Gulf Shores, AL: Our Winter Beach Trip • Southern Chick Journal

Who says you can only visit the beach in the summer? Sure flip flops and swimsuits are a beach staple, but experiencing the beach bundled up is a fun experience too.

Living on the Gulf Coast means we are only a short drive away to many beautiful white sandy beaches…so for Lon’s 40th birthday, we packed our jackets, sweaters, and Kennedy’s favorite faux fur puffy vest, loaded up the dog and drove 3 hours to our winter beach getaway in Gulf Shores, Alabama. This little beach town about 45 minutes south of Mobile is the perfect spot for a little R&R, anytime of year!

The Beach:

One of the neatest things about visiting the beach in the off season is you basically have the beach all to yourself! We bundled up and took a walk on the white sand while listening to the calming sound of waves crashing with almost no one else around. It honestly felt like it was our private beach! For a moment, I felt like we were on a different planet!

Southern Chick Journal - Gulf Shores, Alabama - Chriss Knight — Loving my little girl! She is a joy!

Gulf Shores beach during the winter. Beautiful as ever!

No, Kennedy isn’t walking on the moon…she is taking her first steps on the empty beach! I told you the beach in the off-season is like a another planet!

Sorry Scout, no dogs allowed. There is a dog park nearby to run!

This palm tree-lined park next to the beach is a perfect spot to get your steps in!

Palm trees never lose their leaves…even in the winter. Love it!

The Souvenir Shopping:

Immediately upon arriving at Gulf Shores (populations 11,800), we couldn’t help but notice all the souvenir shops…. all of which have impressive entrances to entice tourists inside. We got lured into the shop with the giant shark (you walk through it’s mouth to enter!). This shop holds a lot of beach history…it’s been around since 1956 and was full of fun nostalgic beach goodies!

Rows and rows and rows (and rows) of flip flops, t-shirts, hats, toys and everything beachy.

Kennedy doing some shopping with her dad.

These little shells were so sweet and colorful. Love being at the beach!

Our Beach Cottage:

Since we were bringing our dog with us, we had to find a hotel that could accommodate her, which meant we wouldn’t be staying in one of the high-rise hotels along the beach. I did some searching and found the perfect cottage on AirBnB! It was just steps from the beach and was cute as a button. We loved our stay and highly recommend anyone planning to visit with a dog to check out this place. Link at bottom of this post!

Kennedy enjoying the king size bed at our AirBnB..link in bio to this adorable dog-friendly spot!

the kitchen included all the amenities and featured an eclectic-rustic design.

The Food:

If you go to Gulf Shores for a family trip. Make sure to check out LuLu’s…it’s a family-friendly restaurant a short drive from the beach. The menu features something for everyone from salads to hamburgers and fish entrees.

Follow the signs to food and fun for families!

Jerk chicken sandwich, fries, and hush puppies for lunch..yummy!

With it’s white sandy beaches, nostalgic and funky souvenir shops, family-friendly dining all around, and great pet-friendly options too..Gulf Shores, Alabama is a fun spot for a little beach getaway.

Next time you plan your beach trip, consider going ANY TIME of the year…the waves still crash, the food is still fantastic, the smell of salt water in the air still calms the soul…even in those months that require a little extra layers of clothing!

LINKS:

Our AirBnB

LuLu’s

Souvenir City

Gulf Shores Dog Park

More about Gulf Shores

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