Growing up in Ohio, we considered ourselves lucky to wear shorts after Labor Day. Fall was one long, cold, rainy season that dribbled into dreary winters.
But that was before the internet (I’m really old). And before air travel was so affordable. And before I moved south where summer fights with school schedules well into October.
But here I am…. a southern girl transplant who will do almost anything to keep on summering with my family! So, when the kids have a long weekend break from school, we take full advantage of it!
My favorite place to keep on summering should come as no surprise to regular readers. It’s Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama! Of course, it helps that my oldest lives in nearby Birmingham and we can usually see him when we head to Alabama.
Kayaking with Ellie
But, it’s a lot more than that. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach (the two towns on Alabama’s Gulf Coast) are focused on family travel. Restaurants, even fine dining restaurants, welcome children with friendly staff and children’s menus. The wide variety of attractions, from biking the miles of trails, hiking at the state park, to the many water sports are surprisingly affordable. Rental homes and apartments are widely available, and even hotels offer special perks (like loaner beach toys for kids) to make vacations easy and affordable.
Sail Wild Hearts catamaran excursion.
Ellie climbing at Lulu’s, a restaurant and more!
Another big reason to keep on summering right through November in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach is the value. September to November is considered the shoulder season, so accommodations are discounted. AND, since the beach is less crowded this time of year, there’s lots more beach per person to enjoy. Restaurant wait times drop (a lot!), too. That means you won’t wait 1.5 hours for ice cream at The Yard Milkshake Bar, even though people say it’s totally worth it.
At the same time, the gulf waters are still warm. The sun shines bright. In fact, October is the sunniest month of the year!
[bctt tweet=”Warm water + sunny days + uncrowded beaches = perfect beach season! #Keeponsummering at Gulf Shores!” via=”no”]
I could go on and on, but these days, a video is worth a million words! So take a look — and then head to Gulf Shores for fall break. Your kids will thank you!
Sponsored Post: This post was sponsored by Gulf Shores & Orange Beach as part of its #KeepOnSummering promotion. All opinions are 100% mine.
Learn more about Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
We have never spent any time in Alabama. We will definitely have to look into it for next summer!
You would love it — all the beach without all the crowds (though high season is a little crowded… just not like some of the “popular” gulf coast beaches). And the food — oh my goodness! A road trip from Huntsville to Birmingham to Gulf Shores would be really awesome. Three very distinct places. All wonderful.
I love seeing you and your daughter get your outdoorsy on! We really are lucky to have extended summer here in the south. Thank you for reminding us that Alabama Gulf Shores is a great place to spend that extended summer time.
The older I get, the more outdoorsy I am! Isn’t that crazy — in a good way? It’s nice passing the love of adventure on to my daughter at a younger age.