Fort Morgan/Gulf Shores

We are heading to Fort Morgan. AL for a week. We are a group of 13 with kids from 16 - 21 years old. Any suggestions for things to do and/or restaurants that can%26#39;t be missed. Thanks in advance.

Fort Morgan/Gulf Shores

Family Stuff and day trips:

1) Waterparks:

a) Waterville USA- closest to the beach on 59 (roughly a mile) and arguably the biggest. Have not been there.

b) The Track- located across 59 from the Welcome Center (coupons available there for the Track) and next to the airport. Has 2 really good go-kart tracks according to my 17 and 15 year old nephews. Buy tickets at the sales office before going to the ride(s) in the slower seasons. Huge bungee cord thingie as well.

2) Zoo- featured on Animal Planet’s “the little zoo that could” about evacuating animals preceding Hurricane Ivan.

3) The Wharf- ferris wheel

4) Fort Morgan

5) Naval Museum in Pensacola- LOTS of airplanes. Fun for all ages. They currently have a learning game kids can follow along with through the museum. http://navalaviationmuseum.org/

6) Blue Angels- navalaviationmuseum.org/Activities/BlueAngel…

7) USS Alabama in Mobile

8) Biloxi- for parents only. 100 miles from GS. Check www.goodtimetours.com for a day coach trip leaving from the Track.

9) New Orleans- pushing it for a day trip (better to stay overnight in NO) but can be done. If you’ve never been- GO! One of the best cities in America IMHO

10) Baby stuff rentals- http://www.beachandbaby.com/

babiestravellite.com/baby_equipment_rental.h…

11) Scuba Diving/Snorkeling: http://www.downunderdiveshop.com/

12) Dolphin Cruises: gulfshoresyachtclubandmarina.com/charters.htm

Food:

www.orangebeach.ws/restaurants_bars.html

1) Lamberts- (www.throwedrolls.com) Similar to Cracker Barrel. HUGE portions of comfort food. CASH ONLY! Very family oriented. Can be fun or cheesy depending on your viewpoint. Long waits most of the time. Next to Tanger Outlets.

2) Lulu’s- (http://www.lulusathomeport.com/main/index.php) Owned by Jimmy Buffet’s sister. Under the Intercostal waterway bridge off 59 next to the airport. Many locals feel it’s overrated. Family oriented as they have many activities for children. No air conditioning. At night, they usually have a band and can be quite loud. Long waits are common but they have things for the kids to do and a bar inside the door for adults. I always get the ½ head of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese and bacon.

3) Original Oyster House- (http://www.originaloysterhouse.com/) Good place: recommended. For that reason (and location close to the beach-blocks from the beach on 59) can have extremely long waits. There is shopping next to the restaurant to pass the time and a bar inside the door. According to my Dad, they have the best gumbo in the region. I love their Parmesan Oysters.

4) Cosmos- (http://www.cosmosrestaurantandbar.com/) this place was recommended to me by several people. Thought it was overpriced but very good. Food is delicious. Long waits as it’s a very small place. Try eating in the bar. Quiter there too.

5) Desoto’s- (http://www.desotosseafoodkitchen.com/) Great location. Behind Souvenir City. Good food/good prices. Have grouper.

6) Sea n Suds- (http://www.sea-n-suds.com/) AWESOME location on the beach a few blocks east of 59 on Beach Blvd. Very family oriented so long waits but kids can play on the beach and adults can have drinks on their outdoor bar/deck. LOTS of fried seafood. Good raw oysters. Not too expensive. Parking hard, may want to valet.

7) Perdido Beach Resort- (http://www.perdidobeachresort.com/) Went here for lunch. Avacado/tomato salad was superb. Good view of the beach if you get near the glass.

8) Pink Pony- (http://www.pinkponypub.net/) AWESOME location on the beach where 59 ends at the Gulf. Pub food. Great for drinks on their deck at sunset. Shows soccer (football for our non-US folks) on TVs. Also has poker on Wednesdays. (last time I was there this may be discontinued)

9) Papa Rocco’s- (http://www.paparocco.com/) a local’s favorite. Blocks from the beach on 59. Small, dive place with good food, cheap beer, and a band almost every night. Don’t ruin it for us.  Parking is minimal.

10 )The Hangout- (http://www.thehangoutal.com/) Finally went to the hangout last week. Here%26#39;s my impressions (we ate before we went so didn%26#39;t try the food) Someone dropped a TON of money on this place. it%26#39;s gorgeous. Bars are very strategically placed. huge one as you enter the door and then 3 out back. Lulu%26#39;s should be shaking in their boots. This place has a huge sand mound that kids can play on, chairs for the parents surrounding it, and a bar right next to that Pretty cool place to take teens. they have an outdoor stage where bands play and then next to that are beds/couches with white canopies and a seating area around a fire that comes out of white crystals It was kind of chilly the night we went but it looks similar to Lulu%26#39;s in that they have garage doors that close. not sure if they have AC. if not, another place to check off my list come Summer. Gift shop has some hilarious gag gifts. Parking is a nightmare. they have their own lot off Beach Blvd but it fills up quick. the other parking near the beach was $5 Overall I was very impressed. Parents should love it because they can let their kids go wild on the sand hill and tire themselves out while enjoying a cold beverage.

Fort Morgan/Gulf Shores

Wow--that last reply is really helpful. I need to copy that for myself for future trips.

We were in Gulf Shores last week and stayed out on Ft. Morgan. If you have stayed before, you are aware that it takes some time to drive back into Gulf Shores and beyond, so plan accordingly when driving in.

We ate out at the Shrimp Basket (the one on Foley) and it was great! Prices were reasonable, food was good, and we got seated without a wait.

We also ate at the Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores and really liked it as well. It%26#39;s a little more expensive than the Shrimp Basket, but the food is really good. This place appears to stay very busy and always has a wait. Our group of 9 got there on a Wed. night at 5, thinking we%26#39;d be ';early.'; No such luck--we had to wait 30 minutes to get a pager and then another 30 minutes to get a table. It wasn%26#39;t a bad wait b/c there are little shops around the restaurant and a little lake/lagoon area with fish. There%26#39;s also a little playground too. I don%26#39;t think I would want to make a habit of this, but for one night, it was fine. And, the food was really good.

On Ft. Morgan road (highway 180), there%26#39;s a fantasic seafood market next to the Chevron Station and the Sunplace Else II restaurant. I%26#39;m not sure if the market shares the restaurant%26#39;s name or not. They have lots of shrimp, crab legs, fish, gumbo, etc. and you can either buy it and cook it yourself or have them steam it for you. We got shrimp, crab legs, and gumbo three different times and had them steam it (not the gumbo--ha, ha) for us each time--DELICIOUS! I highly recommend this place. They are open 7 days a week and close at either 7 or 8.

We are also ice cream fans and ate at TCBY in Gulf Shores twice and at Cold Stone Creamery another afternoon. Both were really good as well. There%26#39;s another ice cream shop near TCBY called Scoops but it was extremely busy when we stopped by. We did eat there once last year and it%26#39;s good too.

Thanks so much for taking the time to give us such a great list. One more question...my sister-in-law loves steamed blue claw crabs, either at a restaurant or from a fresh market. Any suggestions. Thanks.

I have never had those here only in Maryland. I%26#39;d check Blalocks Seafood Market and see if they have them.

The posting with the information on gulf shores activites and food is great! For folks who just recently at gulf shores/ ft morgan, how as the water quality? Were there lots of jellyfish or seaweed?

Thanks!

The water was good the first couple of days last week, clear and just a few small waves. Later in the week there were daily rains and squalls which made the water murkier. Every day there were jellyfish. This kept the kids out of the water most of the time. On the clear, calm days it was easier to see them, but the rougher days was a challenge. By the way, we went to the HangOut and it was really fun. Live music, lots of people. Got there about 6:30 on a weeknight and had to wait about 35-45 minutes. All other ';popular'; spots were 11/2 hour waits. The food was okay. A great place for kids with tricycles and beds to jump on outside, along with that pile of sand where they were letting kids make sandcastles. Hope this helps.