Gather your Girlfriends for a Beach Getaway
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Today, more than ever, women are wearing many hats: wife, mother, career woman, team mom, room mom, caregiver…you name it. And, with those ever-increasing demands, it is easy to forget about nourishing ourselves, including girlfriend relationships which are so vitally important. Hence, gal pal trips!
The Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area offers such great options when traveling that it really takes all the guess work out of the trip. If you have a large group going, I recommend a Gulf Shores condo with lots of room to all stay in the same place. You’ll have a kitchen, so bring along your favorite beverages to share and enjoy over late-night talks on the balcony – yes, you want a balcony! Just a couple of you going? An Orange Beach luxury hotel might be the ticket for you in that case. You’ll have full service daily for cleaning, making beds and fresh towels. The area offers many choices for every budget concerning lodging.
Knowing we don’t always get more than a long weekend with our girlfriends, I put together this three-day itinerary for a fabulous time at the on Alabama’s white-sand beaches! Use it as a guide if you need help planning.
Three Day Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrive and check in at a Gulf Shores hotel or Orange Beach condo. Usually check in is around 3 to 4 p.m. so plan on arriving and enjoying some time on the beach for that first-night sunset. Enjoy a late dinner at a Gulf Shores hot spot such as LuLu’s at Homeport Marina (dinner and live music each evening) or The Hangout (also known for live music and a great choice of seafood creations).
Day 2:
Beach time or activity time is just the ticket to relaxing with friends. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a dolphin cruise while in the area. If you are an active group, Wild Hearts offers a kayak adventure cruise, but if you want to soak in the natural beauty of the area, then opt for a sunset cruise. A weekend away should always include one night of getting dressed up and enjoying an upscale restaurant with spectacular culinary delights.
There are so many great restaurants in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, but for a special night out I have a few suggestions. Voyagers inside Perdido Beach Resort with award-winning Chef Brandon Burleson offers scrumptious seared scallops, blackened snapper and homemade six-layer coconut cake; Cobalt next to Caribe Resort includes a lovely ambiance and always suggests a fresh catch of the day along with banana pudding in a mason jar that is simply over the top; or Bill’s by the Beach with locally-sourced fresh ingredients, beautifully prepared seafood dishes and specialties such as truffle mac and cheese…be sure and save room for doughnut hole bread pudding. After dinner make the short drive to the Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar and take in the late-night atmosphere of locals mixed with vacationers experiencing after-hours fun with folks on both sides of the state line.
Day 3:
Check out is typically around 10 a.m. in most rentals from hotels to condos, so get checked out and head to The Wharf in Orange Beach for breakfast and awesome shopping at one-of-a-kind boutiques and fun stores like Tervis Tumblers (a personal favorite of mine). Make a day of it enjoying the Ferris wheel and maybe take in a movie. You’ll have the late afternoon and evening to make the trek back home, complete with beautiful memories of the perfect gal pal trip.
