The definition of adventure is “an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.” Throw in torrential downpour throughout a large portion of the drive, flash flood warnings throughout most of our time in Gulf Shores, and two kids 2 and under in tow (one mid-potty training, one still nursing), you could say we had ourselves an adventure. For those of you traveling to the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach areas and there isn’t a beam of sunlight in sight, follow our guide to a rainy road trip:
If you are looking for a place to stay while you are in Gulf Shores, this place is it. It may not look like much from the outside (other than being directly on the beach) but the inside of the house is amazing. It is a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom beach house with a shared common room. It has a modern feel with white ship lap in the kitchen and wooden beach paneling throughout the common room. The kitchen is large enough for multiple people to be cooking simultaneously. However, my favorite part of the entire home though: the view from the deck! The deck is large enough to accommodate 6 large Adirondack chairs.
The perfect rainy day activity in Gulf Shores with two young kids is Build-a-Bear! Our oldest daughter absolutely loved picking out her bear, the bear’s clothes, and warming up the bear’s heart to put into her bear. Since the bear, now called Grace, has come home with us, she has not let her out of her sight. She loves to tuck Grace into bed and put her into her sister’s standing saucer.
Our first full stop on the way to Gulf Shores was at The Chimes Restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If we had gone to LSU, this restaurant would have been a staple in our college hangouts. The atmosphere and service were great, and the food was top notch. The spinach and artichoke dip came with fried bowtie pasta which was a first for us. We also ordered the cheesy grits which were toddler-, baby-, and adult-approved!
Although I have lived in Texas for 25 years, I have never been to a Waffle House. I know, divorceable offense. With the frequent stops necessary when you are on a road trip with a baby and a toddler, we decided what better place to stop then at a Waffle House in D’Iberville, Mississippi? It lived up to the expectations; fast service and delicious waffles. D’Iberville was the perfect stopping point in our journey as it was just around 2 hours drive from Gulf Shores.
Enjoy yourself. Not every vacation needs to be action-packed or your itinerary needs to be filled to the brim. Sometimes the biggest blessings can be the unexpected ; in our case, weather. The unanticipated rain allowed us to stay inside, catch up with friends and family, play board games, read books, take naps, and just relax.
After we had family pictures taken (more details about the session later in this post), Jeff from San Marcus Photography recommended a local restaurant called Fresh Off the Boat. He explained this restaurant was more “local” (didn’t attract too many tourists unless recommended by a local) and you could see the ocean through the floor. We went into the restaurant thinking the floor was clear and you could see fish swimming underneath but unless we missed it, it was just a beautifully painted floor that looked like the ocean. Although the expectations of the atmosphere didn’t exactly live up to what we were expecting, the service and food were great. It also wasn’t a tourist-trap like other places we were near during our pictures at Orange Beach.
We can’t leave this post without information about the actual destination: Gulf Shores, Alabama. When Austen originally brought up a road trip destination to Alabama, I can honestly say I wasn’t too thrilled. We live on the Gulf Coast. I know the Gulf Coast…or at least I thought I did. There wasn’t a destination on the Gulf Coast that I hadn’t been to or wanted to go to so I was really skeptical about a full week in Gulf Shores. I can honestly say, even with the unexpected weather, I would repeat this trip in the future. The coast is beautiful, the water is clear (didn’t know the Gulf could have clear water…), southern hospitality is prevalent, and there is a lot to do in the area.
Happy Pappy’s Coffee Shop got our money every morning while in the Gulf Shores area. Not only was their coffee delicious but we partook in their delicious macaroons during every visit. This was our oldest daughter’s first time trying a macaroon and she was hooked! Little Miss Independent also loved venturing off on her own to sit a table by herself so she could read.
One of the best purchases we made prior to our trip to Gulf Shores was the Regalo My Play Deluxe Extra Large Portable Play Yard. This play yard is large enough to fit three kids and two adults. If we needed to cook dinner, play board games, or just corral the kids in one location, we would just put the kids in this play yard with toys and they were content. It was also the perfect place to put our youngest daughter on the beach to get her out of the sun during the short time it was sunny.
During your trip to Gulf Shores, don’t forget your beach toys! Kids love to play in the sand and dip their toes in the water. Before we left on the trip, we purchased a 24-piece sand toy set that came with its own bag. The bag made it convenient to consolidate all the toys in one place and could easily be slung over our 2-year old’s shoulders. This little sand castle backpack allowed her to work on being responsible while having fun at the same time!
If you want to stop at a well-known restaurant in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, look no further than Lulu’s! Lulu’s is owned by Lucy Buffett, Jimmy Buffett’s sister and the menu is derived from Lucy’s very own recipes. Take it from us, the food is delicious and the energy is contagious. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to partake in some of the outdoor activities directly outside of the restaurant (thanks, rain) but when the weather is nice, spend some time outdoors relaxing in the Adirondack chairs, test your balance on the ropes course, or get caricatures drawn of your family.
On our last day in Alabama, we had a few hours of sunlight so we took full advantage and went to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. This zoo is one big loop with animals and is the perfect size for little travelers.
Oliver Family Adventures 
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