Gulf Shores, AL

It's coming! A year round indoor water park, Oceans Park, set to be built next year on 17 acres on Ala.59 and Baldwin County 6 East.Owners, Dennis Thomas and Clyde Weir, plan to build a year-round park featuring saltwater attractions where visitors can dive into a 30-foot-deep aquarium to swim with sea life and explore a shipwreck.

Search Alabama Gulf Coast Condos for Sale in Gulf Shores, AL

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, designed by Dennis Thomas, is also scheduled to be built close-by on land donated by the Weir family, which owned Souvenir City in Gulf Shores.

MORE LOCAL REAL ESTATE NEWS:

• 3404 Moffett Road has been leased by Waterfront Rescue Mission. Plans are to convert the 25,000 sf warehouse building into a recycling/donation center. Coldwell Banker
• 52 bank-owned lots in Magnolia Commons, Baldwin County 13, Fairhope were purchaed by D.R. Horton for $618,000. Vallas Realty.
Developers for McDonald's paid $385,000/acre in Rivercane off I-65, Atmore. Plans are to start construction later this month. Herrington Realty.
Medicap Pharmacy, Florida and Emogene street, was purchased by Tammy and Billy Cox for $255,000. They plan to open and old-time drug store with nuclear and compounding pharmacies. Gleason & Associates
A 3,288 sf, four-bedroom, 4.5 bath condo unit with boat slit at The Yacht Club on Terry Cove in Orange Beach sold for $645,000 by a Tuscaloosa couple. Re/Max of Orange Beach / Re/Max of Gulf Shores represented the parties.

A re-post from OrangeCoastNewsBlog

A beach house that was donated to the City of Gulf Shores after Hurricane Fredrick now serves as the local Gulf Shores Museum. The museum has a collection of artifacts from the early fishing and shrimping industries in Gulf Shores including a permanent exhibit of life in some of the earliest settlements along Little Lagoon.

On tours of the Gulf Shores Museum “beach cottage”, visitors listen to “A Shrimper’s Story” and the sounds of hurricane hunters flying through a storm. The celebration of Gulf Shores 50^th anniversary is portrayed in a permanent exhibit entitled, “Drawing a Line in the Sand”.

The Gulf Shores Museum has a major focus on hurricanes and how they have impacted the local area. Along with general information about hurricanes, there is extensive information specifically on Hurricanes Frederick and Ivan. Visitors have many questions about hurricanes answered as they visit the exhibit and view videos of past hurricanes.

One of the favorite rotating exhibits in the museum features Pilot Town and the Hurricane of 1906. Pilot Town was a thriving early settlement where bar pilots guided ships into Mobile Bay. In 1906 the town was wiped out by a hurricane. Forty-seven people survived the storm by strapping themselves to trees, but the community was gone forever.

During the winter months the museum focuses on educational programs including a lecture series and video series at the museum. Some video highlights from 2011 included “The True Story of Charlie Wilson’s War”, “America’s Civil Rights Years”, and “Eugene Walters, Last of the Bohemians”. Entertainment series are also held at the Civic Center, and in the summer months a discovery series is held for children. The Gulf Shores Museum promotes hurricane awareness and preparedness with a series of videos and information sessions.

The Gulf Shores Museum is located at 244 West 19^th Avenue and admission is free. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – Noon and 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The museum is open on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For more information contact Museum Coordinator, Christie Shannon at 251-968-1473.

Local history is fascinating in Gulf Shores. As residents and visitors admire the beauty and bounty of the area, they pay tribute to the early settlers and their vision. I am ready to assist you in making this paradise a part of your history. Give me a call. Lance Steffek, 251-981-2225.

Three days of favorite bands performing on the white sand beach with beautiful ocean waves and salty breezes. It's Hangout Music Fest at Gulf Shores! The only festival of its kind will take place again this year from May 20-22.

Attendees can soak up the sunshine, sip their favorite beverage and hear the array of tunes floating by while relaxing on a beach blanket. The three-day lineup will include so many eclectic, favorite bands that it is best to check the full schedule at the Hangout website. This year there will also be a Thursday pre-fest party with more music and fun and two late-night shows on Friday and Saturday.

In addition to enjoying music, attendees can practice their yoga on Gulf Shores beautiful beach. Renowned yoga teacher, Kelly Morris, whose students include Sting, Russell Simmons, Donna Karan, and Madonna will be hosting two morning yoga practices on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are available only to Hangout Festival pass holders.

The festival will have a fifth music stage this year under an air-conditioned tent. Another new feature will be Hammock Beach, a salt-water lagoon where attendees will find hammocks, shade, art installations, and a tower offering 360-degree views of the festival.

Kids are welcome and there will be a special area of the festival just for them called Shaka Island. There will be a full range of kids' activities including a hip hop workshop, station for rock star hairdos and tattoos, arts & crafts, dance competitions, and a paint party. Another feature for kids will be the Explorium of Sound where kids will learn about mechanics of frequency, resonance, amplitude, and refraction with such items as a PVC pipe organ and a giant bubble pool. Music geared to the young and young-at-heart will be found on the Shaka Island stage.

If you are feeling lucky, check out the Hangout Festival Facebook page and click to enter a contest for VIP festival tickets, passes to the late night shows, or even a cruise with your favorite musicians. The Hangout Festival promises to be a highlight of the Gulf Shores music season. Sit back and click here to enjoy a preview: Hangout Music Festival 2011.

Just as the festival offers both excitement and activity along with peaceful morning yoga sessions, Gulf Shores offers a wonderful balance of activity and serenity - a perfect balance for a healthy, fun lifestyle. If you are ready to make Gulf Shores YOUR lifestyle, give me a call and let's get started. Lance Steffek: 251-981-2225.

Although white sand, emerald water, fishing, and beach sports may be on top of your "to do" list in Gulf Shores, there are some "inland' activities worth checking out. One of these is the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo located just a few blocks from the beach on Gulf Shores Parkway (Highway 59). The zoo is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

Originally founded as a private enterprise of Joey Ward of Gulf Shores, the zoo became part of the not-for-profit Zoo Foundation of the Ward's in 1991 and was expanded by 17 acres. Currently the zoo is home to over 290 animals including lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, reptiles, and birds. Activities also include a petting zoo, and daily animal shows in the summer.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is host to several special events during the year such as Zoo Camp in June. This event gives children a chance to explore animal life at the zoo and join in games, arts, crafts, and many hands-on learning activities. Another favorite is the Annual Low Country Boil held in February. Snowbirds as well as year-round residents enjoy great food and fun at this zoo event. Check out the photos on the zoo's Facebook page.

Children and adults alike have made the Annual Boo at the Zoo another popular Gulf Shores event. The Halloween party atmosphere is geared towards younger children, and parents appreciate the safe environment for children to enjoy a Halloween celebration.

One of the largest endeavors of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is its future move to County Road 6 in Gulf Shores. Because of the generosity of two local residents, Clyde Weir and Andrea Weir Franklin, the zoo will relocate to higher ground about two miles north of the Intercoastal Waterway Bridge.

Educational programs are an important part of the zoo's mission. Over 10,000 school children visit the zoo on field trips each year. There are also educational outreach programs that include visits by zoo keepers to schools, assisted living centers, and other groups.

The local Gulf Shores community and businesses have been generous in donating money, supplies, and volunteer time to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Along with the benefits of sunshine and white sand, this community spirit is another reason to make Gulf Shores your home. I'm ready to assist - give me a call today. Lance Steffek: 251-981-2225.

Photo Credit: Tiger Cub at Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo - Chris Watson, Wikimedia.org

Get ready, get set, GO - - head for the 15th annual Mullet Man Triathlon on Saturday, April 16th along with 450 participants. This Orange Beach event always promises a great course, many awards, and a super post-race party with food and fun. The triathlon is held in conjunction with the wacky festival known as the "Mullet Toss" and gives the athletes a chance to run and celebrate in two states at once.

The first part of this Orange Beach event, a quarter-mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, will kick off at 7:30 a.m. The swim will be followed by a bike race of 15 miles which will begin at the Flora-Bama Lounge heading to the Alabama State Park and back. The third section will be a 4-mile run from the Flora-Bama Lounge heading under the Perdido Pass Bridge and back.

The Flora-Bama Lounge, a beachside oyster bar, beach bar and Gulf Coast landmark, is located at 17401 Perdido Key Drive. The lounge gets its name from the fact that it is located on the Florida/Alabama border. Although the building is officially in Florida, the Alabama border is only 6 feet from the west wall. In addition to the Mullet Man Triathlon, the Flora-Bama Lounge hosts several local events, including the Annual Mullet Toss, the Polar Bear Dip, and the Super Bowl Chili Fest.

In 2010 there were 319 athletes who finished the event with an average time of 1:50:51. The top male, Darrel Williams, finished with 1:18:05 and the top female, Catherine Lackey, finished with 1:27:23. Check here if you'd like to see more details about participants and times last year. Although this triathlon is a conventional race, it is not considered a serious competitive event by most of the participants, as the festive Gulf Shores spirit reigns.

Along with fun and sun, the triathlon supports charitable causes in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach areas. A portion of the proceeds raised by the triathlon are given to local youth charities. A donation will be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Team in training.

Whether you plan to join the fun as a competitor or a spectator, it will be another great day in the Gulf Shores area! More details are available by calling special events coordinator, Cheryl Lange at 850-492-0611.

Community spirit as well as the spectacular beach location provides more than enough reason to buy now in Gulf Shores. The timing is great to find the best property at the best price. Give Lance Steffek a call today at 251-981-2225 to set the process in motion.