We work hard for our families, ensuring that they have a roof over their head, food in their bellies, and as many extras as our income allows, and traditionally, one of the most important extras is the annual family vacation. Traveling to new places, trying new foods, and providing an education for our children while also showing them a good time, this is a tradition that we at Poole & Associates engage in with our own families, understanding its importance and working hard so that our guests can enjoy their own family vacation spent with us. This guide to family friendly things you can do during your Gulf Shores family vacation will help you fill all the hours with activities that everyone will love.
The Factory Gulf Shores, 18948 Oak Road W in Gulf Shores
The energy our children have continues to baffle us, just as it tires us out, and we have found that on those days when they seem to have an excess of energy, a visit to The Factory can ensure they will be asleep almost before they walk out the door. Billed as an adventure sports center and offering a trampoline arena, obstacle courses, ninja areas, climbing walls, and an arcade with games that shoot out tickets while you play, we are exhausted from just talking about all that can be done! The arcade can be where parents and teens do some bonding, and if you have the energy, the trampoline area, loved by the younger travelers, can do the same.
Gulf State Park, 20115 State Park Road
Gulf State Park offers 6500 acres of natural landscape, sandy beaches, hiking and biking trails, picnic tables, and a section set aside for your favorite four-legged children. It is impossible to explore all of this beautiful park in one day, but visitors can take a bite out of it by biking along the trails that lead to some of the best spots in the park, including a butterfly garden and two playgrounds that will delight the tiniest travelers in your family. Tiki’s Bikes, Boats, and Beach Family Fun, located inside Gulf State Park rents out bikes for the entire family and all the accessories needed for a safe riding experience. The Pier here was once and will again be a prime fishing location but was shut down for renovations in June of 2024; however, visitors can always fish from the shore with proper fishing licenses.
Photo Opps with the Dinosaurs at Barber Marina, 26986 Fish Trap Road in Elberta
Don’t worry, we aren’t recreating the movie Jurassic Park, but the dinosaurs that “roam” the Barber Marina will make a whimsical backdrop to any selfies taken there. The Marina is home to four dinosaur sculptures and a variety of other unique structures, with the Lady in the Water perhaps being the most famous. Other sculptures include a giant spider, knights, and our personal favorite Bamahenge, the artists take on what Stonehenge might look like if it were here in Alabama.
Sandcastle University, (251) 600-9771
A day at the beaches of Gulf Shores is obviously going to be one of your favorite family friendly experiences as you relax under colorful umbrellas, frolic in warm waters, and build sandcastles at shore’s edge, and if you want to take your sandcastle architecture to the next level, Sandcastle University can help, showing that education can be fun, especially when it involves sand, surf, and Alabama sunshine. Offering classes for students of all age and skill levels, they provide 1- and 2-hour classes in which students can choose to learn how to build a traditional castle, turtle, sea serpent, or a hammerhead shark and when your structure has been completed, class photos with your masterpiece will help the memory of your time together live on forever, even as the tides erase all your hard work.
Time to Dine at Tacky Jacks, 240 E 24th Avenue in Gulf Shores
Dining out with younger children can be the most frightening part of parenting, especially as our littles haven’t exactly mastered the art of behaving like adults, but in Gulf Shores (Also in Orange Beach and Fort Morgan Beach), Tacky Jacks can ease your fears. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offering a Little’s Vittles menu for your kids, a full bar for the adults, and during the summer months, their Summer Fun event schedule includes beach games and art activities your children will love but if your visit doesn’t occur in the summer, Tacky Jacks offers fun for the whole family year round. (And no one will judge you when your children are loud or rambunctious.)
Family Moments at Home with Poole & Associates
Our properties become homes when your family resides within and some of your best moments will take place while under our roofs. Reserve your favorite escape today!
