Hey all,
My wife and I are in the beginning stages of planning a trip for our 15th anniversary. We are considering spending time in/around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Our time frame would be for a week anytime from late April through mid May.
Question 1: Will it be nice and warm by the end of April, or should we wait until the middle of May?
Question 2: Neither of us are touristy...will this industry be cranked up by then?
Question 3: Any recommendation on things to see or to avoid?
Thanks in advance,
Greg
I personally prefer Orange Beach over Gulf Shores. Gulf Shores gets the larger crowds and can get way too congested for my liking.
1. Yes, late April should be nice and warm. I'd say low 80's for a high, sometimes warmer.
2. You should be coming in post Spring Break and pre Summer peak. May be slightly crowded but certainly tolerable.
3. Huge outlet mall (Tanger) and Mossy Oak store in Foley, maybe 30 mins away from Orange Beach. Also, as far as eats Lambert's in Foley is a MUST and if you like seafood, the Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores is highly recommended. Not much to speak of as far as things to avoid really. The only thing I don't care for there are all the cheesy souvenir shops.
It'll probably be pretty warm around that time. Especially around the first of May, it can't start getting pretty warm even up here in North GA around then. As far as much stuff going on that will kinda be between spring break and summer vacation for folks so yeah most of the stuff should be crunk up by then. It's been a long time since I've been down there, to long as a matter of fact. Hope yall have fun.
If you want something off the beaten path you may want to look at Fairhope or Magnolia, AL. Less commercial with more old southern charm. Both are on the Mobile Bay and the beach is a short drive.
The Grand at Point Clear is one my favorite places on the coast. Cool place. Off the beaten path and close to Fairhope. Fairly quiet and like somebody else mentioned, more Southern Charm. Of course I'm biased though, I like the beach but hate being around the crowds.
https://m.marriott.com/p?stpp=true&formid=frmResultDetails&cacheid=2f310dee0-7810-4832-8f24-67c08707fcb6#_frmResultDetails
Orange Beach is my 2nd place.
Gulf Shores is the really touristy part.
Plenty to do. Lots of great places to eat. If you're into military stuff, there's the USS Alabama Battleship Park on Mobile Bay and NAS Pensacola in P'cola. Both within 30-45 minutes of the beach.
As far as the weather goes, the heat and humidity start cranking up in April but its still pleasant. In May it starts getting more humid and warm. June to September it sucks. Lots of people, always humid, and hot.
Spring breakers in April and summer crowd in May.
Weather wise I'd go in April, but that's a moot point cause it'll still be turkey season and I'll be in the woods.
Lol, CASH, I'm already fretting on the spring turkey hunting with this trip in the works. However, I'm only planning on one wife and on lots of turkey seasons, and she asks little of me.
I'll just have to hunt before and after my trip.
Thanks for the advice.
Greg
The only place I have spent any time in Alabama is off of Mobile Bay on Dauphen Island. I get tired of the beach in a few days, but did enjoy a charter fishing trip while there. We stayed in a vacation rental house on the beach. It was nice to be able to stroll the beach at sunset, relax on the deck and listen to the waves... It makes a great romantic getaway with plenty of opportunity to unwind... or whatever... ;)
It seems like there is a naval museum (not where they store famous belly buttons) in Mobile. There are some other tourist attractions in the area as well.
Alabamawx.com is a great weather blog to visit leading up to your trip. The blog has a beach weather section that includes water temperature and weather for the next few days on the alabama gulf coast. It's updated twice a day during the week and once a day on weekends. Hope that helps.
Thanks Canyonhunter.
Greg
check bruceatthebeach on youtube.he's a real estate agent from orange beach, and during the summer he does a weekly update of the weather,crowds and events going on in the area. we don't go without watching weeks in advance.
I like Orange Beach better than GulfShores as well. My wife goes all the time with the kids, just about every weekend when schools out and I usually go once or twice a year to keep them happy.
Yes, it will be warm by then and the jellyfish won't be bad at that time.
It should not be too crowded during that time frame either, but there will be people there. If you like to fish, the spring cobia run is happening at that time and that would be about the only charter trip I'd take out of there. I don't golf, but my brother does and he plays a few days when he is down there.
I'll suggest Dauphin Island. Much less touristy, but still plenty to do. You can also take a 30 min Ferry Ride across the Bay to Gulf Shores if you or the wife want to do the tourist thing for a day. Lots of Charter Boats at the Dauphin Island Marina, fishing should be getting cranked up by then.
Depending on what you consider warm, It can still be a bit cool in late April Normal highs along the Northern Gulf Coast for the last week of April are 77-80 degrees with lows (on the beach)around 60. Record lows for late April are in hte mid to upper 40s with record highs in the low 90s.
We always stay at fort morgan, you will be away from the crowds. The problem with going that time of the year is catching a rainy period. We went in May one year and it rained everyday.
I live around that area and everyone gave you excellent advice. It will likely be very warm and you need to eat all the seafood you can. Try Doc's in Orange Beach and Fairhope and Point Clear are great places to check out.
P.S. There is very good turkey hunting just a short drive to the North.
Thanks for all the advice.
It's most appreciated.
Greg
Lets see what I can come up with off the top of my head.
If you want to spend the whole time on the beach then consider a condo or beach house on Fort Morgan Drive west of Gulf Shores, that will get you out of the tourist trap. But if you want to be more strategically located to tour more things in the area then consider the Grand Hotel at Point Clear in Fairhope. Point Clear is about half way up Mobile Bay on the East Shore. Beautiful grounds, good accommodations, civil war history, spa, golf course, great dining. In Fairhope shop at the arts and crafts stores, walk the city pier and walking path along the bay, eat at the Yard Arm on the Pier and the Wash House south of the Grand Hotel. Unfortunately the Old Bay Steamer has closed now though. Be sure and walk the board walk along the bay south of the Grand Hotel grounds and look at the Antebellum homes and huge live oaks.
Shop the Tanger Outlets in Foley, eat at Wolf's Bay while there. Stop off on the way at Week's Bay Reserve and walk the boardwalk through the salt marsh.
Travel back to Mobile and tour the USS Alabama Battleship, book an airboat tour of the Tensaw Delta, walk the boardwalk at Meaher State Park, Eat at the Original Oyster House on the causeway.
Travel to Gulf Shores and walk the state pier at Gulf State Park, shop the strip, get a cheeseburger in paradise at LuLu's (Jimmy Buffett's sister) might get lucky and see him there, catch a concert at the Warf or the Hangout.
Travel to Fort Morgan and tour the grounds, imagine what it would have been like being garrisoned there in winter, take the automobile ferry across the mouth of Mobile bay over to Dauphin Island and tour Fort Gaines on the west shore, imagine being on a ship under crossfire from the two forts, then drive on to Bellingrath Gardens and tour the gardens, book a dinner cruise on their paddle wheeler.
My recommendation would be to go in May.
Click here for my pictures from the Grand Hotel and around the area.
http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k495/STCB-Photo-Archive/2008%20Grand%20Hotel/?albumview=slideshow
Thank's Skeeter great pic's family will haft to cheek that place out.
The Grand is very kid friendly, big pool, protected beach on the bay, lots of grounds to explore, rent or take their own bikes, pier to fish from, and lawn games. Fairhope has several miles of biking trail along the bay on Alt 98 back to the city pier.