Rejuvenate in Orange Beach
This blog could also have been called, some Americans work too hard. In the United States, we do not get nearly enough time off as our counterparts in other countries. I think it shows too and explains why we are stressed out and more obese than say Europeans. If you have a job where they give you vacation days or paid time off, please use it! There is no award given to the person who burns out the fastest. I will even go so far as to say if you are starting to feel burned out at your job, tell them you need time off and then reflect on if you really want to stay at that job and what your other options are for your career. Everyone over 50 will tell you that making a job change after you reach a certain age is almost impossible and extremely risky. Many employers, even though they are not supposed to, will not hire older people for a variety of reasons. One reason I typically hear is that they do not want to re-train someone and hiring a new person with no experience to train is easier. I disagree. Some people are quick studies and can pick up anything. Regardless, vacation time is important for our mental and physical well-being. Our last family trip was to Orange Beach/Gulf Shores area in Alabama. I have been to Florida many times since middle school but this was my first Alabama trip for a beach. Let’s recap where to go, what to do, and where to eat. And please comment below, if you think Americans need more vacation time.
Gulf State Park was the first thing to do that caught my attention. You can access the park from different points of entry and they boast beaches, a butterfly pavillion, nature trails, pool, nature center, interactive center, and much more. However, it is not the easiest park to do without a map. We never found the butterfly area because (duh) the wood marker that was near the large map of the trails opened and had maps in it was not obvious to us. There was no “take one sign” to indicate the marker was a box that opened. The nature center is cute for kids. They had baby alligators, snakes, turtles and other cute creatures but it is small. If I were to do it again, I would drive over to the pool area and the nature park is right next to it along with a cute food truck that serves ice cream, shaved ice, and many refreshing drinks. There is a tram to get around the park but it does not operate on Sundays. Overall we saw some cool things hiking the trail but it was unbearably hot.
We were also excited about doing a dolphin tour. The photos on the websites really make it look like you are going to see dolphins up close and personal. NOPE. I would never believe you can get bored on a two-hour boat ride in this beautiful location, but it is possible. We did not get a glimpse of dolphins until the end of the tour. The dolphins apparently don’t like the heat either and were not feeling playful when we were out between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. No photos or videos captured the dolphins when they briefly popped up. After the dolphin tour, we hit up Tiki and Raw Bar right near the on ramp to the boat. However, the menu has changed since COVID, but the alcoholic drinks are impressive. The burger was exceptional and the fries were a great cut and seasoning.
Adventure Island mini golf looked exciting as well and it boasted an exploding volcano with go-carts plus an arcade and a concession stand. The volcano, according to the person who sold us the tickets, was not exploding (little disappointing). The mini gold offers two paths to try and was fun. The arcade was not great and some games were out of order; the better arcade is Fat Daddy’s where the games and prizes are more generous. The concession stand at Adventure Island is also a rip off. After working up a sweat playing mini golf, they charge you $4.00 for a small fountain drink!
My recommendation on where to eat depends on the food you are craving. There are so many seafood, and especially oyster bars, it is not hard to find good food. There are a few locations of Doc’s Seafood and their grilled oysters were hard to beat. One big disappointment was the Pink Pony which is right on the beach over on the Gulf Shores side. There menu has been stripped down since COVID and the service was average. They did not have key lime pie which was listed on the menu. There are many places to eat but this is not one worth the prices. For Italian food, and a trip to the touristy Wharf area, go to Villaggio Grille. The lasagna is to die for and authentic like Nana’s. The desserts were not that impressive. Ruby Slipper and Duck’s Diner are both good for breakfast but avoid Island House Hotel’s bar and grill. The Island House Hotel is a good place to stay and true to their word every room faces the water; however, some hotel staff are not professional.
Overall we had fun. I saw and did everything on my wish list and came back relaxed and ready for anything. If you have been to this area before for vacation, let me know if you agree with the reviews. I’m curious what other people have experienced.
