Sugar white sands and rolling surf come to mind when you think of Gulf Shores, AL. The town’s iconic beaches are a popular destination for vacationers but another attraction seemingly less talked about is Little Lagoon. Sitting just opposite of the Gulf of Mexico, this brackish lake spans 10 miles long and 1/2 mile wide running parallel between the Gulf and Bon Secour Bay. Little Lagoon is a great place for many outdoor recreational activities including boating, fishing, kayaking, and wildlife sight-seeing.

In West Beach, numerous developments sit along Little Lagoon ranging from low-density condominiums to luxurious high-rises. A majority of these complexes were built in the 1980s and consist of two- or three-story wooden-framed buildings. These

Things are finally looking up for Bama Bayou, the site of a proposed entertainment center and dolphin exhibit that went bankrupt in 2009. After meeting with the Orange Beach City Council, Texas-based developer, Presidium, has announced a master plan to completely transform the deserted development into a bustling resort and mixed-use entertainment complex. This is great news for the city as the 147-acre property covered in unfinished dilapidated buildings has remained an eyesore for almost a decade. Bama Bayou sits at the "entrance to Orange Beach" right beside the Beach Express toll bridge along the Intracoastal Canal. The City has settled on an agreement giving the greenlight for the $300 million project along with major tax incentives to the

The 47th Annual National Shrimp Festival
October 11-14, 2018

Join us on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores for the Annual National Shrimp Festival! This family-friendly event is one of the area's biggest attractions drawing in 300,000 visitors annually. Artists from around the country will showcase their extraordinary artwork and crafts with the Gulf of Mexico serving as a beautiful backdrop. Naturally, shrimp will be the main food feature in addition to other delightful fare enticing those walking along the beach boardwalk. This year's festival will feature over 100 hours of live music entertainment with a great lineup of bands including headliners: Joe Diffie, Velcro Pygmies, The Tip-Tops, and Bag of Donuts. The Shrimp Fest grows larger every

The Wharf in Orange Beach AL hosts a multitude of events year round, providing entertainment for every age genre, both young and old alike. One of these exciting, (along with educational), family friendly functions, would be the Blue Marlin Grand Championship. Just as the title infers, it is a GRAND time to bring the entire family out to witness what is known throughout the region as "The Greatest Show in Sportsfishing"! Spectators have the opportunity to marvel some absolutely enormous examples of diverse fish species, caught by some of the utmost professional fishermen equipped with the skills to reel them in! It is the perfect opportunity to get advice on what type of bait/lure is the key to hook your favorite catch, or just inquire on how the fish

With the numerous and captivating attractions offered by the South, this thrilling Gulf Coast event is an absolute must see! Pensacola, Florida’s own Blues, (a.k.a Blue Angels), deliver a mind-blowing experience rendering a lifetime memory. The Blue Angels were formed in 1946 and moved to Pensacola Naval Air Station in 1954, making them the 2nd oldest formal-flying aerobatic team in the world. The Blue Angels were originally formed, “to showcase the pride and professionalism of the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence as service to country through flight demonstrations and community outreach.” Top Navy and Marine pilots fly F/A 18 Hornets in the range of 400-700 miles per hour and at a mere 18 inches apart across the turquoise

Red Snapper Fishing with Gulf Rebel Charters out of Orange Beach, AL 

The season for recreational red snapper fishing officially kicked off the beginning of June in state and federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Orange Beach AL is famously known as the "Red Snapper Capital of the World" and home to one of the largest artificial reef programs in the United States. Red snapper is a prized saltwater species and a delicacy among the Gulf Coast admired for its sweet nutty flavor and fresh (non-fishy) taste. Whether it's tropical fish tacos, delicious ceviche, or pan-fried in lemon butter sauce, freshly caught red snapper is a treat no matter how it's cooked!

Where do you find these delightful fish? Large populations of snapper are commonly found

A new luxury hotel and mixed development is planned for the public beachfront in Gulf Shores, AL.  The $85 million project was revealed on June 19, 2018 by Mayor Robert Craft and DD Partners, LLC, a development team led by Ron Durham and Ron Day.  Once permitting is approved, Embassy Suites by Hilton will break ground at the 1.93 acre parcel on the corner of West Beach Blvd and West 1st St. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2019 with a build time of 22 months.  The first-class resort will span 398,000 square feet and offer 229 rooms, a fine dining restaurant, conference room/meeting spaces, ball room, full-service spa, fitness center, and indoor pool.  A vast 23,000SF roof top terrace will feature an outdoor pool, bar and lounge with great

New Update - September 9th, 2018

Since the original Phoenix Orange Beach II blog post, there's been another Phoenix project released - Phoenix Gulf Towers

Aerial Video of Phoenix Gulf Towers Construction Site

Original Blog:  Phoenix Orange Beach II

Phoenix Orange Beach II is the latest condo development to alter the city's skyline.  The $70 million project recently broke ground this past fall and is desirably located in the heart of Orange Beach sharing the beachfront between Tidewater condominium and Island House Hotel.  The high-rise will look similar in design to its sister development Phoenix Orange Beach located approximately a mile to the west.  The 27-story tall condominium will offer 120 gulf-facing units available in two-,

Nestled in the heart of Orange Beach AL, Grand Caribbean condos is a perfect destination for beach bound families and vacationers looking to spend a relaxing getaway along the Alabama Gulf Coast.  Built in 2003, this low-density condominium has been a popular beach retreat for beachgoers and boaters with the beautiful sugar-white beaches just across the street and a public boat launch right next door and easy access to Cotton Bayou.  Grand Caribbean offers one-, two, and three-bedroom condos with some units offering hallway bunkbeds for extra sleeping arrangements. Top floor units feature a winding staircase leading to a loft that can serve as an additional bedroom.  Living areas range from 600 square feet to almost 1,500 square feet providing

The Beach Club Resort sits on 86 acres in Gulf Shores, AL on the Fort Morgan peninsula.  The Fort Morgan peninsula is a 22-mile stretch of land that juts out at the bottom of Alabama with Mobile Bay on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other.  Oyster Bay, Little Lagoon and the Intracoastal Waterway all culminate in the southern part of Gulf Shores to create much of the waterfront real estate in the area.  From the upper floors at the Beach Club, Mobile Bay and the other bodies of water can all be seen meandering through the city.

The Beach Club is approximately eight miles West from the intersection of Highway 59 and State Highway 180 down Fort Morgan Road.  The actual fort from which the area gets its name, is another 10-or-so miles West of the