(Photo) View of Gulf State Park Beach

Piece 1: Orange Beach/Gulf Shores. Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are adjacent gulf coast communities in South Alabama. They are popular tourist destinations known for their emerald waters and white-sand beaches. Another highlight of this area is Gulf State Park; a scenic 6,000-acre property featuring lush ecosystems, miles of beach, and a variety of recreational opportunities.

Gulf State Park Beach is a stunning stretch of public coastline. A paid-parking lot at 22250 East Beach Boulevard is next to a boardwalk beach access and a large modern pavilion (that includes climate-controlled restrooms and picnic tables). Also located in this area is The Gulf State Park Interpretive Center; a striking example of sustainable architecture that features an assortment of educational displays describing the intricate web of life that thrives in the coastal dunes, forests, and waterways.

Visitors can access a walkway from the Interpretive Center that extends over East Beach Boulevard to a boardwalk trail that weaves around freshwater lakes on the Gulf State Park property; taking hikers and bikers on a nature-filled adventure.

Another major part of Gulf State Park is the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, a 29-mile paved multi-use pathway that acts as a connector between the park, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores. This long and accessible trail meanders through swamps, coastal dunes, and lush forests.

When it’s time for some shopping, The Wharf in Orange Beach is an open-air entertainment complex that offers guests a diverse array of retailers. A fun store popular with pet owners is the Good Dog Boutique, where dogs are welcomed inside to sample a variety of treats. The Wharf also has a great pizza place, Vinny’s Pizzeria, that serves giant single slices.

Alabama beachgoers looking for a wearable memento of their coastal adventure will find a variety of classic Ron Jon t-shirts at the brand’s Orange Beach location (22723 Perdido Beach Boulevard). The name “Ron Jon” originated from the company founder, Ron DiMenna, an eccentric surfer who established the first Ron Jon Surf Shop on the New Jersey shore in 1961. Over the years, Ron Jon has became famous for its iconic logo and synonymous with a “laid-back beach vibe.” An added bonus, the store gives away free Ron Jon stickers with every purchase.

There are several great seafood restaurants along the Alabama coastline, but one of most popular and highly-rated is Doc’s. This family-owned eatery was established in 1984 by Richard Schwartz, and was named to honor his father, a dentist known as “Doc.” There are currently two Doc’s locations in Orange Beach; the original Seafood Shack & Oyster Bar on Canal Street and Doc’s Seafood & Steaks on Perdido Beach Boulevard. The restaurants are known for having a casual atmosphere, locally-harvested seafood, and award-winning gumbo. A standout on the menu is the fried shrimp.

View of Historic Fort Morgan

Piece 2: Fort Morgan Peninsula. The Fort Morgan Peninsula in Alabama is a narrow 14-mile stretch of sandy land that extends west from Gulf Shores, with Bon Secour Bay on its north side and the Gulf Coast on its south side. This area is known as a quieter and less-crowded alternative to nearby coastal towns; and is dominated by beach houses, rental condos, and vacation homes rather than large hotels.

At the western tip of the Fort Morgan Peninsula is Historic Fort Morgan, a masonry pentagonal bastion fort constructed between 1819 and 1834 on the site of Fort Bowyer, an earthen fortification from the War of 1812. The fort’s star shape was a popular design for coastal defense structures, allowing for maximum coverage and minimizing blind spots. It was built primarily from locally sourced brick and mortar, with thick walls capable of withstanding significant artillery fire.

Historic Fort Morgan was named to honor Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan, and its strategic position at the entrance to Mobile Bay made it a key military asset. During the last days of U.S. Civil War, the Confederacy relied on Mobile Bay blockade runners (stealthy steam-powered merchant ships that slipped through the Union Navy’s 3,500-mile blockade) to deliver crucial items such as guns, ammunition, medicines, textiles, shoes, and metals.

In August of 1864, Union forces under the command of Admiral David Farragut sought to secure Mobile Bay. Although the Confederacy had heavy artillery at Fort Morgan and the ironclad CSS Tennessee positioned for battle, the Union navy successfully breached the defenses. Admiral Farragut’s famous command, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead,” underscored the bold assault that led to the Union’s eventual victory.

It’s worth noting that Confederate “torpedoes” during the Civil War were actually stationary, submerged explosive devices designed for harbor defense and sabotage, functioning exactly like modern naval mines. Examples of these are on display at the Historic Fort Morgan museum.

The Historic Fort Morgan property features many military relics (mainly cannons) and lots of educational signage, and visitors can walk through vaulted brick corridors to access the fort’s central parade ground. There are stairs for accessing the top of the fort walls, but they are steep and somewhat challenging to navigate.

View of the Flora-Bama Lounge

Piece 3: The Flora-Bama. The Flora-Bama Lounge was founded in 1964 as a quiet package store in a somewhat underdeveloped coastline section of Perdido Key FL. It was situated on the Florida side of the FL/AL state line because the Florida county was “wet” (allowed alcohol sales) while the neighboring Alabama county was “dry.” In 1978, new ownership introduced live music to the venue and began its transformation into a popular honky-tonk.

While the Flora-Bama Lounge has a Pensacola FL mailing address, it actually sits directly between Orange Beach AL and Perdido Key FL. The original structure was badly damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and the owners held a symbolic “Irish wake” for the old building before a crane demolished it to make way for a more resilient replacement.

The Lounge has three stages. The “Main Stage” is the primary performance space. It is on the second level of the complex, has table seating, and generally features more popular acts. The “Dome Stage” is an indoor two-level area with a club-like atmosphere. There is some limited booth-style table seating, but most of the space around this stage is reserved for standing and dancing. The “Beach Front/Deck Stages” are active in the warmer months of the year, and offer an open-air space to hear music while enjoying the beach and sunset.

The Flora-Bama drink menu features a variety of cleverly named vodka and rum-based concoctions; as well as beer, wine, and margaritas. The signature drink is the frozen cocktail known as “The Bushwhacker;” a decadent, milk-shake-like blend of rum, coffee liqueur, cocoa, and ice cream. It’s really quite good!

While the Flora-Bama Lounge offers some traditional bar food, those interested in a more expanded menu can walk across Perdido Key Drive to the Flora-Bama Ole River Grill or the Flora-Bama Yacht Club. Both offer a casual dining atmosphere where t-shirts and swimwear are common, and both feature live music.

Lastly, the Flora-Bama is perhaps best known for its annual Interstate Mullet Toss, a large beach party at the end of April where people throw a fish across the state line from Florida into Alabama. The event typically draws crowds of 20,000 or more.

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