The Beach is Calling

Can You Hear Me Now? There’s an App for That!

If you have a smart phone and are considering a trip to the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area, you could not have picked a better time. We just made it that much easier for you to find great deals and fun things to do. Look for an app called Gulf Beaches.

The official smart phone app of the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, we combined information from all the best restaurants, attractions, hotels and shops this area has to offer. If you want to be the first to know about a cool offer or special deal, this is the place to look.

This app is not just for planning your trip either. We have loads of helpful information to set you up for a great time once you get here. Worried that your sailing trip may be cancelled? You can check weather conditions directly from the app and avoid having to reset what you normally use. We even thought of those of you amateur James Bonds who rock the check-ins. Gulf Beaches links to Facebook Places, Foursquare and other geo-location sites, so you don’t miss out on those secret specials around town, and we don’t miss out on your valuable input.

So check it out, tech-friendly friends! Guests who download this new app may receive a small token by visiting either the Gulf Shores or Orange Beach Welcome Center through Labor Day and showing the app on your phone to one of the welcome center staff members.

To get the app, visit www.itunes.com or https://market.android.com/apps, and search for the app titled Gulf Beaches, or click here.

 

We are on SCVNGR!

Welcome to the beach, smartphone users! We know how much you enjoy your apps  - and we are not talking about fried crab claws. To enhance your visit we have put several treks on SCVNGR that showcase some of the best things to do while you are here. When you finish the treks, we encourage you visit the Orange Beach Visitors Center. When you get there, we will tally your points and award a prize based on your efforts.

Here are the treks and what to expect:

Hangout Feast and Fest focuses on the annual music festival and includes restaurants near the Hangout. Sample the fare at the Hangout, the Pink Pony Club, The Shrimp Basket, Ribs and Reds, Mikee’s Seafood, The Steamer, Crico’s Pizza and Subs, DeSoto’s Seafood, and Old World Bakery.

History Rules takes you through a tour of interesting local historic sites including Fort Morgan, the Gulf Shores Museum, Orange Beach Indian & Sea Museum and the Baldwin County Heritage Museum.

Creature Feature highlights animal adventures starting at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, Gulf State Park Pier, Hugh S. Branyon Back County Trail and even Alligator Alley.

Bird is the Word walks you through the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail at Fort Morgan, The Pines and three trails in Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge.

GS&OB Beach Trek takes you on a tour of several beautiful public beach access points from Gulf Shores to Orange Beach.

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say about these new adventures, so be sure to check them out, check-in and let us hear from you at the visitor center. For more information, and to download SCVNGR, visit thebeachiscalling.org.

 

Your VOTE Counts - Check Out The Polls On The Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Facebook Page.

Looking for the best seafood restaurant in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach? Or, maybe you're wondering about the best place to get a burger and beer while you watch college football. You can see what others think by clicking the polls tab on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeach. Even better - make your voice heard by voting for your favorite restaurant, area attraction, boat charter and more. You’ll find this cyber-age word-of-mouth is a great way to discover what other visitors to the area recommend.

The Facebook page also features up-to-the-minute Hot Deals & Packages, beach updates and a wealth of information posted on the wall and in the Calendar of Events. It’s time to join the 36,759 Facebook friends of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Visit www.facebook.com/GulfShoresOrangeBeach or go to www.gulfshores.com for more information.

The User-Friendly Calendar Of Events At www.GulfShores.com Is A Great Fall Vacation Planning Tool.

Autumn is a great time to vacation on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The weather is mild, the beaches are uncrowded and there’s a wonderful line-up of excellent festivals, entertainment and seasonal events for your family to enjoy. And you can find everything you need to plan your itinerary in advance when you log onto www.Gulfshores.com and click on the Calendar of Events. This user-friendly search tool enables you to select the date range and types of events that interest you.

Always updated with the information you need, the event calendar includes dates and details about concerts, sports, live entertainment, theater performances and more special events in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Or, sign up for e-Tidings, the monthly Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Newsletter, for timely updates about area events. You’ll also find comprehensive search tools for finding restaurants, accommodations and local services. It’s all here at www.GulfShores.com.

Free Wireless Hot Spots In City Facilities Throughout Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

When you need to log on, you can connect for free in and around a number of our city facilities. Even when the building is closed for the day, you can still access a wireless connection from the parking lots of buildings listed below:  

Gulf Shores Welcome Center, 3150 Gulf Shores Parkway.
Orange Beach Art Center, 26389 Canal Road.
Orange Beach Aquatics Center, 4853 South Wilson Blvd.
Orange Beach City Hall, 4099 Orange Beach Blvd.
Orange Beach Community Center, 27235 Canal Road.
Orange Beach Library, 26267 Canal Road.
Orange Beach Recreational Center, 4849 Wilson Blvd.
Orange Beach Sportsplex, 4389 Bill Silvers Road.
Orange Beach Tennis Center, 4851 Wilson Blvd.

Or, if your laptop has been left at home, The Printing Zone offers internet use on their store computers. Located at 3817 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores, call 251-968-7901. For more wireless hot spots go to www.gulfshores.com. 

Free WiFi Hotspots Serving Coffee In Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

If you’re out and about and looking to take a coffee break, here are some quick picks that offer free WiFi for your laptop:

Daylight Donuts is famous for their fresh baked donuts, apple fritters and pastries, plus specialty coffees and cappuccino. Bring your camera because just outside, beyond the fence overlooking the lagoon, local marsh alligators often show up for a photo op. Located at 1140 Gulf Shores Parkway. Open daily, call for hours of operation: 251-968-3338.

Dizzy Bean Coffee Shop & Pub offers gourmet coffee, espresso, smoothies, frozen drinks and a full bar. Open Mon. through Thurs. from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. through Sat. from 7a.m.-10 p.m. Located at 4725 Main Street, Suite 124, Orange Beach, call 251-968-5992.

Village Coffee & Cones In The Village Market & Grill serves specialty coffees, espresso drinks, ice cream treats and smoothies. Located at 925 Beach Club Trail, Gulf Shores. For hours, call 251-224-3217 or 251-224-3650.

For more information about local eateries, go to www.gulfshores.com.

Awesome Online Navigation Tools For Getting Around Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

Looking for the exact mileage from your home to your Gulf Shores hotel? Or, perhaps you want to download area maps for easy travel around Orange Beach and surrounding towns. You’ll find these easy-to-use navigation tools when you go to www.gulfshores.com and click on the “Travel Tools” section. The zip code tool calculates mileage and drive time for easy vacation planning and there are downloadable regional, local and island maps for local day trips. Other Travel Tools include a mileage chart, directions, plus contact information for air travel, car rentals and more. And when you’re out on the road, you can use your PDA or cell phone to find vacancies, restaurants, attractions, local events and other area information. Just go to www.gulfshores.com, click on the “Travel Tools” section, and then click “PDA/Mobile Site.”

Baby’s Beach Visit

I have a friend who is taking her young baby on a beach trip this summer. I, of course, strongly urged her to head to the Alabama Gulf Coast. It wasn’t too hard to persuade her, and now they are in the midst of planning a little family trip down there.

 

This will actually be their first trip with the baby, and she’s a little nervous about how her baby will handle it (the car ride, the pack-n-play, the actual beach, etc.). I just told her that there is no way to know until they try, but there are things she and her husband can do to try to make events run as smooth as possible, such as arming themselves with as much baby entertainment as possible for the drive down and bringing familiar blankets and stuffed animals to help the baby sleep at night. Concerning the beach…some babies love it and some hate it! It helps to be flexible and realize that beach time may be limited. Having a backup plan of alternate places to spend time together as a family is a good idea (like the pool, a playground or the zoo).

 

It will definitely be an adventure, and my final piece of advice to my friend was to record the memories—these are the kind of photos and videos that will always be treasured (and that might win a free vacation for someone: www.thebeachiscalling.org).

It Pays to Have Friends Online

A while back, an adult friend of mine mentioned having a MySpace account. I thought she was weird. My initial thought was, why in the world is she networking with teenagers? Because in my mind, teenagers and kids were the only people using sites like MySpace and Facebook.

 

I soon learned just how wrong I was. I started asking around and checking out these sites myself. Low and behold, just about everyone I knew was online! My feelings changed quickly—I felt like the weird one for not being part of this online community. I promptly set up an account and have been completely addicted ever since. I am always online, keeping in touch with friends, looking for old friends, and making new Internet friends. I love it!

 

And now it seems that my decision to join the online world of social networking might payoff again in the form of a Flip Video Camera—if I’m lucky. Yet another contest is being held, and all you have to do is become a friend, fan, or follower of the Alabama Gulf Coast on MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter by July 31^st . A winner will be randomly chosen and will receive a Flip Video Camera.

 

Find out more (and become a friend!) at www.myspace.com/algulfcoast.