Trip report Sept. 7-15

Hi ya%26#39;ll! We just got back from our trip and had a great time! We headed down a day early so that if Ike did come to GS we would at least have an extra day in. We rented at the Lighthouse through Young%26#39;s Realty and as usual they were gracious and were happy to move our reservation up a day.

On our way in we stopped at Lamberts to eat. It was wonderful as usual and we had so much food that we packed up the leftovers for lunch the next day. After a quick check in at Youngs and a stop at the car wash to wash off the Love Bugs we headed to the condo. We stayed at Lighthouse 1109. (A 1 brm w/ a bunkbed extra room). It was great. Very clean and nicely decorated w/ great balcony furniture.

We walked to Sea and Suds on Monday after spending the day on the beach. We were so hopeful about this place since you can walk to it from the Lighthouse. We were really disapointed. Hubby had a regular ole cheeseburger and I had a very small shrimp sandwhich (meaning hamburger bun, not po-boy). You had to order fries or onion rings seperate, but they were good. All in all we won%26#39;t go there again. To much money for not enough food. And we not even that big of eaters. This wouldn%26#39;t have satifised a lot people.

Monday we went to the outlets and spent a bunch of money. :) We ate at Calypos Joe%26#39;s in Orange Beach. Was good as always. Hubby got the BBQ pork sandwhich and I got the Buenos Noches. I%26#39;ll try something else next time as I thought it was BBQ w/ ham and actually it is turkey w/ ham. Turkey is not a fav of mine. The fries are always good there.

Wed. we ordered pizza and cheesesticks for lunch from Crico%26#39;s. Always so very good. We ate off this pizze for lunch for days. Be sure to pick up a $2 off coupon from the Welcome Center. I%26#39;ve heard from a local that their buffet for $5.99, drink included, is also great. We ate that night at Shrimp Basket. Wed and Sundays are all you can eat shrimp. Delicious! The fries are great and so are the new potatoes. Hubby got the shrimp poboy and it was nice and big.

Thursday we went to Mikees Seafood. Wonderful. A new fav of ours. I got the Sweet and Sour chicken and hubby got fried catfish. Loved it!

Friday we went to Lulu%26#39;s. No wait which was good. It was so very windy from Ike but we had a great time. Music not too loud this time. However for the 2nd time we were disapointed in the food, especially compared w/ the prices. Hubby got what was supposed to be a famous hamburger. It was so dense and tasteless like a soy burger almost. I got the mahi mahi fish tacos. They were good. At first we said we would go back there again and order something else, but after talking about it we realize that there are too many resturants to try there to waste any of our precious time there.

Sat. we went to Ruby Tuesdays for a steak and salad. It was fine. Salad great. But we like Appleebees better.

Sunday we went back to Shrimp Basket for that great shrimp one more time. Hubby got the fried chicken tenders and he said they were great.

We also went to the Starbucks throughout the trip for my vacation frappacino and hubby%26#39;s cappicino. The outlets Starbucks was just okay. The Wharf%26#39;s was great. The Starbucks at the Target shopping center was the best. Also went to a free concert at the Wharf on Sat which was nice.

Ike was an experience. If this is what a non-hurricane for the gulf coast is like, I can%26#39;t imagine the fury of a direct hit! High winds for a couple of days and no beach for a couple of days. But it was an experience and we were able to find lots of great shells after the water receeded. The only thing the storm kept us from doing was going to the Original Oyster House because the parking lot and road was flooded. It didn%26#39;t stop other people, but we figured we can try it next year.

So that%26#39;s a lot, but that%26#39;s it! We had a great time and love the area and will be back in March at Spring Break w/ our two neices. Can%26#39;t wait!

Trip report Sept. 7-15

Hi, I remember your postings back during the summer, so it%26#39;s great to hear about your trip. Thanks for sharing! I%26#39;m sorry you had to deal with some of Ike but glad it didn%26#39;t ruin your trip. It sounds like y%26#39;all had a good time. I have been to the Shrimp Basket in Foley and thought it was great and well worth the money--and it%26#39;s really not expensive compared with some places. Sounds like the one in GS is just as good. Too bad about Lulu%26#39;s--sounds like they may be coasting on their name and reputation, huh? Thanks again for sharing your trip!

Trip report Sept. 7-15

We were at the Lighthouse some of the time you were there, we were from 4th til the 11th! We also had a great time at the beach. Glad you enjoyed yourselves too. and it also sounds like we did some of the same things.

Thanks for a great TR loaded with good info. Those waves were something else though huh? I have noticed that a few posts lateley have mentioned the poor food and service at Sea-n-Suds. Perhaps it%26#39;s just a case of seasonitus, when the staff are just really tired and ready for a break. It%26#39;s no excuse, but I%26#39;ve seen it down here almost every year right around the middle of Septemeber. You can%26#39;t just rely on your great location alone. Thanks again for the great reporting.

IrieGulfShores makes a good point. Some of the service people are tired after a long, hot summer and some of them are new. Many service people leave after the summer because of school commitments, so the restaurants have to hire and train new servers. Add to that the fact that fall/winter visitors are probably not as generous with the gratuities as are the summer folks, and you get less than stellar service in some places. The blue license plate crowd are not known as big tippers. :)

Those were good points about the time of year and service, but actually the service was fine...good even. It was just the food was chintzy. But that was okay, w/ Shrimp Basket around, who needs Sea %26amp; Suds!

Nice trip report!

I want to disagree with anyone making excuses for poor customer service.. there is no excuse for rude service. With the economy the way it is, they should be extra grateful to the customers they DO have.

Thanks for the TR.

The only time I ever go to Sea-n-Suds is when friends/family are in and even then I only order the oysters. Too much fried food for me.

Almost everyone I know who goes to Lulu%26#39;s complains about their food. Again, the only time I ever go there is when friends/family is in town or for the Christmas boat parade.