Season of Romance

Couples seem to enjoy fall. There’s something about the seasonal cool-down that really warms up romance. It’s a popular time of year for romantic getaways and weddings. It’s also an ideal time to take advantage of Brett/Robinson’s romance vacation package.

Packages can include a gourmet basket with your choice of beverage, dinner for two at the Sunset Cork Room in Gulf Shores, and a private boat cruise with Triple “C” Charters.

These packages are an excellent way to enhance time spent with your special someone—they also make great gifts (weddings, anniversaries, etc.). Visit Brett/Robinson’s website for more information.

Songwriting Festival

A good friend of mine is a songwriter—an “unrealized great songwriter,” as he jokingly refers to himself. He’s written several pieces for fun but has never known what to do with them. Lucky for him, the 26th Annual Frank Brown Songwriters Festival is taking place November 11th to 21st.

The festival creates an opportunity for both seasoned and aspiring songwriters to have their music heard. Musicians will perform at various venues along the Gulf Coast. Even if you’re not a songwriter, you can hang out and listen to a mix of Grammy-winning artists and the potential stars of tomorrow. Most of the concerts are free; some may charge a cover.

Now to convince my friend to muster up the courage for a live, on-stage performance. Who knows, he may be able to change his status to “well-known great songwriter.”

Within Walking Distance

I’m not really a big fan of driving. I don’t like dealing with other cars and drivers, using up gas (and paying for more), and hunting for parking spots. The worse is when you’ve just spent hours in the car driving to your vacation destination and then have to drive all over the place to do anything outside of the hotel/condo.

That’s one of the reasons why vacationing with Brett/Robinson is so great: some of the properties are so close to downtown Gulf Shores that if you do have to drive, you don’t have to drive far. Island Winds East and West in particular are within walking distance of shopping and restaurants—which is convenient when you feel like having a drink (or two or three) with dinner, or if you conveniently forgot to bring last year’s bathing suit and need to run out really quick for a replacement.

Island Winds is also a favorite location for the Shrimp Festival coming up on October 7th – 10th. Hurry up and make a reservation!

A Fall Golf Vacation

One thing I really look forward to about fall is the golf. Autumn along Alabama’s Gulf Coast presents the best conditions for putting around the golf course—still warm, but without the extreme heat.

It’s also an excellent time of year for booking a golf vacation. Fall is such a fun, active time in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, the weather is ideal—why not take advantage of a Brett/Robinson golf package? The variety of condos they offer and the selection of golf courses in the area make it easy to put together a perfect personalized vacation package.

Packages include greens fees, cart fees, and condo rental. Check out Brett/Robinson’s website for more information.

Ferris Wheel

I had completely forgotten how much I love the Ferris Wheel at The Wharf. Crazy as it sounds, I haven’t been on it in a couple years. Guess I thought I’d outgrown it! Which is completely crazy—how can you outgrow the tallest Ferris wheel in the southeast?

A group of us decided to take a ride on it the other night, and I’m glad we did: there’s nothing quite like the view you get at the top of this thing, looking far out above the trees and across the Gulf. And night is the best time to ride, when it’s all lit up. Amazing.

I have a renewed appreciation for the sight of this landmark now. Don’t think I’ll wait so long before my next visit!

Three Nights Free

It may officially be fall now, but it doesn’t feel like it yet, and I still find myself longing for summer activity. I’m already missing last season’s adventures and looking forward to my next getaway—and it’s going to be a good one.

Thanks to some saved up vacation time and Brett/Robinson’s three free nights deal, I’ll be spending a whopping ten days in Gulf Shores. Ten days of beach napping, lazy river riding, and red snapper fishing (oh yes, I will be there for the fall snapper season). And the best part: I’ll only be paying for seven days. That’s one of the specials Brett/Robinson is offering—stay ten nights, get three nights free. Check out their website for more information.

Let the countdown to fall vacationing begin!

Slo-Poker Run

It seems like the older I get, the busier I get, and lately I haven’t had as much time to spend with my family (yeah, now I can appreciate the lecture I got from my parents on this topic a few years back). Any opportunity for all of us to hang out is golden, and the Slo-Poker Run on Saturday, October 2nd is one of those opportunities.

There are so many reasons why I’m looking forward to this: it’s a family event (as I mentioned), it takes place on a boat (a pontoon boat, specifically), and it benefits the Children’s Miracle Network. Basically, you travel by boat to at least five of ten designated stops to try to get the best five-card poker hand. And the person who comes in first place will get $750 (there are other prizes, too). Of course, you won’t win anything—and you won’t be having nearly as much fun as the rest of us—if you’re not there. So be there.

Condo Deals and Shrimp

It’s almost that time of year again in Gulf Shores: time for kicking off the fall season with delicious food, live music, and several other activities. It’s the 39th Annual National Shrimp Festival, and it’s less than a month away now.

The four-day event, which runs from Thursday, October 7th to Sunday, October 10th, features fine arts and crafts from over 200 vendors, a retail marketplace, and lots of seafood fresh from the Gulf. Two stages present a continuous flow of music from both national recording artists and local musicians.

And then there’s the Children’s Activity Village, with educational activities, carnival rides, arts and crafts, and free popcorn and snow cones—lots to keep the kids entertained!

Attending the festival is already free, but if you’re looking to save a little more (extra money to spend on that perfect original art find), stay with Brett/Robinson for all four nights and only pay for three nights. Book your stay online and get an additional 20% discount!

The Big Picture

Those of us who love the Alabama Gulf Coast can appreciate the importance and brilliance of nature and its preservation. The area is home to its own amazing array of plant and animal life. So it’s very fitting—and very exciting—that the international See the Bigger Picture photo exhibit, which has visited various cities around the world, is opening at the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center.

The exhibit features 28 photographs taken by children around the world, each representing biodiversity. Plus, the artwork of three local children will also be on display, representing the biodiversity of the Gulf Coast. Everything will be on display in the Exploreum’s courtyard, complete with plants native to the Gulf Coast area.

It’s a great chance to observe both local and worldwide biodiversity in an artistic setting. The exhibit is open from September 25th to November 21st. Be sure to make an appearance!

Alabama Kayak Adventures

There are many reasons why I enjoy kayaking: the freedom of guiding the kayak through the open water, the exercise, and the thrill of exploration, to name a few. It’s also a nice social opportunity, if you go on a kayaking tour.

One of Brett/Robinson’s vacation packages is the Alabama Kayak Adventure package, which includes kayak excursions for up to six people. This is a great way to explore the nature and coastal wildlife of Alabama’s Gulf Coast—dolphins, osprey, herons, and even manatee are some of the creatures you might come across during a tour. The tours are guided, so you’re sure to hit some nature hot spots and learn a little something about the Gulf Coast.

Fitting In with Golf

The great thing about golf these days is anyone can do it: men and women, old people and young people, the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy. It fits in with pretty much any lifestyle…and any vacation style.

However you layout your vacation plans, you can likely fit golf into the equation, if you want to. (And if you’re visiting the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, you will want to.) Obvious examples include the “mancation” and buddies’ trips—golf is almost always considered a priority among men. Planning an activity-oriented getaway? Golf is an excellent activity to add to the mix. Trying to keep things low-key and relaxed? Many people consider golf to be the ultimate relaxation pastime. Girls’ getaway? Exercise that girl power on the golf course!

Tie it all up with a Brett/Robinson golf package and you’ve got a nicely planned vacation (and an official vacation-golfer status).

Thunder on the Gulf Returns!

Oh yeah, I can already feel the adrenaline rush. Thunder on the Gulf is back! It’s been a couple years, but the excitement of this event hasn’t left me. And now I’m focusing in on one particular week: October 12th to the 17th.

This is when the race boats will make their way to Orange Beach and wow us with some amazing Gulf racing. And not to mention the parties, getting to meet the racers, awards ceremonies, and more parties.

If you’re in the area during that week, you have to check out Thunder on the Gulf. If you’re not in the area…get in the area!

Bon Jovi and Brad Paisley

I was a die-hard Bon Jovi fan as a kid, and I think it’s great how he’s still performing today. Lately it seems like he’s been popping up all over the place, and on October 15th he’ll be popping in at the Gulf Shores Public Beach for a free concert.

It’s part of the Concerts for the Coast series to help raise awareness of the Gulf Coast. Another music great, Brad Paisley, will also perform that same weekend on Sunday, October 17th. Both concerts are free but still require tickets.

So if you want to enjoy a couple great concerts and be part of the promotional effort for the area, book a condo or hotel room with Brett/Robinson, whose currently giving free tickets to guests staying at one of their properties the night of the concerts. They have several locations within walking distance of the concert, and their Phoenix All Suites Hotel is located right at the site—so you can enjoy the music from your balcony.

It’s going to be a fun weekend!