Help for newbie!

Family of 5 looking to go in July. We would like to be on the beach and stay in a place with a kitchen. We would like to stay on a quiet beach that is within close driving distance to family fun stuff.

Any recs?

Thanks.

Help for newbie!

www.gulfshores.com

That site has links to condo and house rentals. If you want quiet you might want to look at West Beach Blvd and Fort Morgan areas. If you have any specific questions post them and we%26#39;ll try to help.

Help for newbie!

If you want quiet, the best is to get a beach front house,

But........In gulf shores, the beach front houses are higher than getting a condo...

Both have their advantages,

Like with a house, you have more room to your self, Quieter...Don%26#39;t have to share the beach as much...

And with the condo, you get pools, and fitness centers, ect....

We have done both, ...

I tend to watch people to much when in a condo,

kinda interested in the way people interact, I guess...

Fort morgan, right off of gulf shores is very quiet, and You can get what they call a second tier house,

(that means just behind the gulf front) But with a great view for the most part..

And it just takes two seconds to walk past the front row of houses,

The reason I mention these , is because you can save a lot by getting a second tier house...

But , the beach front prices in fort morgan are not to bad...

The only down fall of fort morgan is the drive up into gulf shores, It is a long road if you stay way out on in fort morgan...

Fort morgan has a couple of restaurants, and small stores,

But for the most part we always drove into gulf shores for food, and shopping......

But with gas prices, we have decided to stay in gulf shores...

I have used www.vrbo.com

It is an owner rental site, just click on the state, and then the area, (like gulf shores)

I like the owner rentals because there are no offices to check into when you arrive,

Just take the key, or code the owner sends you, and poof......You get right in..

And the owners tend to be cheaper, and will make sure you are happy.......

Just browse the web site, and get an idea of where you might want to be..

The beaches in alabama are super clean,

no crowds like with the famous florida beaches and it has a wonderful family enviroment...

Thanks so much. Wow, great info. How rough (i.e., hot, humid, flies)is it mid-July?

Is it crazy to go mid-July? Our family has a small window of opportunity this year and I would prefer to avoid August because of the start of hurricane season etc.

Thanks in advance for the advice!!!!

Hurrican season starts in June and goes thru november...

To me June is the nicest month, and september is nice,

August the local kids go back to school, so there is a good deals on rentals ....

We have been chilly on the beach in june before...

In the evenings.......

The beach is great , unless you have a windless day, and then it gets hot quick........

I have never been in July, But I bet it gets hot.....

I%26#39;ve been to Gulf Shores several times in July and it does get hot. However, if you get out in the mornings and then go inside for the hottest part of the day (go shopping or do other things off the beach), it%26#39;s not bad at all. Go back out on the beach later in the afternoon and early evening before it gets dark--it%26#39;s fine (just noticed you%26#39;re from Green Bay, so I would guess this will be more heat and humidity than you%26#39;re used to up there.

We rented a beach house on Ft. Morgan last year for 7 adults and 2 kids and we loved it. We%26#39;re going back to Ft. Morgan this year and are renting another house right on the beach. We%26#39;ll be going in July again. Last year, we were right on the beach and it was so quiet and peaceful and not crowded at all. It was just what we wanted since the 2 kids are toddlers. If you have older kids or teens, I could see possibly wanting to be in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach so that you%26#39;d be closer to more activities for them (also closer to stores and restaurants). It is a bit of a drive going and coming between Ft. Morgan and GS/OB or even on to Foley for the outlet mall, but the tradeoff was worth it for us.

Just some other GS tips: 1) the Walmart is incredibly crowded on Saturdays and Sundays when most people are checking in to condos/houses in the summer. If you can figure out a way to start out with just a few supplies and go grocery shopping later, you%26#39;ll be glad you did! 2) Traffic in the summer is also a pain coming into GS b/c we all have to check in and out on Saturdays and Sundays. Be prepared for a slow drive once you take the GS exit off the interstate. There is a ferry between Ft. Morgan %26amp; Dalphin Island, so you might consider that if you are going to be staying on Ft. Morgan.

3) The seafood markets are great for getting fresh seafood and you can often get the seafood cooked by them as well. We found a market out on Ft. Morgan road that we used multiple times throughout the week for shrimp and crab legs--cooked by them. They were fantastic and way better than the restaurants we tried. Plus, it kept us from having to drive into GS a lot. 4) There is a terrific farmers market on Highway 59 and it%26#39;s before you get to Foley or GS (if I can remember the name later, I%26#39;ll post it). They have delicious fresh fruits, vegetables, and wonderful homemade breads (other things too). Stop there and pick up some supplies as you come into town. We wished we would have gotten more food from there to last for the week instead of grocery store stuff. Another goal for this year%26#39;s trip!

Lee4,

#4 of your post about the farmer%26#39;s market, is Burris Farm Market in Loxley. They have great desserts, breads, and fresh fruits and veggies. We always stop there on our way to GS. This is a %26#39;must do%26#39; for us!

Thanks for the name of the market and town it%26#39;s in. I can never remember Loxley! I am ';assigning'; my parents the task of stopping there to pick up all the yummy things we need while my husband and I go and get the house opened up. I almost start to drool just thinking about the great bread and fruit we had from there last year.

Thanks everyone!

LEE4,

What is the name of the seafood market that cooks it for you?

I cannot remember the name--sorry! I know it%26#39;s beside a gas station, on Highway 180 and it%26#39;s really close to where 59 and 180 meet up. I wasn%26#39;t the one who actually drove to pick up the seafood so I didn%26#39;t pay that much attention. I%26#39;ll try to find out.