Sweet Home Alabama: An unforgettable trip to the Gulf Coast

September 2023

^{I was compensated for our visit, but my opinions are completely my own.}

I see why it’s called Sweet Home Alabama! No seriously, if you are looking for your next trip, consider Alabama! Our family just returned from a 4 day trip to the Gulf Coast of Alabama and it was truly one for the books. It is always a treat when you visit somewhere new and instantly know you are about to have a great time. There was plenty to do and see and of course I want to share it all with you! Make sure to save this blog post as I am covering all the details of our trip.

The drive from Atlanta was only 5.5 hours. So we opted for a road trip over flying. I love when places are close enough to just hop in the car a ride, especially when my husband does all of the driving. Passenger princesses, check in. lol

Once we arrived, we stopped for something to eat at Lulu's Gulf Shores. The food was delicious and there was something on the menu to satisfy everyone’s cravings. I had a jerk chicken sandwich, Greg had shrimp and grits, Ryann chose the shrimp tacos, Isaiah got the specialty burger, Nox and Nori got quesadillas and tenders and we got fried crab claws for the table. The property was so cool. They had a beach play area, live music, gaming arcade, attractions, and even someone set up to do henna tattoos.

We checked into our vacation rental immediately after we filled our bellies and were wowed away. The property we stayed at is in Orange Beach and close to many attractions. There was also a pool with a lazy river and slide which is where we spent the rest of our evening.

Day 2 we got an early start on our day because we knew it would be so much to do and see. We started with breakfast at the Ruby Slipper. Can we say delicious?! I recently saw this restaurant floating around on Instagram and I was happy to see it was just a few miles from the house we were staying in. We tried their shrimp and grits, chicken and french toast bites, the cinnamon swirl pancakes and their seasonal beignets. EVERYTHING was so good. Don’t forget the mimosa flight!

Now for the best part of our day! OWA!!!!!!! Omg did we have the best time. We went to Tropic Falls. It is an indoor waterpark with lots of slides, a lazy river, and outdoor wave pool, an arcade, food, drinks and fun for the entire family. OWA also has an outdoor theme park that you can access with the same ticket. There is also shopping, live music, and entertainment. We topped our day in downtown OWA with some ice cream!

Day 3 we headed to Picnic Beach for an early lunch before making our way to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Picnic Beach had healthy and fresh options including salads, sandwiches, salmon bowl, teas and juices. It was such a cute spot that you definitely want to check out if in the area. We enjoyed checking out the lions, giraffes, monkeys and different animals at the zoo. The temperature didn’t allow us to do the cool attractions like the zip line.

We decided to keep the party going after our zoo visit and head to The Wharf! Another cool place that you would want to check out! They have so much to do and see here. Food, attractions, train ride, marina, a movie theater, arcade, shopping and more. We wanted some time away from the heat so we played in the arcade. Greg and I grabbed drinks from the Daiquiri spot before we headed back to the house to reset.

We spent the evening at Orange Beach. The kids really enjoyed jumping waves, collecting shells and making sand mountains. I loved the white sand and blue water. It was so peaceful and catching the sunset is always the icing on the cake. Before we left the beach we had dinner at The Hangout. What an awesome way to end the night. The host, food, music and people were all a vibe. My two middle kids got to stand on the tables to celebrate their birthdays, Nori got to see her first rock band and we all had the best time. Make sure you try their dry rub wings, so yummy!

We woke up on day 4 and took a walk down to the Gulf State Park and even got greeted by an alligator. Don’t worry he was in water, lol. Before we left we went to have coffee at Foam. Their shaken espresso and strawberry nutella toast was delicious! I cannot lie I was sad to be ending our trip after the best few days exploring Alabama’s Gulf Coast. I was surprised at how much there was to do and how beautiful it was. I am already thinking about the next time we can make our way down to visit. So, again if you haven’t been, it’s time to make the trip. You will be so happy you did.