A visit to the Alabama coast may be just what the doctor ordered – for you, and your kids. Get a dose of fun, sun, sand, and water when you choose Orange Beach. There are plenty of fun attractions and activities in Orange Beach and the surrounding area, with plenty that appeal to kids and kids of all ages! Make sure to book a private vacation rental with Poole & Associates to get plenty of rest and relaxation along with your action-packed Orange Beach vacation. If your fur babies are joining you, ask about pet-friendly rentals!
Beach Time
You’ve planned plenty of beach time just by coming to a beach destination like Gulf Shores. Choose from activities like laying out and sunbathing while the kids build sandcastles, planting a beach umbrella and spreading out a blanket and reading or having a family picnic, taking a swim in the Gulf, or getting some exercise with the whole family and taking the kids for a stroll on the beach. The kids will also love snorkeling or surfing lessons!
Festivals
Check the calendar and plan your vacation around a festival that celebrates your favorite things. From the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival celebrating the first mode of air travel. They’ll also love the family-friendly 4th of July, special winter holiday celebrations, and more.
Gulf Shores Dog Park
For families or groups bringing along their pets, Orange Beach and the surrounding area have plenty of fun for them, too. The Gulf Shores Dog Park has a large fenced-in green area where both large and small dogs can get their zoomies out. Humans can sit and socialize, too, but make sure to keep an eye on your pup and clean up after them using the provided waste bag stations. You can bring water for yourself, but the park provides water for the pets! Kids will love watching their own dog play, but make sure to ask permission before they interact with anyone else’s pet.
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
Take the kids for a walk on the wild side! You and the kids will see over 100 species, including 22 critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, or near-threatened species. Marvel at residents like the African grey crowned crane, a Eurasian lynx, lemurs, various reptiles, and more. For everyone from the littlest guests to guests young at heart, there’s a petting zoo where everyone can pet goats, sheep, donkeys, and deer. Ask about close-up private encounters where you can touch, hold, feed, and learn about friendlier animals like two-toed sloths and others.
Gulf State Park
Wander two miles of Gulf beachfront, swim, surf, build sandcastles, and enjoy any and all of the beach activities you can think of with the kids. The park also has a beach pavilion where you can picnic or gather to celebrate together. If there are anglers in the group, they’ll want to bring some gear and spend some time at the pier. For families looking for an extra adventure, try kayaking, parasailing, and more.
Fort Morgan Road Trail
Lace up everyone’s hiking shoes, or rent some bikes, grab plenty of water and your sun gear, and head out on an adventure. The 5.6-mile asphalt trail starts just outside the western border of Gulf State Park and stretches west through Gulf Shores. The path runs parallel to Fort Morgan Road/Highway 180, through tree-lined areas and neighborhoods, finally ending at the Peninsula Golf Club. The trail is an easy hike or bike, as it’s mostly a flat surface that’s kid-friendly, but the eastern end of the trail has only a few gentle climbs. Bring a camera and plan a few stops to take in the scenery. If the kids are up for it, add some difficulty on the eastern end and continue on through Gulf State Park’s Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trails.
Gulf Shores Museum
Save this history lesson for last! The Gulf Shores Museum is located in a house that dates back to before World War II and was used as the beach house of Valerie Cole’s family from Mobile. Originally built in West Beach, the family donated the structure, and it was moved from that original location to its current home after Hurricane Frederic in 1979. The museum features permanent and temporary exhibits that tell the story of Gulf Shores’ history and offers various programs and activities for all ages.
Bring the Kids to Orange Beach
When you book a getaway with Poole & Associates, you won’t be short on amazing activities to fill your time. Enjoy the water, lounge around your rental, or experience the myriad of activities available to help build your unique Orange Beach vacation. We have homes all the way up to four bedrooms so the whole family can stay together in one place. Savor the taste of home when you prepare a home-cooked meal in the unit’s fully equipped kitchen. Spread out in spacious living areas and private outdoor spaces like patios and balconies. Unwind in private bedrooms or gather some snacks and enjoy your favorite movie or TV show together on a flat screen TV.
Contact us today to book your Orange Beach getaway!
The need for a getaway that includes the ultimate in rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation can come at any time of year. Make beach relaxation a part of the experience, too, and point your compass to a locale full of fun, sun, sand, and water to go along with the relaxing spa vibes. A vacation in Orange Beach is the perfect place. Before you book all your spa treatments, the first thing to do is book a private vacation rental with Poole & Associates so you have a private place to complete your relaxation after a day of pampering.
Serenity at the Beach
Get pampered from head to toe figuratively and literally in Orange Beach. Treat your body to a variety of different massages, reflexology, or even a prenatal massage to relieve the discomforts of pregnancy. Facials, body polishes, and other treatments are available. The spa offers salon services. Men and women can enjoy a new style, cut, or color as well as a soothing botanical treatment or other service. Get your make up done by a professional or take a lesson on how to do it yourself when you get home. Hands and feet are tended to as well with manicures and pedicures with add-ons like salt exfoliation, cooling masque, or moisturizing paraffin dip. If you and your sweetheart want to enjoy a spa day, there is a wide menu of services offered in their couples’ room including massage, facial, and more.
The Beach Club Resort & Spa
Head to nearby Gulf Shores, where you don’t have to be a guest at the resort to get pampered! Start or end your experience in their Relaxation Room, where you can prepare to be pampered or soak in the relaxation before heading home. Experience a renewal and treat your whole body. Choose from an array of massages, mani/pedi treatments, facials, body wraps or scrubs, and a variety of add-ons to make your experience perfectly relaxing. They offer services “Just For Gentlemen” that include manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, and more. Top things off with a new cut, color, or style at the salon, professional make up and special occasion packages.
CC’s Salon Day Spa & Boutique
Whole body renewal is the name of the game for Orange Beach and Gulf Shores area spas. The spa in Gulf Shores offers everything you could want for a day full of pampering that’s just about you and your relaxation. Treat yourself to relaxing facials and skin care. Craft a look that’s unique and yours with a professional make up application, waxing, microblading, manicures, pedicures, and more. Release the tension with a relaxing massage, and choose from deep tissue, relaxation, hot stone, and others to help you completely relax. Finish looking and feeling your best with a visit to the hair salon for a new cut, color, or style for head-to-toe pampering that’s the perfect start or cap to an Orange Beach vacation.
McCollough Plastic Surgery Clinic & Skin Center and Total Health Spa
The med spa is perfect place to get the services you want for a refreshing, relaxing, and rejuvenating experience. Spa packages at the Gulf Shores spa include facials, hydrotherapy, massage, reflexology, and more. They offer waxing services, micro dermabrasion, dermaplaning, product infusion, and even light therapy and microcurrent. Learn the ins and outs of professional make up application, or don’t worry about daily application again with permanent make-up. Services are tailored for the needs of each client, including men, women, and teens.
Beach Time
Coming to a beach destination like Orange Beach means spending plenty of time on the beach when you’re not enjoying a spa day. You can choose to lay out and sunbathe, plant a beach umbrella, and spread out a blanket and read or picnic, take a swim in the Gulf, or get your exercise with a run or walk on the sand.
Relax and Rejuvenate in Orange Beach
When you and book a getaway to Orange Beach with Poole & Associates, you won’t be short on a variety of spas and treatments to pamper yourself with day in and day out of your stay. After your spa experience, enjoy the water, lounge around your rental, or enjoy a myriad of other activities available to help build an Orange Beach vacation that is uniquely yours with memories to last a lifetime. For an intimate stay, choose a one-bedroom unit. If you’re preparing for your upcoming wedding with a bachelor or bachelorette trip with your best friends, book a four-bedroom unit. Savor the taste of home when you prepare a home-cooked meal in the unit’s fully equipped kitchen. Enjoy spacious living areas and private outdoor spaces like patios and balconies. Unwind in your own private bedroom or gather some snacks and enjoy your favorite movie or TV show together on a flat screen TV.
Contact us today to book your spa getaway to Orange Beach!
If you’re in search of a way to celebrate spring, the shores of Alabama and Orange Beach are the perfect place! An Orange Beach spring break is full of fun, sun, sand, and springtime festivals for you to enjoy. No matter what your interest, you can likely find a celebration for it. If it’s not available in the spring, check back throughout the year to see exactly when we celebrate some of your favorite things.
Festival of Art
Celebrate spring and the colors of the season – and the artists who portray them. The 49th annual festival has been considered the island’s first right of spring and is filled with plenty of visual, performing, musical, and culinary arts displays and activities. There are two stages for the liver performances. If you’re looking for an art show to celebrate spring, this is definitely it: the show has been ranked #25 nationally in the top 100 list of fine art and design shows. The free festival takes place March 11 and 12 at the Coastal Arts Center. Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the 11th and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the 12th.
Ballyhoo Festival
Head to Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores for an event like no other. The annual festival features the fine art of over 100 artists and combines it with a truly unique focus on cultural exchange. Learn more about the history and culture of the Poarch Creek Indians at the festival, which features a historical narrative and original tribal dance, complete with ceremonial regalia. The PCI Cultural Director will be on hand to describe the meaning of each dance. There’s also an Early Americana music presentation with Fiddle/Banjo competition and performances by some of the best musicians in the region. Take the kids to the children’s art pavilion, or wander in search of delicious foods, art demonstrations, and more. The festival is March 4 & 5.
The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show
Make the “Top Boat Buying Show” in the northern Gulf part of your visit. The show at The Wharf in Orange Beach features over $100 million in boats and marine products, as well as over 120 exhibitors. Tour a display of 80 “wet slip” boats and yachts or keep your feet firmly on the ground and check out over 300 sport and console boats on land. Add in live music, kids’ art classes with marine artist Larry Packley, instructional seminars, and more. Ticket sales benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and are available at the event website. This year’s event takes place March 17-19.
Bama Coast Cruisin’
Another event that takes place at The Wharf in Orange Beach features keeps you firmly on land. The annual event features beautiful classic and muscle cars, as well as dining, shopping, events, entertainment, and activities. The show takes place April 27-29. A schedule and more information, including how to make your vehicle part of the show, is available at the event website. For spectators, admission and parking for the event is free!
Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival
The free event is family-friendly and takes place at The Park at OWA, a themed amusement park with over 20 rides and attractions. The festival features children’s activities, artesian and food vendors, live music, as well as (weather permitting) tethered balloon rides, balloon glow, and the more than 40 balloons taking flight at dawn and dusk each day. For a fee, gain access to the VIP area where you can eat, rest, and enjoy each day. Get the full schedule, order tickets, and more at the event website. The festival takes place May 4-6.
The Hangout Music Festival
Prepare for a beachfront music festival like no other! The award-winning festival takes place May 19-21 at Gulf Shores Public Beach and is considered a vacation in itself in addition to a concert event. Enjoy the music, as well as activities like beach volleyball, carnival rides, relaxing in Gulf front hammocks, and chowing down on delicious local seafood. Headliners for the event include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paramore, Lil Nax X, Skrillex, and others, along with plenty of rising stars in between. See the full lineup, as well as purchase tickets at the event website.
Celebrate Orange Beach Spring Break
When you and book a getaway that includes the fun of an event or festival with Poole & Associates, you’re sure to have a fun, relaxing stay. Enjoy the water, lounge around your rental, or enjoy all of the festival’s daily activities and create a vacation that is uniquely yours with memories to last a lifetime. For a celebration that’s just for you or you and your sweetheart, choose a one-bedroom unit. If you’ve chosen an event that appeals to all of your loved ones, book a four-bedroom unit. Savor the taste of home when you prepare a home-cooked meal in the unit’s fully equipped kitchen. Enjoy spacious living areas and private outdoor spaces like patios and balconies. Unwind in a private bedroom or gather some snacks and enjoy your favorite romantic movie together on a flat-screen TV.
Contact us today to book your festival-filled trip to Orange Beach!
Alabama’s southernmost part is home to numerous outdoor adventures, making the region an exciting area to explore. Orange Beach is one area that makes this region a getaway destination for thousands of travelers. This part of Alabama receives tourists annually for various reasons, ranging from exciting attractions to exquisite accommodation spots. Due to these reasons, Orange Beach guarantees visitors an Orange Beach vacation worth the shot, regardless of period or reason. If you’re interested in visiting this coastal town, here’s a detailed three-day itinerary to help you explore the area.
Day One
The first day of your visit should entail visiting the welcome center, an area that lets you access free brochures, local maps, and firsthand information on everything that entails your stay in Orange Beach. While at the center, you can further interact with the staff and learn more about what to look out for when exploring different spots, especially restaurants. Once you sort everything regarding familiarization, head to your Orange Beach vacation rental and check in for a quick freshening-up session by diving into your rental pool. This therapeutic session of freshening up prepares you for an adventure-filled afternoon. Afterward, you can head to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and interact with the animals, including kangaroos, Lemus, and monkeys.
A visit to the Safari Club, an in-house restaurant, is a great idea. Here you can try out the deep culinary brilliance that the establishment serves, which includes a Margherita wood-grilled pizza, a key lime, and drinks. Once lunch is over, you can a little break by soaking in the surroundings and enjoying the other amenities offered by the zoo.
After the re-energizing session, prepare to resume adventure by heading to The Wharf. This large entertainment district in Orange Beach promises a fun-filled evening for you and your loved ones. It’s an amazing spot to enjoy the multiple activities available in the area, like dining, shopping, and even trying out the Ferris wheel. After visiting The Wharf, you can spend the rest of your evening strolling in the district while viewing its impressive structures as you wait for the SPECTRA Laser Light Experience, a fantastic display of lights in sync with musical classics.
To cap off the incredible art display, a visit to one of the numerous eating establishments on The Wharf is worth it. Here, you can enjoy the rich seafood cuisine, including southern dinner classics that will wow your palate and prep you for a good night. After dinner, you can either try the Orange Beach nightlife or return to your vacation rental for rest.
Day Two
Start your second day by using our rental’s fully-equipped kitchen. You can prepare a sumptuous breakfast that’ll have you ready and kicking. If you’re not in the mood for a home-cooked breakfast, visit one of the many brunch restaurants offering fantastic breakfast options. After breakfast, prepare for a beach adventure by carrying all the beach essentials you’ll need for the day. This visit to the beach is ideal for taking in the morning sun as you prepare for a fishing adventure in the deep seas. If you’ve never fished solo before, try out the different scheduled fishing charters and tours offered in the area. The trips range from four-hour trips to 8-hour tours. You can pick whatever suits you and sail to the deep waters for the perfect catch.
Once the trip is over, you can head to the shores with your catch and prepare to feast by taking it to one of the restaurants that offer cook-your-catch services. Alternatively, you can save your catch for some home-cooked dinner back at your rental. If you prefer cooking your catch for dinner, enjoy your lunch by trying out the food offered by the numerous restaurants across the area.
At the beach, the end of lunch signifies the commencement of fun-filled beach activities, including relaxing while taking in the magnificent ocean views or trying out beach games such as beach volleyball. If you have kids, engage them by building sandcastles and trying other water and beach activities like swimming, playing beach soccer, and boating. After a day exploring the beach, you can head back, prepare yourself for dinner at Luna’s and try out the tasty crab and artichoke dip served in the restaurant.
Day Three
Start your final day differently by treating yourself with a southern breakfast delicacy of shrimp and cheesy grits. Enjoy this scintillating southern classic at Another Broken Egg Cafe, one of the multiple brunch restaurants in the area. After re-energizing, head to High S Branton Backcountry Trail for an exciting hiking adventure that’ll take you past varied ecosystems. The views along this trailhead are amazing. Enjoy these views as you take note of unique animals traversing across the trail. Once the hike ends, you can head to Louisiana Lagniappe for a unique Cajun and Creole seafood taste. Enjoy crab cakes that the restaurant serves before embarking on an adventure of perambulating the area as you usher dusk, marking the end of your exciting trip.
Book Incredible Rentals for Your Orange Beach Vacation
Orange Beach boasts several of the top attractions along Alabama’s coastlines. The town features numerous monuments and pristine beaches that make the area a haven for tourists searching for a coastal getaway. Contact us for the perfect Orange Beach vacation rental deals if you’re planning to visit this striking area.