.

Photo Credit: rjones0856

Eating out is part of the fun when you go on a vacation to Alabama’s scenic Gulf Coast. Sampling regional cuisine is a unique way to explore the history and heritage of southern Alabama’s coastal towns. Serving up tempting seafood and tantalizing southern specialties, the area’s many delightful restaurants will add spice to your next Orange Beach vacation.

Orange Beach, Alabama offers Gulf Coast vacationers a wonderful variety of excellent dining options, many within walking distance of luxurious Orange Beach vacation rentals. If you’re looking for an evening of fabulous food, try these highly-rated Orange Beach restaurants:

• The Italian cuisine at Café Grazie on San Roc Cay was voted Best Italian Food in Orange Beach by Trip Advisor travelers. Diners rave about Café Grazie’s outstanding crab cakes and their incredible bread with parmesan spread. Intimate, yet casual, this is a great spot for a romantic dinner. For the best value, dine before 6 p.m. to take advantage of the restaurant’s sunset specials
• Cosmo’s Restaurant & Bar in Orange Beach offers a cozy atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food. Named the best restaurant in Orange Beach by Urbanspoon, Cosmo’s is intimate and relaxed. Known for its fresh seafood and excellent sushi, Cosmo’s serves some of the best gumbo on the coast. Ask for a seat on the patio where you can enjoy live music while you dine. Save room for dessert. The peanut butter pie is amazing
• If you have a taste for Cajun cooking, Louisiana Lagniappe is the place to go. Located on the Orange Beach waterfront, this is a great date night spot. Popular for its fabulous seafood, the restaurant’s crab-stuffed Oysters Lagniappe and seafood bisque are local favorites
Tags: Alabama   Cafe Grazie   Cosmo's Restaurant & Bar   Discounts   Gulf Coast   Gulf Shores   Louisiana Lagniappe   Orange Beach   vacation rentals

Alabama Gulf Coast Beaches have miles of sparkling turquoise water and beautiful, soft white sand. In between relaxing naps on the beach, have fun at the top five Orange Beach/Gulf Shore attractions.

Florida Point with its glistening turquoise water is a great place to spend some leisure time. Florida Point provides great views of incoming and outgoing charter boats. Enjoy the beach.

The un-crowded Gulf State Park – Pavilion Area, located among the sea oats and sand dunes is a popular location for surf fishing. The beach pavilion includes air-conditioned restrooms, private showers, plenty of shady spots and a snack bar. There’s a lot of room for RVs.

While staying at your Orange Beach Condo visit the Battle of Mobile Bay Civil War Trail, which extends from the Gulf of Mexico more than 90 miles to north Mobile County. The trail documents the way of life and military movements in the Mobile Bay area during the Battle of the Bay (August 1864)  and the Overland Campaign ( March – May, 1865).

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is home to a reptile house, an aviary and a petting zoo. Daily animal shows occur during the summer. Check out the Macaws, lions, tigers, bears, monkeys and much more.

The Wales West Railways offers scenic train rides through attractive Alabama rural countryside and pecan orchards. You’ll also cross scenic rivers. The place has a wonderful steam train. Wales West is filled with Victorian style Welsh buildings, including an authentic Welsh chapel imported from the United Kingdom.

Enjoy the local attractions while staying at your Gulf Shores Beach condo.

The soft sugar sands and warm Gulf waters that entice vacationers to Alabama’s beautiful Gulf Coast are equally attractive to migratory birds. Protected estuaries and reedy marshes provide safe haven for flocks of sea and song birds as they travel the migratory pathways that link North and South America. Every spring and fall, huge flocks pause along the Alabama Gulf Coast to rest and refuel before beginning the second leg of their long journeys. Attracted by the seasonal migrations, hundreds of birders flock to Gulf Shores vacation rentals or book an Orange Beach vacation rental to watch the show.

For many species, however, the Alabama coast is not a way station but a destination. Many flocks seek winter harborage in the Gulf Shores-Orange Beach area; birds from northern states and Canada arriving in early fall and flocks from South and Central America arriving each spring. In the quiet waters and protected nature preserves that stretch between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, birds build their nests and raise their young, providing bird-watchers with a constantly-changing, year-round avian tableau.

One of the most important stopping points for migratory birds, the Gulf Shores-Orange Beach area is a birder’s delight. When migrating flocks arrive, birders gather to watch thousands of birds perform a breathtaking aerial dance as they wheel and swoop over the calm waters of the inland waterway. Millions of birds bob on the water and fill the trees, their songs blending into a startling cacophony of sound. The impressive sight of enormous flocks taking off en masse is one of nature’s great wonders.

The continuously changing show draws bird-watchers delighted to add to their bird lists, as well as nature enthusiasts fascinated by brown pelicans diving for fish and osprey perched on their aerial nests. Don’t miss one of nature’s most fascinating shows; book your Orange Beach vacation rental or Gulf Shores vacation rental on iTrip.net today.

We sifted through a list of attractions from the area around your Gulf Shores condo rental or Orange Beach condo rental to entice you to come and then extend your stay! 

Most Unique Attractions in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach

• Watery Adventure Sports like Parasailing – there are several companies that will allow you to see a bird’s eye view of the Gulf while riding the wind from a parachute attached to a speedboat, among other fun ways to experience the wetness!
• Alligator Alley – See over 150 alligators in their natural environment with an opportunity to feed them. Meet Captain Crunch, who’s over 13 feet long and is the world record holder for bite strength. There’s also bird watching and a Giant Snake Safari.
• Open Cockpit Biplane flights at Bird of Paradise Biplane Rides – offers adventurous passengers the chance to enjoy open cockpit flights and romance of yesterday.
• Ferris Wheel at The Wharf – The Southeast’s tallest Ferris Wheel is at the Gulf coast’s premier vacation destination on the Intracoastal Waterway.
• Quail Hunting at Rhodes Hunting Preserve – offers fast birds, good dogs and southern hospitality. Guided or unguided, 1/2 or full day hunts. Within 30 minutes of the gulf beaches. 
• Hot Air Balloon – Taking Off Hot Air Balloon Company – will lift you off into an adventure where you’ll experience the scenic vistas of the Alabama Gulf Coast from a whole new vantage point! Great for weddings or honeymoon!
• Spear Hunting Museum – Learn all about spear hunting and “The Greatest Living Spear Hunter in the World”.  
• The American Sport Art Museum and Archives (ASAMA)  – Dedicated to the preservation of sports history, art and literature.  
• National Museum of Naval Aviation – nearly 300,000 square feet of displays, more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft, thrilling flight simulators, and exciting IMAX® films. Museum admission is free. 

There are tons of things to do nearby your Gulf Shores Beach condo or your Orange Beach condo rental. Find great deals at iTrip.net!

Photo courtesy of www.florabama.com

“Steamed or baked?” is the question typically asked when you order fish. But from Friday, April 29 to Sunday, May 1, “How far can you throw it?” is the question you’ll have to answer if you join the fun at what locals and Gulf Shores/Orange Beach vacationers claim is the Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party. Definitely not your typical beach event, the highlight of the weekend festivities is the Annual Interstate Mullet Toss, now in its 27th year.

A short drive from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach vacation rentals, thousands of vacationers and local residents flock to Perdido Key for the wacky weekend festival every year, and hundreds sign up to get their hands around a real fish and see how far they can throw it. Standing on the Florida side of the state line, contestants square off on the beach to see who can toss their fish the farthest into Alabama. But fish aren’t the only thing tossed around at the festival. Gulf Shores vacationers can test their strength with the beer keg toss or their skill at beach volleyball. The festival offers plenty of food, fun, music and beach time for all who attend. It’s a cash-only weekend, so hit the ATM before you go. Proceeds benefit local Gulf Coast charities and youth organizations.

The much-anticipated state line tradition is hosted by Perdido Key’s legendary Flora-Bama Lounge & Package. Located right on the Florida-Alabama state line, “The Bama” is a Gulf Coast cultural landmark and vacation “must do” that offers a variety of eclectic bars, great food and live music. Gulf life doesn’t get much better than sipping a Bushwacker, The Bama’s signature drink, while slurping down a side of fresh-shucked oysters!

If you want to experience the 27th Annual Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party, book your Gulf Shores or Orange Beach vacation rental now on iTrip.com.

Leave early and take your appetite. That’s the advice long-time fans of the original Elberta German Sausage Festival  have for folks vacationing in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach vacation rentals. The popular one-day festival will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 in Elberta’s Town Park at the intersection of Main Street (CR 83) and State Street (US 98). Just a quick 30-minute cruise north up the Foley Beach Expressway, Elberta is an easy drive from the delightful vacation rentals of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach along Alabama’s sunny Gulf Coast. 

Held twice a year to benefit the Elberta Alabama volunteer fire department, the German Sausage Festival draws more than 30,000 wurst-lovers who devour 7,000 pounds of authentic, home-made German sausage, naturally with kraut and all the fixings. Made from the secret family recipe of one of the town’s prominent citizens, Elberta’s famous German sausage has been tantalizing Gulf Coast palates since the festival’s start in 1978. But world-class sausage isn’t the only German delicacy you’ll find at the Elberta German Sausage Festival. German stuffed cabbage rolls, German potato salad, sauerkraut and goulash will also be served, along with burgers and dogs.  

Munch away as you stroll through 250 booths offering arts and crafts and scrumptious baked goods for sale. Take a spin on a carnival ride and tap your toes to lively polka and country music when the Bellview Stumpfiddle Band tunes up.  

The Elberta German Sausage Festival is an event not to be missed. Many Gulf Shores and Orange Beach vacationers have such a great time at the March festival that they rebook their Gulf Shores or Orange Beach vacation rental for a return visit in October when Elberta’s Octoberfest gives them another opportunity to sample that heavenly sausage!  

Pack your appetite and book your Gulf Shores vacation rental or Orange Beach vacation rental today at iTrip.net.

The white, sugar sand beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama beckon vacationers. A long stroll along the water’s edge is the perfect place to get some sand between your toes. Gentle white-frothed waves lap softly along miles of wide, gorgeous beaches just steps from luxurious vacation condominiums. A vacationers’ paradise, Gulf Shores, Alabama, is the perfect blend of relaxing tropical luxury and charming southern hospitality.

The best way to enjoy Gulf Shores is to rent a fully-equipped vacation condominium right on the beach. The new 17-story high San Carlos provides a peaceful oasis in the center of the action. Spacious rooms feature their own private balcony with breathtaking views of the Gulf. Sip a cocktail while lounging on your balcony or head for the beach where you can rent wave runners, beach chairs and umbrellas. Take a dip in the ocean or enjoy the large, beach-side outdoor pool.

When the kids get tired of building sand castles, cruise into town for a rollicking ride down a giant waterslide or rent some horses for an invigorating trot down the beach. Ride to the top of the Ferris wheel for a bird’s eye view of the area (spectacularly lit at night). Indulge in a day of old-fashioned fun at Adventure Island where you’ll find rides, arcade games, mini-golf, go-karts, laser tag, bumper boats and much more. Don’t miss the nightly volcano eruption!

For an unforgettable evening, take a dolphin dinner. You’ll enjoy wonderful food and a spectacular view of the coast as you track after playful dolphin pods. Sport fishing, hiking, biking, water sports and golf are other popular Gulf Shores pastimes. If you’re a golfer, make sure you pack your clubs. The Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area is a top-rated golf destination and home of 16 championship golf courses.

Search for Gulf Shores/Orange Beach vacation rentals today!

Up until the tragic Deepwater Horizon (BP) oil spill, and the popular Concerts for the Coast series that was the spawn of BP’s mess, most people wouldn’t have associated the state of Alabama with the word beach, and especially not with the phrase, “beach retreat.” Still, even after the BP disaster, there are those who are oblivious to the wonders of Alabama’s Gulf Shores and its marvelous, sugary white, sandy beaches. But, locals and travel experts know better.

With winter’s chills setting in, travel lovers and experts are sounding off on which beaches are the best for the season. One such popular travel website has listed Orange Beach, AL in  ”America’s 10 Best Winter Beach Retreats,” Here’s what they had to say:

“Their Gulf Coast beaches are among the most beautiful in the country. The sand is 95 percent quartz, meaning its snow-white and sparkles in the sun, and the waters are as blue as any you’ll find in Florida. Nine-mile Orange Beach has everything you need-warm water, lots of room to spread out your beach blanket, and restaurants just off the sand. Dolphins love the waters around here so much that Dolphin Cruises aboard the Cold Mil Fleet guarantees sightings.”

The temperature in Orange Beach during the months of December and January is pleasurably warm, with average temperatures being around 62 degrees – a nice spring time vibe. And, while the water temperature is warmer than it should be for this time of year, (51/56 degrees) it’s not warm enough to swim in. But- boating, beach bumming, fishing, seafood catching, dolphin cruises, amusement parks, museums, arts, shopping, nature trails, wildlife refuges, parasailing, festivals, and concert series are readily available year round.

One of Orange Beach’s most popular attractions is The Wharf, where visitors can participate in almost all of the aforementioned activities in one place. Another popular and exhilarating attraction is Alligator Alley, where visitors can see over 150 alligators in their natural environment – and get this, if you can muster up the nerve, you could have the opportunity to feed them! Guests of Alligator Alley will also be able to enjoy bird watching and the exploration of a giant snake safari.

As for vacation lodging, we here at iTrip.net have a large selection of gorgeous beach-front condos for you to choose from, many of which are closely situated to a slew of desirable attractions.

So, what are you waiting for? See for yourself why Orange Beach, Alabama made the list of “America’s 10 Best Winter Beach Retreats.”

The Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Concerts for the Coast has had a nice, smooth run; now it’s time for the 2010 grand finale. But, before we get into the details for the close out concert of the year, here’s a quick look back at how it all began.

The Concerts for the Coast series was created to promote tourism and awareness along Alabama’s gorgeous Gulf Coast, a place known for its diamond white, sandy beaches and southern hospitality. Funded by BP PLC, the company who is responsible for the nastiest oil spill accident in U.S. history, Concerts for the Coast has, without question, accomplished what it set out to do.

The first band to headline the Concerts for the Coast series was none other than Jimmy Buffett and Friends, and I’m sure we don’t have to tell you just how large the crowd turned out to be. Following Buffett, was Hank Williams Jr. and Gretchen Wilson, and just last weekend, on Friday, October 15th and Sunday, October 17th, Bon Jovi, with Green River Ordinance, and Brad Paisley, with Little Big Town, rocked the stages of the Gulf Shores. The Bon Jovi/Paisley combination may have been the best yet.

Notice that we did say, yet.

Closing out the Concerts for the Coast series will be country legend, and Grammy award winner Alan Jackson. Jackson will headline the October 30, 2010 concert with special guest and country new comer, Chris Young. This FREE Saturday night concert will be located at The Wharf in Orange Beach, and will be an appreciation concert for the local community, presented by Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism (CVB). According to the Concerts for the Coast website, tickets became available for locals on October 11, and will continue to be given away while they are still available.

This concert is particularly interesting because it’s occurring one night before Halloween – believe us when we tell you, the Gulf Shores will be full of Halloween thrills and chills. But, it’s also your last chance to be a part of history, while enjoying the beautiful beaches in the Gulf Shores of Alabama. So, come on down and enjoy the last ride.

Here at iTrip.net, we have several Orange Beach condo rentals with spectacular balcony views, which will allow you and your friends to look directly down at the concert from above. These condo rentals are great for capturing photos at just the right angle.

To follow updates, contests, and news, be sure to check out the Concerts for the Coast Facebook page.

We know we’re going to be there, and we hope to see you too!