A Gulf Shores area vacation is a great idea any time of the year, but during the peak tourist seasons, it can be crowded and somewhat chaotic here, which is why the most discerning of travelers choose to visit in the off-season. Offering a different vibe, your Gulf Shores vacation will still be fun and exciting but it will also be calmer, quieter, and perhaps even more satisfying to your soul. The one thing that never changes, however, is the comfort, luxury, and hospitality our Poole & Associates vacation sanctuaries provide to every guest who stays within, and this guide to the top reasons to visit during the Gulf Shores off-season will begin and end with the wonders of our beautiful escapes!
First, When Is Off-Season?
The off-season in Gulf Shores has always been late fall to winter, and as the rest of the world is gearing up for school and the holidays, you could be choosing to explore everything that makes Gulf Shores special. Will it be warm enough to swim in November or December? We would give a December swim a firm no, but in November it really just depends on your tolerance for cooler water. The air temperatures will still be considered swim worthy, but the water will have started to cool down, and although there is definitely no chance of hypothermia, if you are travelling to Alabama from warmer zones, you may not be comfortable doing much more than walking barefoot along shore’s edge. October is considered shoulder season, however, offering fewer crowds and perfect temperatures for swimming, so you may want to consider traveling at that time.
Fewer Crowds, More Rental Choices
We aren’t saying that we offer more rentals in the off-season, that would be silly, but we are saying because there are less people visiting, we will have more rentals open, giving you a greater selection and ensuring that you really can rent your dream come true vacation accommodations without too much risk of someone else snapping it up! This may be the time that you decide to have a family reunion, booking our largest spaces and discovering that as beautiful as Gulf Shores can be in the summer, an off-season visit really gives the town the opportunity to shine brighter. And while you are relaxing in the lap of luxury with your favorite people, you may decide that this travel choice is going to become your newest family tradition!
Fewer Crowds, More Open Beaches
Whether you are visiting during the shoulder season or the off-season, the first thing you will notice (after having your breath taken away by the stunning beauty of our vacation rentals!) is how open the beaches are. This is the time of year we locals love the most, almost feeling as if we are getting our town back, and even if it is too cold to swim during your time in Gulf Shores, a day at the beach is still a great idea. There will be less chance of rain, the sun will be shining, and travelers with small children will appreciate the one on one time they get with their kids as they build sandcastles, dipping their buckets in the water to ensure the right consistency of sand for their construction purposes. There are all kinds of beach games that you and your older kiddos can enjoy playing on the beach, including a beach version of cornhole, and because there are less crowds at the beach, you can set the boards the regulation distance of 27 feet away from each other and not have to worry about running into other beach goers!
Fewer Crowds, Shorter Wait Times at Restaurants
Because there is nothing worse than a hangry spouse or child, we really appreciate the shorter wait times at our favorite restaurants. Walking in and getting a table immediately is often considered a unicorn experience in the summer months, but in the off-season, it is more common than not. Additionally, because your server has more time on their hands, they may be able to chat with you more, offering hints and tips about the best things to see and do while you’re here, something that will always be appreciated. And finally, when you find that restaurant that makes your stomach sigh with happiness and your taste buds sing, feeling like a local will add to the charm when you return more than once. De Soto’s Seafood Kitchen, 138 W 1st Avenue, is one of our favorite seafood restaurants, one that will be patronized by many of the locals and offering seafood that is also locally sourced!
Events and Festivals Offer an Authentic Peek into Life in Gulf Shores
We have often said that the best way to understand and get to know the town you are visiting is by attending one of their favorite events, and that fact is even more true during the off-season. We aren’t trying to impress travelers, we just want to throw a big party and celebrate with our friends and neighbors, and if you are visiting at the time, we will consider you a friend as well. (Southerners are friendly that way!) Below, we have listed a few of our favorite shoulder and off-season events and festivals to help you nail down which month you want to visit during!
Annual Shrimp Festival, Second Week in October, Gulf Shores Public Beach
For four days in October, the planets align, the stars shine brighter, and all is good in our world as we attend the Annual Shrimp Festival, an event that has been a local tradition for over 50 years. Spoiler alert: This is going to be the one time during shoulder season that there may be MORE crowds at the beach, with over 300,000 people attending, but when you taste the food and beverages offered by over 50 vendors, we don’t think you will mind the crowds! Chances are your Poole & Associates retreat will be within walking distance, and you may even be able to hear the live music that will be playing every day from your balcony, so you won’t have to worry about parking. Alabama shrimp is worth celebrating, and we do it in a big way!
Experience the Oyster, First Weekend in November, The Hangout, 101 E Beach Boulevard
Yeah, we eat a lot of seafood in Gulf Shores, but when you taste your first Murder Point Oyster, you will more than understand the appeal, and Experience the Oyster may just become your favorite event. Offering two days of oysters harvested from the best oyster farms in the area, there will be special chef appearances, chances to meet the oyster farmers, and a Friday VIP Kickoff Dinner that will cost more to attend, but everything you see will be included in your ticket price, including the oyster bar, appetizers, beer, and wine. This event is held at Zeke’s Restaurant, 26619 Perdido Beach Boulevard in Orange Beach, and a cash bar will be available for cocktails.
Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade, Second Saturday in December
The crowds do begin to pick up a little as Christmas appears on the horizon, but the festive spirit will make you glad you took advantage of our Snowbird Special (more about that later!) and chose to spend the winter on our gorgeous beaches. There will be many, many events during the holiday season, of course, but we love the charm of the Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade that starts at Lulu’s Gulf Shores and ends at the Wharf in Orange Beach. Arrive early to Lulu’s if you want a table, otherwise the boat parade can be viewed at any spot along the canal, providing a magical nighttime experience your kiddos will never forget!
Save Money, Visit Gulf Shores During the Off-Season
We haven’t quite saved the best for last—there is still one more benefit to an off-season Gulf Shores vacation—but we did see your eyes brighten at the thought of saving money! Vacations are expensive, but during the off-season, a surprising reduction in rates begins to take place, and if you don’t take advantage of it, you will regret it.
Airline Tickets
It starts with the price of your flight from your home to ours. As fewer people are flying, airlines hate seeing their profits plummet, so they will begin to offer lower ticket prices for the more popular tourist destinations, including Gulf Shores! Of course, if you live in Georgia, or any of our other Southern states, you may just want to start planning a road trip and save even more, especially if you have a family and don’t want to purchase four or more tickets for everyone to fly.
Big Sales in the Shops
Our shop owners do plan for making less money in the off-season, but if they can recoup their losses by offering steep discounts on their merchandise, who is going to blame them for trying? The off-season is also a great time to clear out their summer stock, so you can probably find even steeper discounts on swimwear, beach gear, even sunglasses and sandals. And because shopping is one of our favorite things to do while on vacation, you may want to pack light and utilize the washers and dryers in your Poole & Associates retreat, but bring the big suitcase for souvenirs!
Lodging Prices Are Lower
And yes, we have saved the best for last, reminding you that your Poole & Associates Gulf Shores sanctuary will cost you less during the off-season. Just imagine: You get all the same amenities, comforts, and luxuries as you would in the summer, but are paying so much less! Additionally, if you have the ability, most of our owners will offer even more discounted prices, the Snowbird Special we mentioned earlier, if you choose to stay throughout the winter. Obviously, unless you work from home, this won’t be an option for most travelers, especially those with children, but our seniors love the discount so much they have been known to return every year, flying south for the winter and enjoying all our beautiful town has to offer for an entire season.
Come Home to Poole & Associates
Southern hospitality is renowned throughout the world, and we at Poole & Associates take that hospitality to new heights, giving our guests a vacation experience they wish never had to end. It’s not just the high-end appliances, plush and comfortable furnishings, and our beachfront locations; it’s the personality and spirit of each space we offer. Step inside to rooms filled with light and warmth and feel the welcoming that we offer to all of our guests, no matter what time of year they are visiting. Feeling at home while so many miles away from your own home is something we want everyone to feel, but we also want you to feel spoiled and pampered as well, and so of course, we go the extra mile! Want to know the best restaurants, we will tell you, need to know where the nearest pharmacy may be, you might find that info in the information book found in many of our retreats, and when you feel the need for a road trip, well, just visit our page and we are sure there is some content that will help you explore beyond our city limits!
Find Your Sanctuary
Every property we offer is designed to be a sanctuary for tired travelers, a soft place to land at the end of every adventure-filled day, and if you find yourself thinking of the soft beds topped with even softer linens as you explore Gulf Shores, we know we have done our jobs right. Reserve your favorite Poole & Associates off-season vacation rental in Gulf Shores today!
It almost sounds as if we are cheating on summer when we say that fall is our favorite season but there is something almost magical about the Autumn season in Fort Morgan. The humidity lessens, the temperatures lower, and the whole area quiets down as the summer crowds dissipate and kids head back to school. We stay outside longer even as the sun sets earlier, we laugh louder and play harder, and when your fall journey involves a visit to our Alabama hometown and a stay in one of our Poole & Associates comfy cottages the magic of the season will burrow into your heart as well! This guide to the happiest Alabama fall activities Fort Morgan, Alabama will firmly place your fall escape to Fort Morgan on your personal list of best vacations ever!
Rise with the Sun
Ok, vacations are meant to be times where you sleep in as late as you want, but we hope that you take at least one day of your getaway to enjoy a Fort Morgan sunrise. Stepping out on the balcony of your sanctuary or walking over to where you can see the eastern sky and watch the cacophony of colors that cycle through the sky. Those early moments when the inky blackness fades to a charcoal gray and when the first streaks of pink begin to highlight the landscape, your heart will start to beat a little faster in anticipation. Finally, the vibrancy of fiery reds, oranges, and even the occasional fuchsia fills the sky, spotlighting the leaves on the trees below that have seemingly changed from verdant green to their only fiery hues overnight. This moment in time promises to be one you will remember forever, even as you slip back between the silky linens that top our premium mattresses and fall back to sleep for a couple of hours more!
Pancakes for Breakfast
Pancakes are great any time of the year, but in the fall, they seem to taste even better as their sweet warmth creates a balance to the cool morning air. Tacky Jacks Fort Morgan, 1577 AL-180, is known for their delicious dinners and lunches and is loved for its mouthwatering pancakes! Stop in after your sunrise viewing session, grab a seat with a view of the waters that make this part of Alabama special, and as you eat your pumpkin pancakes (fall flavors are so spicy!) staring out onto the sea, you will now understand why fall is your favorite season of all!
Explore Wade Ward Nature Park, 500 Gulf Shores Parkway
Offering walking trails and breathtaking views, Wade Ward Nature Park is a 4 season playground that sparkles brighter in the fall. Follow the boardwalk through the wild and untamed beauty of the foliage that may have already begun to “dress for fall” watching blue herons fishing for their meals and keeping track of the variety of birds you see along your hike. The park is one of the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail Sites and fall is when the migrations start, so visitors are destined to see a large variety of birds flying in from all over the nation! The boardwalks rise over the wetlands and on occasion alligators can be seen skimming just under the surface of the water, but you will remain safe and unmolested on the boardwalk above.
This Way to the Beach
September through November is the best time to visit this area of the country as many travelers have already returned to their real-life responsibilities and the beaches may feel as if they are your own personal playground! Spread out and relax as you frolic in still warm waters, feeling the sun kiss your cheeks as the waves tickle your toes. Build sandcastles at the shore’s edge with your littles, try your hand at boogie boarding, and let the serenity of the sea fill your soul. A cooler filled with your favorite snacks, sandwiches, and beverages will allow you to spend the entire day at the beach, and an umbrella stuck into the sand will give shade when your skin begins to pinken.
Enjoy Alabama fall activities in Fort Morgan, Alabama
The lazy and wonderful days of your fall vacation in Fort Morgan will charm even more as you spend your nights relaxing in the peace, comfort, and luxury found in our Poole & Associates seasonal sanctuaries. Bake a batch of rich and gooey brownies to enjoy with the spicy mulled wine you made your beverage of choice, turn the state-of-the-art smart and cable TVs to the spooky movie channels, and end every day with a sunset walk along the beaches that flow not far from your escape! Every minute spent with us will be the most comfortable one when you choose Poole & Associates; contact us and reserve your favorite fall escape today!