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Alabama Gulf Coast <alabamagulfcoast>

"The beach is calling"

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	Fun at a Public Beach	178 Tage her
	As much as I love to relax on a quiet beach in front of a private beach house, sometimes I long for the energetic bustle found at a fun, public beach. One of my favorite spots is the Gulf Shores Public Beach. Lots of activity, shopping and beachside restaurants—a great opportunity for people-watching. This is how our week’s vacation usually plays out for us: We spend the first couple of days at our rented beach house, enjoying the peacefulness of the beach, playing in the waves, building sandcastles. Then we get a little restless, and we start looking for other things to do. And one of the first things we do is head over to the public beach, where we do things like play volleyball and picnic at the designated picnic areas. Gulf Shores Public Beach also has bathrooms, showers and beach attendants, so it really is a nice experience. The Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area has many public beach locations. Just go to www.thebeachiscalling.org to start exploring them.
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	Historic Mansion Tours	178 Tage her
	What is it about old mansions that captivates us? Is it the thought of a completely different way of life that took place long ago, whimsical fantasies inspired by a lavish mansion in a beautiful, scenic setting? I think for me, it’s a combination of experiencing a little bit of history and envisioning myself living a romantic lifestyle during a time before computers, Internet, cell phones…. There are a couple old mansions in the Alabama Gulf Coast that can be toured: Bellingrath Gardens and Bon Secour’s Swift-Cole Historic Mansion. We’ve been to Bellingrath Gardens, which is a home as well as some of the most beautiful gardens you’ll ever see (I would definitely visit again!). But we have yet to see the Swift-Cole Mansion, so that one is next on the list. Information about other history-related tours and sites can be found at www.thebeachiscalling.org.
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	Wonders of Weather	178 Tage her
	Weather phenomena amaze me. They really do. Whether it’s rain simply falling from the sky or a full-blown hurricane, I am fascinated by what Mother Nature can do. And the progress science has made in tracking and calculating weather is a wonder all on its own. Of course I try to instill this curiosity in my own children. So naturally, when I heard about the Wonders of Weather exhibit at the Gulf Shores Museum that is taking place every Wednesday at 2:00 PM during June and July, I added it to our list of things to do in Gulf Shores this summer. The exhibit features videos about weather events like tornadoes and hurricanes, followed by a project based on the video subject matter. My kids are pretty inquisitive, so this combination of video and a hands-on project should be a satisfying experience for them. Go to www.thebeachiscalling.org for information about this and other summer events.
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	Birthday Bash	178 Tage her
	Block parties were fun in college: stopping in at all the bars for a drink, lots of people and music everywhere. Just a good, carefree time. I haven’t done the block party thing in a long time (having a family tends to put a stop to those kind of activities). Honestly, I don’t have the wild and crazy party vibe in me anymore. But I would still enjoy a good family-friendly block party, which is what makes the Orange Beach 25th Birthday Bash sound so appealing. It's happening August 29th at the Orange Beach City Hall Complex. This block party will have food, music, kids activities, and lots of other fun stuff. And best of all, it’s a celebration of one of my favorite places: Orange Beach! (Oh, and it’s free to the public.) See? Party days don’t disappear with age and kids—they just change a little. And for the better (in my opinion!).
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	Kayaking	178 Tage her
	I want to get back in touch with the ocean. I love the ocean, but I’m afraid of it. It wasn’t always like this. As a child, I loved the ocean. I’m really not sure why my feelings have changed over the years. I guess, like many other things in my life, maturity has caused me to become much more cautious—too cautious, I think. I’ve been kayaking a few times, and I’m planning to take the “Learn to Kayak” class in Orange Beach this summer. There’s something both empowering and therapeutic about being alone in a kayak, paddling across the water. But I haven’t done this in the ocean yet—only lakes and rivers. So the plan is to take the class, learn some safety rules and get comfortable with my kayaking skills, then take on the Gulf. I mean, there’s really no reason to be afraid of the water off of Alabama’s Gulf Coast. We just need to be re-aquainted. Information about the kayak class can be found at www.thebeachiscalling.org. Just search the calendar of events.
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	Bed &Breakfast	178 Tage her
	A friend of mine is planning a getaway to the Alabama Gulf Coast with her husband. They’ve been married a couple years now, no kids yet (although I get the feeling that they are thinking of changing that—I think the purpose of this trip is to celebrate freedom one last time before attempting the plunge into parenthood). She was having a hard time figuring out where they should stay, because they don’t want the “crowd” feeling of a hotel or condo, and they don’t want to be completely independent in a house either. I told her to look into a bed-and-breakfast. Bed-and-breakfasts are cozy, not crowded, and still provide services like home-cooked meals. And it’s very romantic. My husband and I have done the B&B thing a few times over the years, and each experience always managed to clear away the stresses of everyday life and bring us closer together. She liked my idea, and I’m just waiting to here which location she’s going to pick. There are three very nice choices listed at www.thebeachiscalling.org (look under Lodging/Bed & Breakfasts).
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	Show Us Your Best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Vacation Ever	225 Tage her
	Got a video of your child’s first steps wading in the Gulf of Mexico? How about a photo of your family playing mini golf or building a sandcastle? Or what about that perfect sunset beach wedding? Show Us Your Best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Vacation Ever and you could win a Picture Perfect Prize Package which includes a three-night stay, a Flip Video Camera and other great items. How to Share your Vacation Photos and Videos • Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gulf-S... - Join us as a Fan and make a Submit a Fan Photo or Fan Video. • YouTube http://www.youtube.com/TheBeachIsCalling - Send a Comment telling us about your best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach vacation video on your YouTube account. Provide a link to the video. We’ll take a look and as long as it is decent and relevant, we’ll add it to our Contest section on our YouTube page. Share your photos and videos (based on the posting requirements of each location) of your best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Vacation. All appropriate entries received between March 1 and August 15, 2009 will be judged and a winning entry will be selected and notified on or around August 30, 2009. Winner will be notified through their profile on the social networking site used. Photos and Videos should be of the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach areas on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Submissions about other locations will not be considered and will be removed from the various social networking sites. Submissions should not contain any profane or vulgar material. Any such submissions will be deleted and will not be considered for the contest. No purchase is required to participate. All photos and videos submitted may be used by the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau without any compensation to the party making the submission or any person shown in the photos or videos. All participants must be age 21 or older. Contest open to legal U.S. residents only. Employees of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau and their immediate family members are not eligible to win. Contest open to individuals. Profiles for businesses, groups and organizations are not eligible to win. Winner will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility in order to claim the prize. “Show Us Your Best Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Vacation Ever” is an online contest administered by the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. Please direct any comments to sweeps@gulfshores.com.
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	The Spa Experience	225 Tage her
	A simple beach vacation is usually enough for me to relax. Most of the time, sitting on the beach with a good book and a good drink, listening to the Gulf waves lap against the beach is more than enough to make the rest of the world drift away. However, once in a while it’s nice (or even necessary) to go that extra step: a visit to a spa. Yes, from time to time I enjoy a little pampering at one of the Alabama Gulf Coast spas (go to www.thebeachiscalling.org to find one that works for you). Sometimes I keep it simple with just a manicure, pedicure, or facial. Or I might decide to go all out with a massage and/or a body wrap complete with aroma therapy. I’ve pretty much done it all, and let me tell you: there is no better way to achieve maximum vacation relaxation than to indulge your senses with a soothing spa treatment.
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	The Music Scene	225 Tage her
	I always try to make a point to plan family activities, particularly when we are on vacation. That’s one of the main reasons for vacation—to help our little family stay connected. But it seems that as the kids get older, it’s getting harder to please everyone. I have to be careful that my attempts at bringing everyone together do not actually cause division due to fighting over what to do! So I try to listen to everyone’s ideas, and one thing I have found is that music is almost always a big hit. And there are lots of music options at the Alabama Gulf Coast. Music festivals and concerts by various artists from a range of genres are frequent in the area. I’ve always found these events to be a great way to break up a vacation and entertain the entire family. The next time you visit Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, I highly recommend checking out one of these music events. You can begin your musical exploration at www.thebeachiscalling.org.
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	Difference Between Hotels and Condos	225 Tage her
	“How is a condo different from a hotel?” This is what a friend asked me recently, since I’ve stayed in both (and other types of lodging) many times. I guess the best way to describe it is a difference in convenience. A hotel offers the convenience of a place to stay. You get a room, a bed (maybe two), a bathroom, a television, and someone to clean up after you every day. When it was just the two of us, my husband and I almost always stayed in hotels when we traveled. Sometimes we stayed at hotels with lots of amenities (pool, workout room, spa, room service), but ultimately we just needed a place to sleep at night. A condo offers more of the conveniences of home. There is a living area and a kitchen separate from the bedroom (and you get the option of multiple bedrooms). Condos are similar to hotels in that there are many units in one building, and they offer similar amenities, but they are ideal for longer stays and larger groups. We’ve spent many a vacation in condos since having the kids—it’s just easier when it comes to sleeping arrangements, making family dinners, and spending rainy vacation days indoors. You can find lots of information on both condos and hotels in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area at www.thebeachiscalling.org.
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