It's boating season! Orange Beach, Alabama, boasts over 40 condominiums situated along its scenic backwaters, from serene canals and bayous to the expansive waters of Wolf Bay and Bayou Saint John. Renowned as a boater's haven, Orange Beach offers a plethora of water activities, including sports fishing, scuba diving, sailing, and dolphin tours. During the warmer months, boaters frequently anchor at Bird and Robinson Islands known for its white sand beaches and shallow waters. The back bays are ideal for sightseeing, with frequent sightings of dolphins, blue herons, and other wildlife around Terry Cove and Cotton Bayou. For those looking for a bite to eat, the area offers numerous waterfront restaurants easily accessible by boat. Some of the most

NEW UPDATE - MAY 12, 2020

Governor Ivey has announced an amended "Safer-At-Home" order during Friday's COVID19 press conference. The statewide health order will allow restaurants to reopen dining areas with limited table seating and follow all social distancing and sanitation guidelines. Close-contact service providers such as commercial gyms, fitness centers, barbershops, hair/nail salons are permitted to reopen subject to social distancing and sanitation rules. Other notable changes include removing the social gathering limit of 10 or less. You are still required to maintain 6 feet of distance between persons not from same household. The amended order will go into effect on Monday, May 11, 2020 and expire Friday, May 22, 2020 at 5:00PM. 

Aside from beautiful beaches, the Gulf Coast offers a great selection of annual events and festivals throughout the year. There's something for all ages including beachside concerts, fishing rodeos, boat shows, wine tastings, and plenty of festivals! The following is an up-to-date list of 2020 events taking place along the Gulf Coast from Gulf Shores, Alabama to Panama City Beach, FL. Mark your calendars and let's have fun in the sun, sand, and surf!

*Some events have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19.

2020 Events in Coastal Alabama & Pensacola, FL

Orange Beach Seafood Festival & Car Show
When: February 29, 2020
Where: The Wharf, Orange Beach, AL 

1st Annual Fort Morgan Oyster Festival
When: February 29, 2020
Where: Sassy Bass

The City of Gulf Shores recently won a $14.4 million grant through the Department of Transportation's BUILD program. This is great news for the city as it continuously works on long-term solutions associated with the growing number of residents and vacation traffic. The Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program offers discretionary grant funding to transportation projects with significant local or regional impacts and focuses on improving infrastructure condition, addressing public health and safety, promoting regional connectivity, or facilitating economic growth.

Funding from the BUILD grant will go towards the following projects in Gulf Shores, AL:

• Addition of a third southbound lane on Hwy 59 in Gulf Shores

2019 Annual National Shrimp Festival - Gulf Shores, AL

The Annual National Shrimp Festival has arrived! Celebrating 48 years of entertaining both locals and out-of-towners, this popular beachside event features four days of live music, delicious food and is host to hundreds of talented artists and vendors showcasing unique crafts and merchandise! The Shrimp Fest is one of the busiest weekends for the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area attracting nearly 300,000 visitors each year! Most of the parking around the festival site is first-serve, first-come with many spaces rented out by private businesses and residential homes. We recommend arriving early (gates open at 10am) for a better chance of finding a parking spot or you can take one of the shuttle stops

Cottages at Romeo Beach - Gulf Shores, AL

Over the last five years, we've seen a number of new residential communities popping up in both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Aside from Brett Robinson developments, the Alabama Coast hasn't experienced much increase in new condo construction but rather a boom in new cottage communities particularly in the West Beach and East Beach areas of Gulf Shores. These small communities consist of 10 or more free-standing raised homes and offer shared amenities such as outdoor swimming pools and BBQ areas. Similar to a condo HOA, owners pay monthly dues that typically cover water, sewer, waste removal, cable TV, internet service, pool maintenance, and landscaping. 

We've compiled a list of new cottage communities in

The Rookery III in Fort Morgan, AL

Do you know Gulf Shores, Alabama receives over 6 million visitors every year? Over the last several decades, the city's beachfront has grown tremendously with numerous residential developments, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. Take a left or right at the "T" intersection and you'll have hundreds of vacation rentals to select from on East Beach or West Beach. Although many people love the excitement of a lively town, there are some who miss the original character of Gulf Shores, circa 1950. Fortunately, these nostalgic memories can be reminisced along the Fort Morgan Peninsula down Highway 180. Here the stretch of land narrows and becomes flanked by the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile Bay, and Little Lagoon. As you

The Alabama Coast is host to many popular events with some of the biggest being the Hangout Music Festival, Flora-Bama's Mullet Toss, Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival, and Loxley's Strawberry Festival. As the busy season nears, weekends will be jam-packed with exciting entertainment and live music at great venues like The Wharf, OWA, Flora-Bama, and The Hangout. You will never get bored with plenty of fun things to do for any age whether it's an offshore fishing charter, a relaxing day at the beach, or just a nice evening out at your favorite restaurant. The following is a simplified list of all annual events taking place this year in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Fairhope, and more! Mark your calendars!

March

45th Annual Festival of Art
When:

Based in Orange Beach, Alabama, CondoInvestment.com is the number #1 real estate site and resource for Gulf Coast condos whether it's for a future purchase or upcoming beach vacation. Helpful information on our site includes current sales listings, brief description for each condo development, interior/exterior photos (including aerial imagery), amenity lists, maps, rental revenue projections, and SOLD prices of recently closed condos. The busiest time of the year for condo sales is early spring. The majority of these buyers are closing the deal before peak season to maximize their condo's rental income. As the busy season nears, we receive many inquiries regarding HOA dues and other expenses associated with owning a condo. To help out first-time

Covering an impressive 40 acres along the Fort Morgan Peninsula, Gulf Shores Plantation has been a longtime vacation destination on the Alabama coast. For over 30 years, this gulf front family-friendly resort has been home to wonderful and memorable vacations with 4,000 feet of pristine beaches and an endless list of amenities for guests to enjoy year-round. Gulf Shores Plantation is made up of several condominiums with each offering nicely furnished condos comfortably accommodating any size family or group. The resort's initial development, Gulf Shores Plantation East, was built in 1983 and features a series of beachside buildings with 1 or 2-bedroom condos overlooking the gulf, pool area, or property grounds. A year later, Royal Gulf Beach &