The Ultimate Guide to the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
UPDATE TO THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE GULF SHORES & ORANGE BEACH: I recently returned to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and wanted to update the activities which were available on your next visit to the area.
Although a well-established family vacation spot, you can also do a lot of fun and challenging things here as a couple or a girl’s getaway. During this visit, we were able to challenge ourselves by ziplining, making fragrant body products as well as created our own jewelry. We also decided to do a bit of shopping which included purchasing bras so we could add them to the collection hanging from the rafters at Flora-Bama. Clearly, you’ll need to read more to see what that is all about!
All new updates will be in BLUE! I know these additions will be helpful in planning your visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama.
Ultimate Guide to attractions in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama.
When you think of the Gulf of Mexico, you are more likely to think of a stay in Florida, Texas or Mexico but there are hidden gems that are family-friendly and waiting for you to discover. If you want to go where the sunshine is bright and the seafood is outstanding, there is no better place than the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama. Although the shoreline is only 32 miles long, it is some of the softest sand you have ever walked on. I kid you not, it reminds me of icing sugar (it is that fine). This area is very compact but has much to offer. Here is an ultimate guide to the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.
When looking for a place to stay on a road trip, you have many options to choose from whether it is a quaint lodge on a quiet lake, a national hotel chain or a luxurious hotel in a small town. Each has its appeal whether you are travelling alone, for business or as a family. There is a large selection of great inns, lodges and hotels in the Adirondacks and upper New York State. Look no further than a place by the lake such as the High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid or be charmed by a Historic Hotel of America in Glens Falls.
What will surprise you the most is how you access this beautiful state park in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. You don’t drive down a winding country road or veer off a highway in the middle of nowhere. It’s located in the middle of town, across the street from the County Sherriff’s office! This is not the only thing that will surprise you about this waterfalls in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.
Waterfalls you need to see in the Finger Lakes
Cavern Cascades in Watkins Glen State Park
You arrive at a brand new Welcome centre and then you will begin climbing 832 steps to see 19 waterfalls. Your journey will take you through a 500 foot elevation via stairs, through stone tunnels, behind at least two waterfalls while crossing both stone and suspension bridges.
Consider this a moderate hike, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Take frequent breaks as you gawk at the natural beauty of Watkins Glens State Park. Take your camera too as there are plenty of pictures to capture.
It was not one of my finest moments but it was likely one of the most honest moments I’ve ever had. We were a group of travel bloggers and freelance writers perusing the menu of one of the finest restaurant in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. I spotted what I had been searching for all week: fresh oysters. I’d learned to appreciate raw oysters at a young age (and to shun cooked oysters). Something about the oyster liquor alone or with a kiss of lemon juice, has become for me, a sublime experience. The temptation to have a full dozen of these beauties was more than I could handle. “Will you be sharing those?” someone asked as they eyed the huge platter of iced oysters. “No,” I said calmly but assertively. There was an audible lull in the conversation. “No, really, I wasn’t planning to.” I wanted every one of these beauties all to myself. One doesn’t come to the coast without savouring exceptional seafood and this region, located on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, did not disappoint. This is the ultimate guide to good eats in Alabama’s Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Update: I have recently returned to the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and was able to savoury new dishes and visit newly opened restaurants. All the updated reviews will be highlighted in BLUE. Enjoy more Good Eats in the Gulf Shores!
“You really like fire. You’re kind of addicted to it.” Cat Burn’s mother said to her, “so you’re either going to jail for it or you could learn to play with it.” And that’s exactly what we were doing as we created a cobalt blue pumpkin in The Studio. Glassblowing (making seasonal pumpkins, snowmen or Easter eggs) or creating beads through flamework are only a few of the things to see and do at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. Located in the Finger Lakes region it is approximately 4 hours from Toronto and 4.5 hours from New York City. Both educational and entertaining, it is the perfect weekend getaway for families, couples or art lovers.
Endeavor – Tagliapietra, Lino (Italian, b. 1934), Artist
Opened in 1951, this museum complex incorporates numerous galleries, an indoor and outdoor amphitheatre, an outdoor kiln, and lastly, a large studio and teaching facility. Home to the largest collection of glass, it holds over 50,000 objects covering a span of 3,500 years of glass history. The Museum has grown into a collecting, exhibiting, teaching, and research facility located just steps away from the global headquarters of Corning Inc. If you can dream it, it has been made into glass.
This world-class museum has pieces from ancient Egypt to current day. With over 460,000 visitors a year, an average visit lasts 4.5 hours long, with 20-25% of visitors attending the Studio for glass blowing classes to create beautiful items. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you will get through this museum in a few hours. With an admission pass good for two days, plan accordingly and be sure and take advantage to play with a little bit of fire to create a beautiful keepsake then take it home the next day!
Window with Hudson River Landscape – Corning Museum of Glass – @DownshiftingPRO
There are a variety of galleries to visit from the Crystal City Gallery – to learn about cut glass – to my personal favourite – the Contemporary + Design gallery. Set against crisp white walls, there is no better way to see these glass pieces!
This museum is the perfect intergenerational travel destination. With workshops for children, along with seasonal activities and glass making/breaking demonstrations.
UPDATE 2021: The ski season in Vermont will look very different in 2021. With COVID-19 restrictions in effect throughout Vermont, there are specific guidelines that must be adhered to in all areas. Below is a summary from the SKI VERMONT website. At the bottom of this post, I will have a list of of individual ski mountain guidelines. Please ‘know before you go’ if you are in Vermont. Important note: Anyone returning or traveling to Vermont must follow Vermont’s mandatory quarantine policy. Vermonters returning from an out-of-state trip must complete either a 14-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test.
Plan for a safe Ski season in Vermont
Obviously, for my Canadian and International readers, travel to the US is restricted for recreational purposes. Use this guide for future travel plans. #DreamNowTravelLater. There is no reason you cannot plan for a future ski season in Vermont.
Like Santa’s workshop, ski areas in Vermont have been very, very busy off-season. From revamping their facilities, terrain and ticket/pass options to off-slope activities and amenities. Since my epic get-back-on-skis-after-decades-off-them trip last year, I can hardly wait to get back! There have been some significant changes to Mount Snow, Killington and Stratton. I wanted to share some of the highlights of changes on those mountains and also on the others for the upcoming ski season in Vermont.
It could not have been any easier. Flying Porter Airlines from Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ) to Burlington, VT (BTV) last winter was a breeze. This 75 minute flight has you on the slopes in … Read more
There is a strong case to be made for moving to Vermont. The state motto should unofficially be: we work together! Vermont is all about collaboration. It is a state that believes strongly in working within the parameters of a community. It’s about farm-to-table, organic/natural/sustainable living and finding the perfect work/life balance. Not the perfect lifestyle, the perfect life. There is a difference. When you go somewhere where everyone is from away but have made a conscious choice to live, work and play in Vermont, you need to find out why.
What is the attraction of moving to Vermont from your childhood home and state and moving to the ski capital of the east? I spent a week in Vermont searching for the quintessential native Vermonter. Apparently, you are not a Vermonter unless you have six generations of other Vermonters to back up your claim. I found this both intriguing and intoxicating. By the end of my stay, I, too, wanted to move to Vermont with one caveat: that my hosts ditch the red, white and blue and embrace the maple leaf of red and white.
What can I say, I love being Canadian and inviting Vermont to join our confederation seemed like a good idea at the time. With the added benefit of free healthcare for EVERYONE, there was not one person that said they wouldn’t do it. There are many philosophical similarities with Canada and Vermont and I have 20+ Reasons why you want to move to Vermont – or why one week with Ski Vermont changed my life.
All kidding aside, on March 23rd of 2018, Governor Phil Scott and Vermont Tourism Commissioner Wendy Knight announced the Stay-to-Stay initiative, which aims to convert tourists who already enjoy visiting Vermont into full-time residents. With a population of just over 600,000, the state is in search of permanent residents. With an aging population, they are in need of more people to work and set up new businesses and grow the tax base! This active recruiting for moving to Vermont is being held over four weekends in April, June, August and October. You are invited to come down and meet businesses, check out the real estate in specific cities and more importantly, take the time to get to know each other.
Moving to Vermont Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains
I fell madly in love with Vermont and now I know why so many leave their home states and move to Vermont. Her are a few reasons why you may want to move to Vermont:
20+ Reasons to consider Moving to Vermont
Proximity to Canada
Proximity to Canada: Bordering on the province of Quebec, Vermont is an easy hour’s drive to Jay Peak and a four-hour drive to the southern most point in Vermont. Easily accessible to the Canadian Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario, you’ll be on a ski hill in two hours from Montreal, three hours from Ottawa, 6.5 hours from Toronto.
Easy Flights from Canada
Fly from Toronto to Burlington (read my full review here): Hop on a quick 90 minute Porter Airlines flight from Billy Bishop Airport to Burlington International Airport. These two airports are compact and have easy fly-in-fly-out convenience. No long security lines and miles of terminals to trek. Located minutes from the downtown core of the both cities.
Sustainable Energy Programs
Cow Power: Killington is enrolled in the Cow Power program, a completely local form of renewable energy made in Vermont. Staying with Vermont tradition of buying local, the K-1 Express Gondola and the Peak Lodge at the top of Killington are 100% powered from manure from local dairy farms. The farmers process the manure to create power. By collaborating with local farmers, Killington pays the farmer to supply the power. By doing so, it reduces greenhouse emissions produced by cows and expands the use of the readily available, renewable resource in Vermont.
