A huge thank you to Garden & Gun and Alabama Beaches for sponsoring this post. All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own.
Happy Tuesday friends! Today is a very exciting day because the August/September Garden & Gun hits newsstands! And in case you missed my Instagram post, we are in the magazine! We had the opportunity to share our amazing family beach trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama. To celebrate the launch of the article, I wanted to share a recap of our trip on the blog. If you are considering taking a last minute beach trip before school starts or perhaps planning a Fall break vacation, this post is for you.
Why We love Alabama Beaches
Before I share our itinerary from the beach trip, I wanted to share a little bit on WHY we love the Alabama beaches. I actually went to undergrad in Mobile, Alabama which is less than an hour away from the beaches. Since it was so close, my friends and I spent a lot of time there. Fast forward a few years later (okay, maybe many years later), I now love to visit with my little family. It was wonderful then and it’s even more wonderful now. I have always loved how the beaches are less crowded than other nearby beaches. It almost feels like it’s a secret beach that only Alabaman residents know about! I also love how friendly and kind everyone is down there. It’s truly southern hospitality at its best!
Our Experience
With all that in mind, you can imagine how excited I was when Garden & Gun asked if I would be interested in teaming up for the magazine article. Here is how we spent our time:
Friday
On Friday we arrived to Gulf Shores and checked into our hotel, The Lodge at Gulf State Park. The hotel was easy to find and in a beautiful location. Even though they were pretty busy because it was Hangout Fest, they were able to check us in early to our room. We stayed in a Gulf view suite that came with a king bed and a room with bunk beds. The hotel was also kind enough to lend us two pack-n-plays which were set up for us. The room was comfortable and provided plenty of room for our family of five.
While it rained, we went and had lunch at the hotel restaurant, Foodcraft. They had excellent cocktails and fresh lunch options. After lunch it stopped raining just in time to enjoy the pool. The infinity pool is perfect for families because it has a large shallow area for small kids. It also has a spectacular view of the Gulf!
For dinner we went to the highly recommended Fisher’s Dockside. Located in Orange Beach Marina, this fun restaurant was perfect for the family. We were seated next to the greenspace where the kids ran and played cornhole. The food and cocktails were great- especially their Bushwackers!
Saturday
For breakfast we grabbed coffee and muffins at the hotel’s Roasted Oak Coffee & Wine Bar. After eating breakfast we headed to the beach where we rented beach chairs and an umbrella. It was a red flag so we stayed out of the water but enjoyed playing in the sand and looking for shells. We stayed at the beach for a few hours then headed back to the pool to grab lunch at The Dragonfly Pool Bar & Grill. The kids enjoyed hot dogs while we had cheeseburgers by the pool.
For dinner we tried to go to The Gulf (another highly recommended restaurant) but it was packed with no parking. We also attempted to eat at Playa but they did not have any tables available. Instead we went back to the marina where we walked around and ate at Fisher’s Dockside again. I’m not one to repeat restaurants on trips but it was delicious and we loved the green space for the kids to play while we enjoyed dinner.
Sunday
After a wonderful two days at the beach it was sadly time to head back to Atlanta. We grabbed one more coffee and muffins at Roasted Oak Coffee & Wine Bar and hit the road. The kids slept most of the drive back since they were exhausted from a fun weekend. It was truly a successful first road trip as a family of five and one we won’t ever forget.
I hope you find this post helpful when planning your next trip to the beautiful beaches of Alabama. I highly recommend checking out The Lodge Hotel and making restaurant reservations ahead of time. I do believe it was a little busier than usual due to Hangout Fest but reservations are always a great idea. Especially when traveling and eating out with little ones! Speaking of, if you are traveling to the beach with an infant, check out THIS post for helpful advice on what to pack for them. And if you have any specific questions, please feel free to leave them in the captions or send me an e-mail.
XO
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