Alabama coastal destination: Boating adventures at Gulf Shores

Gulf Shores and the surrounding area offers 32 miles of sugar-wide sand. This Alabama coastal makes for an ideal beach vacation that is a great vacation spot for North Georgia residents.

NATURE CRUISE

Capt. Skip with Sailaway Charters offers nature tours on pontoon boats through the estuaries and backwaters of Longs Bayou and Wolf Bay.

“Oysters are found everywhere in the South,” Capt. Skip told us as we headed out on the water.

We soon saw what he meant as we found plenty of oysters. After catching our first few oysters, Capt. Skip gives us information on the oystering industry. Next up, we put our net out and did some shrimping. We were surrounded by wildlife as we made our first stop to check our net for shrimp.

The excursions are very reasonable at $25 per person for a two-hour tour. For more information, go to www.geocities.com/sailorskip or call 251-974-5055.

DOLPHIN WATCH

We spotted lots of dolphins when we went out on the Dolphin Express Cruises with Capt. Richie. It was only a few minutes after we headed out that we saw our first dolphin. It is always exciting to see a dolphin. Kids and adults alike were delighted as the dolphins followed our boat and jumped out of the water.

Capt. Richie gave us information on dolphins as we spotted them splashing all around us. Loud Jimmy Buffet played as we cruised through the water.

This excursion was also very reasonable $11 to $15 per person.

For more information, go to dolphinexpresscruises.com or call 251-971-1893.

RIVER CRUISE

Capt. Ronnie with Bon Secour Adventures took us on a wonderfully relaxing river cruise. We all climbed high up on the boat and headed out. It was a great spot to get a view of all the nature around us. A cool breeze was blowing and the sun was shining. Capt. Ronnie is a fourth generation fisherman/shrimper and he provides lots of information on the area.

You can take your catch next door to The Galley where they will cook it up for you. Other options are charter fishing lessons.

For more information, go to www.shrimpcharter.com or call 251-949-7800.

THE CORSAIR

The Corsair is a Classic Biloxi Schooner built in 1976. Capt. Mike offers shrimping and dining on the Corsair. Up close encounters with dolphins, sea birds and other marine life are a highlight of a cruise.
For more information, go to www.corsaircharters.com or call 866-986-8088.

OTHER THINGS TO DO

Other things to do in the Gulf Shores area include the following:

•Spend some time hiking, fishing, and kayaking at the 7,000-acre Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, which has five miles of federally-protected beachfront.

•Head out to Fort Morgan, a natural historic landmark that was the site of the Civil War battle of Mobile Bay. It also has a bird sanctuary, fishing pier and picnic tables.

•Take a bicycle ride along more than 50 miles of bike-friendly trails. Beach Bike Rentals offers bicycle rentals. For more information, call 251-609-2213.

•Spend time enjoying Alabama’s sugar white beaches.

•Go shopping with antique shops and retail outlets and unique boutiques and shops to be found throughout the area.

•Visit Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research and Education Center, which has 5,000 feet of elevated boardwalk that winds through 6,000 acres of coastal habitats and wetlands.

WHERE TO EAT

With an abundance of wonderful local seafood, there are plenty of great dining options in the Gulf Shores area. A few I recommend are:

•Lulu’s, which is owned by Jimmy Buffet’s sister, is such a fun, family-friendly spot with entertainment and activities for children offered nightly. I had wonderful mahi tacos. Another great option is the cheeseburger in paradise. Fried green tomatoes and fried crab claws are among the great appetizer choices. Another must is the LA Cavier, black-eyed peas in balsamic vinegar. It is wonderful. Lulu’s motto is “Our job is to make you forget about yours—at least for a little while.” They certainly accomplish this. It’s bright, loud and fun. It’s more than eating out. It’s like going to a party. For more information, go to www.lulabuffet.com.

•King Neptunes has delightful royal red shrimp and coconut shrimp. I do believe both were the best I’ve ever had. They also have wonderful oysters on the half shell for appetizers, as well as crab claws and fried green tomatoes. For dessert, try the great fried cheesecake. For more information, go to www.kingneptunes.com.

•At the Hangout, be sure to try the fried pickles and boiled shrimp for your appetizers. For my entrée, I had the fried oyster plate with mac and cheese and cole slaw. For dessert, try the crème brulee cheesecake. It is creamy, smooth and light. This is also a great family-friendly restaurant. It’s open air and located on the beach with a huge fan to cool you off. There is a sandbox for the kids to play. A DJ plays fun music and the servers lead dancing with guests joining in. Activities for the kids include cupcake decorating and pinates. For the adults, games such as frozen T shirt contests are offered. For more information, go to www.thehangoutal.com.

WHERE TO STAY

I stayed at The Beach Club and Gulf Shores and loved it. While there is plenty to do in the area, I could easily have stayed at The Beach Club the entire time. Located on the beach, it is surrounded by dunes and other natural beauty and preserved wetlands.

Pools, hot tubs and whirlpools are located throughout The Beach Club, which offers condos and cottages. There is also a spa and salon, shops, tennis courts, fitness center, game room, children’s park, beach services and several restaurants. A children’s club is offered with zoo visits and crab hunts among the options offered.

The Restaurant at the Beach Club offers elegant dining with a spectacular view. Filet, halibut, duck and risotto are among the dining options. I chose the risotto, sweet lobster and jumbo Gulf shrimp tossed with fresh asparagus tips, roasted bell peppers and corn in a creamy parmesan risotto. It was a delight.
For more information, go to www.beachclubal.com or call 888-260-7263 (SAND).

Another option for your stay is The Wharf, which offers condos, restaurants, shops, a water park and pool and a concert venue. The water park, The Oasis, gives you the feel of being on an island getaway. It’s a wonderful spot for fun in the sun.

For more information, go to www.thewharfal.com.

For more information on visiting the Gulf Shores area, go to www.gulfshores.com or call 800-745-7263 (SAND).

Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.