Enjoy a "Two for One" Experience as You Explore Gulf Shores and Surrounding Alabama AttractionsFoley, AL --- It is fun to visit the white, sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama and experience all a "beach" vacation has to offer. You hang out, listen to waves, sunbathe, build castles, collect shells, take long walks, hunt for crabs. Add parasailing, boogey boarding, boating, and deep sea fishing and you have more than enough beach activities to enhance the memory. But to some vacationers, a "beach" vacation includes taking in the "vibe" of the area --- shopping gift stores, sampling seafood dives and sightseeing. Gulf Shores has a unique distinction as a "Deep South" destination since it is located in LA (Lower Alabama). So with a little planning you can enjoy a "Two for One" type of vacation --- an exciting "beach" vacation coupled with a taste of the "Deep South."  To experience the "Deep South" you must venture off the main beach highway and head inland. Towns like Foley, Magnolia Springs, Fairhope and Elberta offer a different perspective of the area and yet are within an easy 30 - 60 minute drive from the beach. You can, for example, visit a working dairy and purchase delectable cheeses from Elberta. On the return trip stop by historic downtown Foley and order a hand-dipped milk shake from Stacy's Drugstore. Travel west toward the town of Bon Secour to see giant shrimping boats deliver their catch to markets for resale. It is difficult to believe towns like Magnolia Springs continue to deliver mail by boat, but it is the giant live oaks dripping with moss lining the streets that make you feel like you've entered onto a movie set. Fairhope's bayfront setting catches the most spectacular sunsets and is famous for being one of only two locations in the world to experience a "jubilee" where fish leap to banks for locals to collect. This town is so charming you will want to walk the flower basket lined streets to capture the mood. Most visitors that travel the popular highway heading south toward the beaches never know of the many fresh bodies of water that lie just a couple of miles to the east or west. Upon detouring off the main highway, you observe the differences in flora and fauna. If you explore you will take with you the sights and sounds of nature that make the area such a unique ecological treasure. Luckily the forefathers of Gulf Shores and surrounding areas had the foresight to leave vast acres undisturbed, leaving a legacy of trails and nature walks for you and your family to enjoy. When visiting the Gulf of Mexico you can always have a "beach" experience. But to have a beach and "Deep South" experience you must visit inland communities, sample local fare --- explore. South Alabama attractions encompass so much more than the beaches and amusement parks. So why not choose to make your next "beach" vacation a "beach and Deep South" experience and delight in the best of both worlds? See for yourself that some of the best South Alabama attractions are off the beaten path.
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