Gulf Shores / Orange Beach, Alabama There are plenty of things to do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. You can always sit back and relax on the sugar white sands of the coast. There is golf, tennis, scuba diving, deep see fishing, shopping, music restaurants, historic destinations, mullet tossing, just about anything you can think of is found in Gulf Shores. Sometimes lovingly referred to as "The Redneck Riviera" Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have a lot to offer vacationers and residents. There are annual events that guarantee the fun as well as unique shopping and dining experiences. There is also plenty of summer fun entertainment for the whole family. The Annual National Shrimp Festival is held each year during the second full weekend in October on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Festival is one of the nation’s premier outdoor festivals featuring over 300 vendors that offer fine art, arts and crafts, a retail marketplace and of course, SHRIMP!! Visit the Shrimp Festival web site for even more information. Mullet Toss is somthing you really need to see to understand. You will have to visit the world famous FloraBama Lounge for this one. Just how far do you think you can toss a mullet? A Mullet Toss consists of individuals on the beach throwing a mullet, from a 10-foot circle in Alabama across the state line into Florida. Not to mention a great excuse to throw a weekend long party, with lots of fun activities, great music and food! Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival: The gulf coast has always been known for good music. THE FRANK BROWN INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS' FESTIVAL at it's inception was an idea born to honor Mr. Frank Brown (the night watchman at the Flora~Bama Lounge) through a gathering of the writers he so loved and admired. Today the festival provides an atmosphere to promote all writers, whether they had written hit songs which made people open their eyes and view the world in a different way or they are aspiring writers and musicians who knew they could do the same but needed a forum in order to get their music out to the world. FloraBama Lounge: You may have heard of this place or maybe not. The FloraBama straddles the Florida / Alabama line on hihgway 98, the beach highway. Plenty of sun, sand, beer, shrimp, beer, music, beer, girls and beer. If you've spent a rough day on the gulf or the links or the outlet mall the FloraBama will wind you down and then rev you back up.There is always something happening at the FloraBama. Fishing is an extremely popular Gulf Shores activity: Visit the Gulf Shores Fishing Pier if you don't have your own boat and want to experience gulf fishing or you can fish right off the beach. If you have your own boat you can venture out into the Gulf of Mexico to visit one of the thousands of artificial reef sites insure the fish will be there. Of course it is up to you to coax them out of the water. Check the Fishing The Coast Section for the coordinates of many of the fishing and diving sites that are out there. Diving Gulf Shores: Diving is another extremely popular water sport available in Gulf Shores and just about anywhere else along the gulf coast. The artificial reef system that brings in the fish also makes for a multitude of fantastic dive sites. Visit these Gulf Shores and Orange Beach dive shops for more information on diving opportunities in Gulf Shores. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are just a little west of the Oriskany, The Mighty O, the worlds largest artificial reef. This retired US Navy aircraft carrier was purchased by the state of Florida and sunk May 17, 2006. Just a couple of years old, this massive wreck holds incredible fish and is a truly spectacular, one of a kind, dive. Family Activities In Gulf Shores: There are a great many things for families to do in Gulf Shores. Fishing is something most dads, kids and the occasional mom enjoy. You can fish from the beach, at the Gulf Shores Fishing Pier, at Perdido Pass or you can charter a boat and even take your own. Check these Gulf Shores Fishing links for more information on Gulf Shores deep sea fishing. You can visit the Gulf Shores Zoo. A nice little Zoo that has bounced back form hurricane damage and provides a great afternoon of education and fun. Waterville USA just down the road from the zoo provides a completely different kind of fun. Got wet and slide to your hearts content. The perfect family style break to the sometimes unbearable heat from the beach. Cool fresh water fun with a couple thousand of your closest. Slide the slides, sit back and relax, enjoy the flowrider or the wave pool or just float down the lazy river. At the right time of the year you can backtrack up the road away from the beach for a little fun at the Elberta Sausage Festival, it happens two times a year. The Wharf Resort on the intercoastal waterway, just before you get into Gulf Shores is a destination that provides a multitude of family fun opportunities. Shopping, dining, fishing, lounging in thte sun and more. | 
Gulf Shores / Orange Beach
