GULF SHORES, Alabama—“I didn’t know that Alabama had a coast.” This oft-repeated and somewhat strange phrase was echoed by many during my visit to a little bit of bliss along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. For some unknown reason, this part of the country seems to get overlooked as a family-friendly destination even though it is packed with 223 annual days of sunshine, pristine beaches, and enough of nature’s bounty to satisfy the most discriminating seafood lover.
At the southernmost tip of Alabama between Mobile and Pensacola, Florida, the area spans 32 miles of beachfront along the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores as well as Gulf State Park and Fort Morgan. Driving in at night from Mobile Regional Airport, I couldn’t have anticipated the colorful splendor that revealed itself the next morning. From my hotel balcony, the sun reflected off the turquoise waters of the Gulf, and the sugary-soft, white powder sands extended for miles in both directions.
