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!
