Beach Vacation Tips for Anxious Travelers
Leaving home may be taxing for people with travel-related anxiety, but trust me: a visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama is always a good idea.
Visiting Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is a breeze for an anxious traveler. While many top tourist destinations can be overcrowded, the 32 miles of white-sand beaches on Alabama’s Gulf Coast provide the ideal landscape for a relaxing vacation.
I didn’t realize how many ways you can enjoy boating until I visited the Alabama coast. My first night in town, I watched one of the most beautiful sunsets while on a sunset cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. The way the red of the sky backlit the beachside homes and trees gave me a feeling of serenity and stillness that still makes me feel at peace. The sun seemed so large in the sky, it reminded me of a “Miss Saigon” playbill.
Is the sun more magnificent on the shores of Alabama than anywhere else? It certainly seems that way to me. With a sunrise start at Zeke’s Marina to set off on a deep-sea fishing charter aboard the Ocean Ox, I was so hypnotized by the watercolor strokes of the sky that I didn’t even notice we went 20 miles offshore! The comfortable, air-conditioned cabins and experienced crew made deep-sea fishing my favorite activity of my trip to Alabama’s beaches.
I really enjoyed the comfort of staying in a condo rental from Brett/Robinson Vacations on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Staying someplace that feels more like a home than a hotel just grounds me when I’m traveling. With full-size kitchens, in-unit washers and dryers, and comfortable sitting areas, you have the comforts of home while you’re away. An added perk: some of the condos stock board games. Along with communal game rooms, indoor exercise facilities and indoor pools, inclement weather is no big deal.
As a Midwesterner, there is a certain fear that I associate with the open water. I’m used to Lake Michigan: a colder, shallower body of water. To my surprise, the Alabama Gulf Coast is full of perfectly approachable bays for those anxious about swimming in the Gulf. When I visited, I got to stand-up paddleboard in Wolf Bay. I appreciated both the calmness of the bay and the arm workout that accompanied it.
I can’t think of a better place to relax and enjoy a vacation than on the white quartz beaches of the Alabama coastline. With the softest and squeakiest sand I’ve ever encountered, walks on the beach turned into a fun method of stress release, and sitting on the beach felt like being hugged by a cloud.
To make sure you enjoy the same clean, safe and idyllic surroundings when you visit Alabama’s Gulf Coast, don’t forget to Leave Only Footprints at the end of each day!
START PLANNING YOUR GULF SHORES & ORANGE BEACH VACATION
