Skip to main content
  • Visitors
  • Meetings
  • Sports
Visitors
  • All Places to Stay
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    • Cabins
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
  • All Things to Do
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Bike Share Program Gulf State Park
    10 Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
  • All Events
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    • Snowbird Events
    Gulf Place Gulf Shores Christmas Lights
    Holiday Events
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
  • All Restaurants
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
  • All Planning Tools
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Guides
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    • Photographers
    Family Vacation Gulf Shores
    10 Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
  • All Blogs
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Paddle boarding Orange Beach
    10 Things to do with Teens in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
  • Deals
    All Deals
Visitors
  • All Places to Stay
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    • Cabins
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
  • All Things to Do
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Bike Share Program Gulf State Park
    10 Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
  • All Events
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    • Snowbird Events
    Gulf Place Gulf Shores Christmas Lights
    Holiday Events
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
  • All Restaurants
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
  • All Planning Tools
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Guides
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    • Photographers
    Family Vacation Gulf Shores
    10 Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
  • All Blogs
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Paddle boarding Orange Beach
    10 Things to do with Teens in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
  • Deals
    All Deals
Meetings
  • Home
    All Home
    • Plan Your Conference
    • How Can We Help
    • Why Our Beach
    • Services
    • FAQs
    • Getting Here
    • Restaurants
    • Things to Do
    • Calendar of Events
    All Plan Your Conference
    • All Meeting Spaces
    • Unique Meeting Spaces
    • Accommodations
    All Meeting Spaces
  • Reunions & Weddings
    All Reunions & Weddings
    • Meeting Planner Toolkit
    All Toolkit
    • Connect With Us
    • Submit RFP
    • Subscribe Today
    All Contact Us
  • Stories
    All Stories
Sports
    • All Events
    • Book>Direct
    • Perfect Game World Series
    • Gulf Shores High School
    • Beach Races
    • Orange Beach High School
    All Events & Special Rates
    • All Restaurant Sponsors
    • On-the-Go Dining
    All Restaurants
    • All Attraction Sponsors
    All Attractions
  • Business Sponsors
    All Business Sponsors
  • Facilities
    All Facilities
    • Facility Info
    • Leisure Events
    • Our Services
    • Planner Toolkit
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    • Future Sports Tourism Development
    All Bring Your Event
  • Sponsors
    All Sponsors
  • Stories
    All Stories
Gulf State Park Nature Center

How I Road Schooled on Alabama's Beaches

Leslie Peterson
January 13, 2023

We are road school warriors and have been doing it for nearly a decade. One of our favorite road school destinations is Alabama’s beautiful beaches. Here are six tips for road schooling based on our family’s fantastic adventure in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Lucky Bird Vacation Rentals Gulf Shores
1. Consider Your Need for Internet

Do you want your road schooling adventure to include a virtual classroom? Are you using a digital curriculum? If these things are essential, you’ll want to find accommodations that make the internet available.

We don’t use a virtual classroom or an online curriculum, but WiFi is still essential. Once when we stopped at Gulf State Park, we found several new-to-us creatures. We took photos, and when we were back in the hotel room, the boys looked them up online and wrote an informal report. We were also able to find a documentary about them on YouTube. 

Sail Wild Hearts Dolphin Cruise
2. Bring Resources to Leverage Your Location

It’s easy to bring resources from home if you’ve got them. We brought books about wild weather and dolphins with us to the beach.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule landed less than 10 miles away when we last visited. That was a great lead-in to our study on Neil Armstrong, so we packed that workbook also.

What books, workbooks, projects, or ideas can you bring from home that tie into the unique features of the place you visit? 

Giraffe Feeding Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
3. Leverage the Edu-Tainment Opportunities in the Area

The best part about road schooling is not that you can open a workbook on the road but that you can use the resources in the area to see, touch, smell, and feel your way through a learning experience. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are home to various educational activities and attractions.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo offers one-of-a-kind opportunities like feeding giraffes or holding kangaroos. Our youngest drove a catamaran with Sail Wild Hearts, and our oldest took to mapping out how sailboats can run faster than the wind (hello, physics).

There are myriad learning opportunities along Alabama's beaches, from Historic Fort Morgan to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. You could spend a week there and not get to them all.

Gulf State Park Nature Center
4. Rely on Others to Help Teach the Kids

One of my favorite ways to road school is to take advantage of others smarter than me.

When our boys fed giraffes, the zoo trainer gave them the scoop! Why the two giraffes are different sizes, why their tongue is rough, what they eat in the wild, how they prepare food at the zoo, giraffe temperaments, and so much more.

Park rangers are always a go-to resource, and Gulf State Park offers guided walks and free weekly programs. Historic Fort Morgan also has a great self-guided tour and map of the fort that the kids can use. 

Have them hold the phone and tell you what they find at each stop on the map. Teaching is, after all, one of the great ways to learn.

Gulf State Park Interpretive Center
4. The Only Way to Fail is to Avoid Trying 

That’s a message for your kids and you. You’ll try books you hate and programs the kids think are boring and “lame.” You’re going to be excited about things the kids hate and hate a few things the kids are excited about. 

Some days you’re going to feel on top of the world, and other days you’re going to wonder if you’re failing them. But you’re going to keep trying, loving, and pressing forward. 

One of the most valuable lessons hubs and I try to be an example of is that failing is OK!

“Failing” gets a bad rap; “trying” is always the goal, and the outcome always teaches us a lesson.

Historic Fort Morgan Gulf Shores
6. Skip a School Schedule; Embrace Your Daily Routine 

Why? Because Murphy’s Law is a real thing. 

As a family that travels full-time, we don’t have a school schedule but embrace routines. For example, we usually wake between 6:30 am and 7:30 am. Everyone starts with alone time when waking up (thank goodness we all agree on this).

As I write this, it is Saturday, which means my hubby (Dan) works out in the morning while I make breakfast. Any formal learning like math happens before lunch. This evening is my yoga class (virtual means I can do it on the road), so Dan makes their dinner and talks more in-depth about the questions that came up today. Then we all have family time together.

Do our routines get wonky and messed up? Yes, but not very often. If we had a "schedule," though, it would be in vain. Routines mean that when something happens – good or bad – we can adjust to it easily.

Math at 9 am every day? It’s just not going to happen because we might have stayed up late the previous night to watch a meteor shower. Or we might have 9 am. Family Camp with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. But math sometime after breakfast and before lunch? That’s easy to accomplish.

Do you have more tips for road schooling with kids? We want to hear them, and we’d also love for you to follow our road school antics! You can find us on Instagram at 365AtlantaTraveler.

Check out all the educational opportunities along the Alabama Gulf Coast and plan your next family trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Share This

Icon of a hotel
Find Your Perfect Place to Stay
Places to Stay Search Lodging Options
icon of a guide
Where Your Journey Begins
Order a Free Vacation Guide Order a Free Vacation Guide
Email icon
News from the Coast
Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter Subscribe to Our Enewsletter

Historic Fort Morgan Cannon

5 Tips For Combining Homeschooling with a Beach Vacation

Kids biking on Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores AL

The Complete Guide to the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail

Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in Gulf Shores, AL

Dive into a homeschool mariculture adventure

Family explores Fort Morgan in Alabama

A Weekend on Alabama's Coastal Connection

Orange Beach AL

How Exploring Beach Nature Changed My Vacation Experience

Blue Angels Practice

3 Cool Spots to Combine Fun and Education

Order a Vacation Guide Subscribe to our Enewsletter
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Logo
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tik-Tok
  • Trip Ideas
  • Press
  • Partners
  • Responsible Tourism
  • 1-800-745-SAND
  • [email protected]
  • Privacy Policy
  • Employment Opportunities
Copyright 2023 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. All rights reserved.
  • Subscribe to Enews
  • Vacation Guide
  • Chat With Us