Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is located in Gulf Shores, Alabama close to the beach. This zoo is the home to more than 300 animals. You will see monkeys, lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, and many other animals. There is also a petting zoo, reptile house, and daily animal shows in the summer. You can even play with baby tigers! I have never played with the baby tigers, but I have heard from several people that this is the neatest experience.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is a special zoo because it has experienced several hurricanes and has almost closed due to the damage caused by the flooding. Thanks to many private donations and grants, the zoo was able to rebuild and reopen. Due to the events caused by hurricane Ivan in 2004, the Animal Planet did a series of 13 episodes and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo became known as "The Little Zoo that Could."

I really enjoy going to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and I highly recommend everyone visit this zoo. This zoo is small enough that you can really tell how much the staff loves the animals. Every animal at the zoo has a name and you can tell the animals know their name. As a visitor, I felt welcomed and was able to take my time watching the animals and didn't feel rushed.

Tanger Outlet

Are you in the mood for shopping? Tanger Outlets in Foley, Alabama offer some of the best shopping on the Gulf Coast. With over 120 shops ranging from casual clothes and accessories to higher end formal wear. There is something for everyone - children and adults. Some of my favorite shops include Polo, Banana Republic, Gap, JCrew, Old Navy, and Private Gallery. Store hours are from Sunday- 11:00 a.m. to 6 p.m and Monday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Ann Taylor, Bass, BCBG Maxazria, Brooks Brothers, Naturalizer, Nine West, Tommy Hilfiger, American Eagle, Calvin Klein, and many more great stores are in this outlet mall. For dining, there is a food court on site at Tanger Outlets, which offers a variety of food including pizza, Chinese, and sub sandwiches just to name a few. For the kids, there is a carousel, a water fountain, and a playground with slides and swing sets. Just take a short drive down Highway 59 in Foley, AL and you can enjoy this wonderful shopping experience.

The Wharf in Orange Beach is definitely one of the largest hotspots in Baldwin County with good reason. For the out-of-town families who don't especially like the beach, but are looking for a relaxing place to vacation with fun activities for the children and adults, the Wharf is a great place. The Wharf has a condominium located on the water with boat slips available for the fishermen in the family to dock their boat. While the men are fishing, the women and children can enjoy a relaxing day at the tropical Oasis pool. The children can enjoy the wave pool while the moms relax while floating down the lazy river. To get the full effect of being at the beach, a sandy beach with hammocks are there for all to enjoy.

When you get tired of the pool, Main Street is full of activities for people of all ages. The tallest Ferris Wheel in the Southeast is the landmark of the Wharf. It is located at the entrance of Main Street and is a favorite of the kids! The Rave movie theatre is another popular spot of locals and visitors. Many delicious restaurants and shops are unique to The Wharf.

Last but not least is the biggest entertainment center on the coast - The Amphitheater. It seats 10,000 people and many big time artists have performed at The Wharf. Artists such as Kenny Chesney, Sugarland, Brad Paisley, Chicago, Journey, Hank Williams Jr., and many others have hit the stage. Montgomery Gentry will be performing on July 5 so if you are near Orange Beach for the weekend, make sure to call The Wharf and reserve your tickets!

Fairhope Municipal Pier

The Fairhope Municipal Pier is the centerpiece of Fairhope, Alabama in Baldwin County. The original pier was built in the 1920's, but was rebuilt in 1969. Fairhope Municipal Pier has many great activities to offer. It is the home of many fishermen and plenty of sailboats. The pier is one quarter of a mile long which many walkers enjoy. On any given evening, you can find walkers and joggers using the pier as their place to exercise. Visitors and locals also enjoy watching the sunset while dining at the Yardarm restaurant located on the Fairhope Pier. It is a scenery you cannot forget!

The Fairhope Pier is the perfect scenery for photos. The focus of the pier is the water fountain which is landscaped by a beautiful rose garden. This location is the picture perfect backdrop for prom and homecoming pictures as well as bridal portraits. The scenery is so beautiful that many professional photographers bring their clients to the Fairhope Pier to take pictures.

Families enjoy the Fairhope Pier because it has the ideal picnic area with playground equipment suitable for young children. The Fairhope Pier is also known for the duck ponds. Drivers have to be careful driving not to run over the passing ducks! Children not only enjoy feeding the ducks, but Mobile Bay is perfect for swimming.

LuLu's

LuLu's is a famous place in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Lucy Buffett, the owner of Lulu's is the sister of the famous Jimmy Buffett. Thanks to Lucy, on July 1, Jimmy Buffett along with several other famous artists will travel to the Gulf Coast and perform on the beach in front of 35,0000 fans. Buffett and others are putting on this FREE concert in hopes of boosting the economy in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Hopefully, out-of-towners will visit LuLu's while they are in town. LuLu's has an abundance of activities to enjoy so bring the kids. Kids can play in the sand dunes where they have beach toys to build a sand castle. While the kids are playing in the sand dunes, parents can listen to live music and enjoy LuLu's famous Margarita. LuLu's also has great food. For starters, try their L.A. caviar or the LuLu's famous seafood gumbo. For the seafood lovers, try the shrimp basket or Mahi Mahi basket. Named for Buffett's song, Cheeseburger in Paradise is the most popular item on the menu.

In the summer months, LuLu's is quite the busy place so while you wait you can enjoy shopping in the gift shop. Paintings, t-shirts, huggers, hats, and many other items are available for purchase. Also, take a walk around the Homeport Marina and see the beautiful fishing boats and yachts that reside in the canal. If you are traveling to LuLu's by boat, there are plenty of boat slips available for customers to park while enjoying an afternoon or evening dining at LuLu's.

The Gulf Coast Beaches

I know Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is probably the last place that you would call a "Hotspot" in Baldwin County right now, but even though the oil has landed on our beaches, it is still a beautiful place. In the last ten years, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have survived hurricanes Ivan and Katrina and now it is in the middle of the oil crisis. Ivan stripped the coast of many businesses and homes and it has taken years to rebound, but now it is better than ever!

If you are looking for the perfect getaway Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are the places to visit. The Gulf Coast has miles of turquoise water and white sand. It is the perfect place to slow down and enjoy a relaxing vacation. How would you like to lay on the beach, read a book and listen to the waves crashing on the shore? Heaven! The beaches are also a favorite for the children. Ride the waves into shore, build the most creative sandcastle, bury your dad in the sand or just walk along the beach and collect seashells. The beach is for people of all ages just don't forget your sunscreen!

Windmill Market

If you are in downtown Fairhope on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, visit Fairhope's new Windmill Market. The Windmill Market is very green; it is built from recycled materials! It collects and uses the rainwater and also uses wind to power the electricity.
The Windmill Market offers fresh, local produce, arts and crafts, and great food from Moe's Barbeque. One can find antiques, plants, pottery, paintings, textiles, and many other great crafts at this outdoor market. Teachers, this is a great place to find inexpensive arts for the classroom.
If you are creative and have a product you would like to sell at the market, there is always space available to rent. This is a great way to supplement your income.
The Windmill Market is the perfect place for families to enjoy the evening. Stroll through the market while you listen to the one-man band play his guitar and sing.