The Beach is Calling Blog

During the months of May to October, you may find a few surprise guests on the beach. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach are fortunate to be nesting grounds for several types of endangered sea turtles. We ask that you help us Share The Beach with these delicate sea creatures.

Female sea turtles return to the beach they were hatched to lay up to 100 eggs per nest. In 55 to 75 days, the hatchlings will emerge from their shells and the sand to make the perilous journey to the water. From 2003 to 2011, it is estimated that more than 28,000 hatchlings safely entered into the water on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

How can you help ensure our tiny friends make their journey undisturbed? Here are a few tips on being turtle friendly:

• Avoid using flashlights or flash photography on the beach at night.
• Turn off outside patio lights and shield indoor lights from shining onto the beach at night. Hatchling sea turtles find their way to the Gulf waters by moonlight or starlight. Building lights along the shore may confuse the hatchlings, drawing them away from the water.
• Do not disturb sea turtle nests.
• Leave sea turtle tracks undisturbed.
• Do not leave trash, beach chairs, umbrellas or tents on the beach.
• Adopt a nest!

Remember, sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, and it is unlawful to disturb nesting sea turtles, hatchlings or their nest. However, they do provide an awesome sight to see when the baby sea turtles begin erupting from the sand. If you are lucky enough to see this, be sure to stay back and not disturb the process.

Sea turtles nest in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach from May to October.

Are you ready for the official kick-off to summer 2013? There’s no better place to do it than at the beach. Alabama’s white-sand beaches are calling your name. Come to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, put your ear to a seashell and find out!

Whether you are looking for a luxury beach vacation rental or a budget-friendly condo, browse the Packages & Hot Deals to find the accommodations that are perfect for your beach-loving group.

As if spending some time on the sand wasn’t enough, there are plenty of events and activities to keep you busy during your beach getaway.

Head over to Lulu’s at Homeport Marina for the christening of The Lulu, a retired freighter and soon-to-be artificial reef for recreational divers. The party will be May 24 beginning at 9 a.m. The christening will take place at 1 p.m., and the party will continue until 3 p.m. The sinking will occur at noon on May 26 approximately 17 miles off the coast of Orange Beach. Hundreds of boaters are expected to join and watch the sinking. The Wet Willie Band will play at Lulu’s following the sinking.

If you’re in the area on May 26, the country music sensation Lady Antebellum will perform at The Amphitheater at The Wharf at 8 p.m. The 10,000-seat amphitheater is a great venue for music lovers.

The 36^th Mobile Big Game Fishing Club Memorial Day Tournament will kick off on May 24 and run through May 27 from the Orange Beach Marina. The weigh-in dock opens at 5 p.m. each day. If you want to see some impressive catches, be at the dock between 5 and 9 p.m. to see what was reeled in each day.

Whether you choose to participate in scheduled events or keep your agenda wide open, we look forward to seeing you soon in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach this Memorial Day weekend.

Pamper Mom with a beach getaway this Mother’s Day weekend.

Spend Memorial Day weekend in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

Sun, sand, shopping, spa…there are lots of words we can associate with a great Mother’s Day weekend in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. Why not treat Mom to a beach getaway filled with pampering and relaxation for her special weekend? You know she deserves it!

The key to a successfully planned Mother’s Day beach getaway is to take care of all the details for Mom. Leave nothing to chance. Make a list of things for you to do and a list of things for Mom to do. Mom’s to do list should look something like this:

• Be on time for a massage at the spa
• Read your favorite book by the pool
• Put your toes in the sand on the beach
• Shop at The Wharf or do some outlet shopping at Tanger Outlets
• Enjoy a cocktail at dinner
• Take a dolphin cruise
• Soar above the Gulf State Park on the Hummingbird Zipline
• Hug your family

You may want to print Mom’s list out so she doesn’t forget anything! Your to-do list really isn’t too complicated either.

• Browse the Hot Deals for Mother’s Day weekend vacation rentals
• Arrange spa treatments and dolphin cruise
• Pack the beach supplies
• Enjoy the weekend with the special Mom in your life

Make this Mother’s Day a weekend to remember in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. See you soon!

Pamper Mom with a beach getaway this Mother’s Day weekend.

The competition is heating up in the search for the Ultimate Fishing Town. The annual contest is promoted by the World Fishing Network and the winning town will take home up to $25,000 to be used towards fishing industry-related causes and tourism.

With the country’s largest artificial reef located just off the shore of Orange Beach, selecting Orange Beach as America’s Ultimate Fishing Town is a no brainer. Anglers have the opportunity to fish year round offshore and in the backbays of Alabama’s Gulf Coast, reeling in red snapper, king and Spanish mackerel, redfish, grouper and more.

The Orange Beach charter fishing industry boasts more than 100 experienced captains and is one of the largest fleets on the Gulf of Mexico. But, the great fishing doesn’t stop there. Pier fishing along the Gulf State Park pier is also a popular pastime for both locals and visitors to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. Anglers can even be spotted dotting the shorelines of the Gulf or wading into the water with their fishing poles.

Go online to vote today for Orange Beach as the Ultimate Fishing Town by May 2 to ensure Orange Beach’s placement in the next phase of the contest. You can vote up to four times in a 24-hour period! What are you waiting for? Help bring the title home to Orange Beach!

Vote for Orange Beach in the Ultimate Fishing Town Contest.

Whether you come by land or by sea, you don’t want to miss two hot events coming to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach. The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show and the Bama Coast Cruise will both be held at The Wharf in Orange Beach in April.

Test drive the boat of your dreams on April 25 to 28 at The Wharf Marina. This is the largest in-water show of its kind along the Gulf Coast. The latest offerings from boat manufacturers and dealers will be showcased both in the water and on land at the event. There will be luxury yachts, center consoles, cruisers, pontoons and runabouts. Sports fishermen will also find top-of-the-line vessels. Visitors can reel in some great deals at the exhibitor showcase where cutting edge marine gear and equipment will be on display and for sale.

You’ll notice a different scene as you stroll down Main Street at The Wharf. Hundreds of classic cars and hot rods will get your motor running April 25 to 27 at the Bama Coast Cruise. From roadsters to modern-day sports cars, automobile enthusiasts will have plenty of sleek, well-preserved cars to peruse during the three-day event.

Make a day of these two shows and break for lunch or dinner at one of The Wharf’s restaurants. Don’t forget the boutique shopping, either! If you prefer to dine offsite, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach are packed with great restaurants serving everything from fresh, Gulf seafood to juicy angus burgers.

Pack your bags, and we will see you in April!

It won’t be long before music lovers unite once again on the sugar-white sands of Gulf Shores for the annual Hangout Music Festival slated May 17, 18 and 19, 2013. There will be toes tapping the sand when headliners like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers take the stage. Other headliners include Kings of Leon and Stevie Wonder.

More than 35,000 people are expected in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach for the three-day festival to see top-touring artists on a collection of stages throughout the main public beach area in Gulf Shores. Guests will enjoy a full-festival experience during the annual event, including activities like inflatable water slides, amusement park rides and food vendors.

There are still lodging options available during this exciting weekend. Be sure to check out the Hot Deals and Specials, as well as beach vacation rentals offering tickets to the Hangout Music Festival. The festival itself also still has tickets available for purchase, but they will go fast!

The 2013 Lineup includes:

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder, Trey Anastasio Band, The Shins, BASSNECTAR, Kendrick Lamar, The Black Crowes, Slightly Stoopid, The Roots, Ellie Goulding, Steve Aoki, Passion Pit, Bloc Party, Gov’t Mule, Jim James Band, Porter Robinson, Public Enemy, moe., Galactic, Dirty Projectors, Grouplove, Toots and the Maytals, Lissie, The Breeders, Best Coast, Jason Isbell & 400 Unit, Twin Sister, Ryan Bingham, The Sheepdogs, Shovels & Rope, Moon Taxi, The Revivalists, Zion I, Lance Herbstrong, Anders Osborne, Twenty | One | Pilots, Delta Rae, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, The Bright Light Social Hour, The Werks, The Ton Tons, Brassft Punk, Kingston Springs, The Mowgli’s, Chancellor Warhol, Luella and the Sun, The Weeks, Space Capone, Wild Cub and Colin Lake.

Music lovers gather for the annual Hangout Music Fest.