My husband grew up going to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Alabama almost every year because his parents have had a time share throughout his childhood. Last month, my husband, the kids, in-laws and I all took a trip down and enjoyed a nice vacation together. I can’t thank my in-laws enough for making memories with us and dealing with our craziness for the week. We had a ton of fun!
Now, before you go asking why in the world we’d spring break in Alabama, let me set the record straight – it’s such a beautiful place to visit!! It’s on the gulf, and borders Florida. The white, sandy beaches and endless seafood joints scream vacation. I had the pleasure of joining my husband and in-laws back in 2013 when Brett and I were first engaged. We went to a bunch of places Brett grew up visiting and this trip with our family, I was excited to explore some new ones of our own.
After conducting some research (which I always do before vacation), I spotted a few restaurants my husband and his family had never been to and our experience trying some new joints was great!
On one of our cooler days, we stopped by Hog Wild and were so impressed with the atmosphere, quick service and mouth-watering menu. The food did not disappoint! We each got a plate with sides and shared. The Beachin’ Shrimp is incredible and it was so nice to take a break from typical seafood in the area.
With a hipster/California vibe, this coffee shop was the perfect quaint and quiet spot for us to grab coffee and a quick bite for breakfast. We had avocado toast, peanut butter toast, one of their breakfast sandwiches and obviously some cold brew.
Hands down the coolest place we’ve been to on the beach! If you’re in the area, you have to go for a meal and a drink. It’s such a great place to relax and just hang out. The Gulf has delicious grub (hello tacos!!) and seating on their patio area and in the sand. At night, it’s lit up with fire pits and I’m telling you, if we didn’t have the kids on this trip, we would have absolutely spent a majority of our nights here.
Milkshake bar – need I say more? This place is a drive off the strip, but so worth it if you’re looking for a sweet and indulgent treat. Guests can purchase ice cream or a build-your-own milkshake. Below is a picture of ours – insane, right?! Someone at a table near ours had a cheesecake on top of their milkshake. The toppings are amazing.
Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina
My favorite meal by far and not just because Brett and I got to sneak away and have lunch together, but because the food was right up our alley and then some! The atmosphere is pristine and very East Coast and the food is very upscale dockside. I loved every aspect of our experience and would highly recommend visiting for a nice dinner or lunch. We got the fried green tomato po’ boy and oysters. Obsessed!! We dined dockside in case you were wondering.
There you have it! Obviously, I’d recommend all of the above and more, but here are a couple of other newer places I didn’t get a chance to check out:
- Brick and Spoon
- Another Broken Egg Cafe
- Bayes Southern Bar and Grill
- Matt’s Homemade Alabama Ice Cream
Gulf Shores/Orange Beach was the perfect place to take our family and small children! I hope you’ll consider it for your next family vacation.
Marina Makes 