salt air and sea noises and the memories of your moments spent on this balcony over the gulf will help sustain you in times of stress for years to come.
Hello Moon, Hello Stars, and Good Nights for All!
Long after the sun has set, and the sea below can be sensed rather than seen (except on nights with a full moon when the cool light of the moon glints off the waters!) the bedrooms will be where your sights are set. Offering a king bed in the primary suite, along with an ensuite bath, your dreams will be happy and your sleep will be deep. The sea themes of 7D will make it feel as if you are floating in a sea of tranquility and although you may not watch much television during this escape from real life, there are televisions in all 3 rooms and queen beds in the guest rooms. Every night will be your favorite when you choose Castaways 7D as your vacation sanctuary; reserve this beautiful gulf-front unit today! Contact us today!
The spookiest time of the year is our favorite for so many reasons, most of which we are excited to share with you here! Even though the weather is still nice, the temperatures cool down and the humidity levels drop, ensuring that we can’t wait to take our littles out for trick-or-treating! And we can’t help it. Even though sea-themed colors tend to be blues, grays, and greens, we love the pop of orange and black, as well as the changing of the leaves in some of the deciduous trees in our neighborhoods. Yes, the palm trees will still be green year-round and most of our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals holiday hideaways will still showcase the colors of the sea, but you will know the season has changed when you walk into any of the towns in which we offer homes. This guide to Halloween in the Gulf Coast towns of Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Fort Morgan will give you the encouragement to make plans for a spooktacular getaway to the beach!
Do the Hustle (The Haunted Hustle, That Is!
As much as we love the fall and winter, we also know that this is the season of overeating, and if you don’t want to sacrifice candies, cookies, and all the wonderful foods that are favorites in the fall, a preemptive run may be just what you need. Taking place on October 21st in Gulf Shores (ideal for families that want to be back home for the holiday!) and offering a variety of exciting events that include Witches on Wheels, a parade of bikes that goes through town, a Fun Run that lasts just one mile, and the main attraction, the Haunted Hustle 5K! These events start in the evening, and there will be live entertainment, goodie bags, and of course, prizes for participants.
Boo at the Zoo, Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, 20499 Oak Road E, Gulf Shores
Information on this annual event has not yet been released, but in past years, children have been encouraged to wear their costumes, and the opportunity to go trick-or-treating with the animals has always been an exciting adventure. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is one of our children’s favorite places to visit and is a haven to eight endangered species, as well as being home to almost 200 species of nonendangered species!
Trunk or Treat, The Wharf, October 31st in Orange Beach
If you don’t want to “ruin your child’s life!” when traveling over the Halloween holiday, it is important that you find the best trick-or-treating spots in your vacation destination. Of course, all the neighborhoods in any of our towns will offer trick-or-treating, so you could just drive to where the fun looks the most fun and explore, or you could take the easy way out and participate in Trunk or Treat at the Wharf! Sponsored by Island Church, there will be costume contests, kids’ activities, fireworks, and, of course, some of the best candy in town.
Graham Creek’s Haunted Forest 2023, 23030 Wolf Bay Drive in Foley
For families with older children (at least 8 years of age and up) a visit to a haunted house can be an annual tradition that you don’t need to skip during your beach adventures! Graham Creek’s Haunted Forest is located just 17 miles away from your Orange Beach escape and offers a half-mile walk through, well, a haunted forest guaranteed to raise goosebumps on your arms! Also offering non-scary hayrides, this is an activity that will be enjoyed by the whole family!
Where the Ghosts Roam Freely
Of course, if you prefer the real deal when it comes to spooky and spine-chilling, Fort Morgan itself is known for its long and storied history and is rumored to have a few spirits that have lingered over its nearly two centuries of existence! Fort Morgan State Historic Site, located at 51 Alabama 180 in Gulf Shores, was once known as the guardian of Mobile Bay and if you listen closely during your explorations, you may here whispers from the past or the clip clop of boots against concrete as sentinels do their rounds throughout eternity.
Horror Fest at Home with Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals
For many travelers, the ideal way to spend Halloween night is by settling in for a night of horror! Binge-watch your favorite movies, explore new releases, and do it all from the comfort of our plush sofas. Make a signature cocktail in our fully equipped kitchens, open the sliding glass doors that lead out to the ocean, and spend a chilly night being spooked by the action on state-of-the-art televisions that offer pictures so clear you may fear being the next victim! Reserve your favorite holiday hideaway and contact us today.
The end of summer can be a sad time for our sun lovers but fall has ways of making everyone forget their distress, especially when you make plans for a little autumn getaway to the Gulf Shores area. Still providing days that are warm enough for the beach, but as school gets back in session and the annual summer vacations have ended, the crowds lessen, lines in restaurants shrink, and more of our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals tranquil sanctuaries become available for rent. Fall is the perfect time to enjoy a carefree and relaxing vacation, not just in Gulf Shores, but in Orange Beach and Fort Morgan, and this guide to all the reasons your fall journey to Alabama will be one you will never forget will help build up the anticipation!
The Festivals
Although it may still feel like summer, the temperatures drop enough to make fall festivals some of our favorite things to attend. Orange Beach Freedom Fest, held on October 6th and 7th at the Wharf in Orange Beach, offers the Fall Bama Cruisin’ Car Show, food vendors, and arts and crafts that represent the best of Alabama artist’s work. On October 12th through the 15th, the most delicious of festivals comes to Gulf Shores, the Annual National Shrimp Festival! Taking place at the Gulf Shores Main Beach, this festival is one we wait for all year round, featuring live music in a variety of genres, over 200 booths of arts, fine art, and craft vendors, and of course, all the delicious shrimp you can eat, purchased from many of the 50 food vendors that are a part of the festival. Experience the Oyster is another fantastic fall festival, occurring at The Hangout in Gulf Shores on November 2nd and 3rd, celebrating the seafood that makes this part of Alabama one of the best places to live or visit. With live music, oyster farm demos, even an oyster shucking contest that will amaze all that see it, this festival should not be missed.
Beach Days for the Win
With the local beaches providing lifeguards through October, your fall escape to the Gulf Shores area can almost feel like an extension of summer, without the high humidity that often occurs in the late summer months. Grab your beach gear (don’t forget the sunscreen) and head to the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico for a day of fun in the sun and surf. Real life can be a hectic and chaotic mess, but the salt air, soft sands, and frothy waters will make you forget the outside world exists. Feed your soul with the serenity only found in the salty waters of the Gulf, perhaps work on your fall tan, ensuring friends and family back home will be envious, and just relax. Read a book under a colorful beach umbrella, float in the cool waters—perhaps with a snorkel that will allow you to watch the adventures under the surface—and build sandcastles with your favorite tiny travelers. Your beach days will be ones you can look back on during the busy days that lie ahead, reaching deep inside your memories for a touch of peace!
Gulf Park Nature Center in Orange Beach
Offering nature and beach walks through a “forest” of local plants and flower, the Gulf Park Nature Center is a living museum of the plants and animals that make this region feel like a tropical paradise. The cooler days of fall will help you extend your time in nature and their activities calendar is filled with fun adventures that will help give you a greater appreciation for the natural world of Alabama, including the sea turtles, owls, and even alligators that make their homes here.
Time to Dine
Although our Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals seasonal sanctuaries provide fully equipped kitchens that you will enjoy puttering around in, you and your family are on vacation and deserve to have at least some of your meals prepared, served, and cleared away by others. Tacky Jacks Fort Morgan, located at 1577 AL-180 in the Fort Morgan Marina, is a harbor-side restaurant serving a seafood-centric menu you will love and offering views of the water you will crave. Pro tip: Everything on the menu is delicious, but you will kick yourself if you leave without sampling their peanut butter pie!
At Home with Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals
The best times of your seasonal journey to Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, or Fort Morgan may be the ones you spend at home in our fall havens. Offering all the comforts of home blended with the modern conveniences that make life (and travel) easier, your days and nights will be relaxing, restful, and oh so comfortable. Reserve your favorite escape and contact us today!
When you want to feel and be treated like royalty during your Gulf Coast vacation in Alabama, the best way to start is by renting this beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo overlooking the turquoise waters of the sea. Island Royale P403 is perched high above the crowds (on the 14th floor) but not so high that you can’t hear the calming lullaby of the waters below, we at Alabama Beach Vacation Rentals have fallen in love with the serene vibe of this cozy condo that sleeps 6 people comfortably and we think you will too! And because the sea is reflected in the interior décor, popping up in coral prints on throw pillows, paintings of boardwalks leading out to the white sands, and in the charming fish tchotchkes swimming above cabinets in the kitchen, you and your traveling party will never have to lose the rhythm of the Gulf, even when not in view!
That View
Stepping inside for the first time will feel like coming home, only better. Your eyes will be instantly drawn to the back wall that consists of sliding glass doors and a peek of the blue of the sky and water just beyond, but during this tour, we are going to drag out the excitement just a little longer, showing off the kitchen that lies just a few feet away from the front door. Open to the rest of the condo and offering walls painted the shade of skies on a sunny day, this cheerful space is well appointed, offering stainless steel appliances, crisp white painted cabinets, and dark stone countertops that extend out into the dining area with an elevated breakfast bar and two cushioned barstools just waiting for helpful visitors to climb on and engage in happy conversations with the cook of the day!
The dining area, often the center of family chats and game nights as well as the place where most meals will be devoured centers the open concept floor plan, lying between the kitchen and dining room and mostly offering the same views that can be enjoyed throughout the public spaces. (You might expect a few family squabbles as to who has to sit on the end with their back to the views, but with the promise that everyone will take turns, any serious battles will be avoided.) Offering a glass and iron table, and cushioned rattan and iron chairs, there are enough seats for every seat in your traveling party!
The final section of our tour of the main spaces of the condo, the living area, reveals a room filled with color and comfort. The comfy sofa topped with stormy gray fabric has its own secret to reveal, the fact that it folds out into an equally comfy queen-sized sleeper bed! Facing a large flat-screened television, this spot can be the most comfortable in the house, although the overstuffed reading chair that is placed so as to enjoy the most direct views of those views may run a close second! Topped in the same coral fabric that is found on the throw pillows on the couch, this room is warm, welcoming, and provides the ideal gateway to the views waiting just beyond those sliding glass doors!
The Suspense Stops Now
Ok, we know you have been dying to make your way through the doors that lead out to the balcony of this 14th floor escape, so now it is time. Feel the salt air breezes kiss your cheeks and take a moment to let your eyes adjust to the colorful world out here. Life is simple and serene on this balcony, featuring a table surrounded by 4 webbed chairs and 2 lounge chairs that may convince guests that being lulled into sleep by the music of the sea is definitely a very good thing. This space right here, although not big, will take up a large portion of ram space in your memories of your Alabama getaway and if you could only sit out here and relax and recharge, we think you would consider this vacation one of the best ever!
If You Can Tear Yourself Away
There are still a couple of more spaces to be revealed, the bedrooms of this charming Island Royale condo. The primary suite is large and bright, anchored by a comfortable king bed and providing a private entrance to the balcony, ensuring that many of your mornings will start with a cup of coffee and incredible views! A television in this space may or may not be used, just as the secondary bedroom’s probably won’t either, there is just too much to see and do during your stay!
Oh the Amenities
As if all the above weren’t enough to convince you that this unit should be your home sweet vacation home, enjoying access to community amenities that include two pools, a hot tub, a fitness center, a barbecue area, and a sun deck for lounging will probably do it! Reserve this charming condo today and contact us today!