Is Gulf Shores Ready for Vacationing?

N/A | yt

[IamConservative]

My family is considering a vacation to Gulf Shores in April 2007. Anyone know if Gulf Shores is open for family fun?

Many thanks.

[Quilla]

Gulf Shores is relatively quiet compared to Panama City Beach or even Destin. It is truly beautiful and I our family has enjoyed several vacations there. Mash here to get a listing of area attractions.

[gov_bean_ counter]

http://www.gulfshores.com/

[IamConservative]

Yes, I found the Gulf Shores link. I was just uneasy about the state of repair following the hurricanes.

Anyone trying to rent me a property for the week isn't going to tell me it is in the middle of a disaster area. I was hoping to get some first hand reports.

Thanks all.

[Quilla]

Jeeze, forgive me. Somehow I had completely forgotten about the devastation from Katrina. We have not been down since the hurricane.

[gov_bean_ counter]

I put your info request on the Alabama page. Hopefully someone with some recent experience will respond. I haven't been down for many months and although rooms were available, there was still a lot of construction, particularly toward Orange Beach and Perdido Key

[floydian7]

Our family was down there this summer. Yes, there are still areas that have not been completely cleared, but most of it has been cleared away. Katrina didn't hit Gulf Shores all that bad. Ivan was the one that devastated the area. Ivan was two years ago, so they have had some time to recover.
The beaches are IMO nicer than before Ivan. They have built the beaches up more, and the water is shallower further out which is nice if you have small children. There is also more sand in between the condo and the ocean, which is also nice if you have kids.
Most of the units in the condos were redone completely because of all the water damage. Ivan knocked out all the windows facing the gulf. Everything is new and clean.
We stayed in a condo, so I don't have much info on houses, but most we saw were in decent shape. All of our favorite restaurants were up and running. The amusement parks were all running, and the outlet mall wasn't damaged at all :).
Hope this helps.

[gov_bean_ counter]

See #8.

[IamConservative]

Many thanks to all.

This will be our last complete family vacation. Daughter is heading to college. Wanted to make sure I didn't take her on a dud.

Myself, If the sun is out, the sand white and the water warm, I could care less what is behind me. The daughter on the other hand, is a bit more particular.

[floydian7]

I don't think the water will be very warm in April in Gulf Shores. Not unless you are Canadian!! Or Alaskan.
Panama City and Destin/South Walton are prettier beaches. Gulf shores is very pretty, but not as pretty.
Gulf Shores is more family oriented and less of a party beach. It's also cheaper.
April can get pretty cold there. Some days it can be in the 50's.
Hope this helps.
Floydian

[sweet_diane]

I have a good bit of family that lives down there, including my mother, so I'm down there quite a bit (I live in Fairhope). Things are in full swing again. The amusement park that was just off the beach is gone, yet The Track, Waterville and Zoo are up 100%.

At least in my moms area, which is one block up from the beach and 2 blocks west of Souvenir City (the big place with the seashell on front), all the restaurants are up and running. There is alot of new construction... I guess they'll let them build condos until there isn't a grain of sand left. lol

There's a new movie theater just north of the big bridge and lots of shopping. I would recommend a stop by the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, which has been featured on Animal Planet's "The Little Zoo That Could".

Hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you would like.