I love selling West Bank real estate...I really do.
But my favorite thing in the entire world is the beach. I loooooove the beach. I love to spend the day lying on a towel on the sand with a good trashy murder mystery paperback and an ice chest full of Diet Coke, listening to the waves roll in. I've been lucky enough to lay on beaches in Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and the Dominican Republic.
Sadly, an out of the country excursion just wasn't meant to be this year. Instead, we packed the car with kids, Grandma, towels, sunscreen and trashy murder mystery paperbacks and in less than a full tank of gas made the quick and easy 3 1/2 hour drive to Gulf Shores, Alabama for a week of rest and relaxation.
It's hard to unplug from the work world and at first I was not happy that the $100 wireless card for my laptop would not work at the end of the peninsula we were on. But, after the initial withdrawal symptoms from not being able to access blog posts, feed readers and email passed, I was able to sit back and just enjoy the natural beauty of this part of the United States.
We've stayed in condos in Gulf Shores before (hasn't everyone from New Orleans?) but this year we had an entire beach house to call our own for 8 full days. Even the beach itself was mostly private which was great because we set up chairs, towels and umbrellas at the beginning of our stay and didn't have to worry about lugging everything back and forth each evening. The house was completely furnished, right down to a BBQ pit to cook burgers and hot dogs on and the local grocery store had a great selection of fresh watermelons that we iced down and shared with the kids in the house next door. Most of the week was spent doing a whole lot of nothing. Reading...sunbathing...scouring the shore for shells...taking flashlights to the water's edge in the evening to find crabs...trying to identify all of the stars in the night sky...playing rummy until the wee hours of the morning and sleeping in the next day.
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We did manage to squeeze in a little history lesson as well. Only 4 miles down the road from the beach house was Fort Morgan, a Civil War fort that was at the center of the Battle of Mobile Bay and was used off and on through World War II. Some restoration work is ongoing to the site, but it is open for tours daily for the low admission price of only $5 per adult. We walked through the fort and around the grounds, with a great view of both Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The tunnels in the fort are covered in salt deposits from the gulf water, resulting in a strange looking white substance that appears to be leeching from the brick arches.
Of course, to keep the little ones happy we had to spend a day at Waterville USA, a Gulf Shores water and amusement park with both a water play area for smaller children and several different water slides for the bigger kids. Where were these great water parks when I was a kid? Grandma got her observer wrist band since she wouldn't go on any of the slides and we staked a claim on a group of lounge chairs in the shade. It was the perfect place to sit back and relax with frozen lemonade and watch all of the kids enjoying the day. If you go, plan to spend the day. Tickets are $29.95 per person plus tax, so you'll want to get your money's worth!
Our timing for the trip was perfect, since the storm clouds were rolling in on the morning we were leaving. Driving home with a car full of luggage and all of the shopping bags from the outlet mall was probably not my husband's idea of the perfect Father's Day, but we'll make it up to him with that new bimini top for his fishing boat that he has had his eye on all year.
While I was a little hesitant about doing an extended family and friends vacation, it turned out perfectly. So perfectly that we are already talking about "next time". To me, that's the mark of a truly successful vacation. I hope your family has a chance to get away this summer too!
When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.
Here's the disclaimer part: The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
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Hi Lisa! The vacation sounded wonderful. I'm leaving for 2 weeks at the New Jersey beaches next Saturday. I'm looking forward to it but like you, I don't like to be out of touch. I ride my bike to the local library every morning while I am there to check my email. There's a time limit so I won't be able to check Active Rain and I am seriously addicted. The detox may do me some good! Welcome home.
Sounds like a great time was had by all! We missed you!
Great pictures and it sounds like a lot of fun. I want to pack my bags!!!
Gorgeous pics! It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Truthfully, a little time away from AR is probably a good thing for many of us! :)
Lisa, oh WOW!!! Great Vacation. We I missed you and your wonderful posts. Glad you got a much deserved break though. Now, get back to blogging.
Lisa, I would have loved the trip...and that beach cottage which looks fabulous! I'm glad you got away and had such beautiful weather and a wonderful time.
Lis - Good to have you back - we are planning a trip to Houston sometime soon. My son wants to go see NASA, and my father-in-law is there. Looks like you had a great trip!
Beautiful photos! And sounds like you had a much needed, relaxing vacation. I especially love the photo of the sun setting (or rising?) over the ocean. I'm trying to picture in my head, which direction you'd be viewing the sun over the gulf, based on your location.
Lisa welcome back. I knew you were away because you hadn't posted anything in a week.
Susan, it was terrific and I am jealous that you get to spend a full 2 weeks on your vacation!! I was a little out of sorts from being out of touch with my AR friends for the first couple of days, then I remembered that there is a whole REAL world out there and it's beautiful :)
Amanda, we did have a great time, but I missed you guys too!
Mel, pick me up on your way over - I haven't finished unpacking yet :-))
Kelly, I needed a real break and just didn't realize it until I was forced to do so.
Judi, I'm blogging as fast as I can - I've got market reports to do!!
Carole, the beach house was incredible...3 beds, 2 full baths, high ceilings and open kitchen plus that great back deck that overlooked the beach. I can't even count how many hours I sat on that deck, just taking it all in.
Jason, my Houston friends keep hinting for us to come visit before the summer is over - let me know when you are going!
Lisa, it was sunset, facing south out over the gulf. I have some other sunset pics that are even better on flickr (I'm nola.agent there). Feel free to take a peek!
John, thanks for noticing that I was even gone :)
Lisa, take your time, we're here waiting patiently! :)
Lisa,
My favorite vacations are relaxing on the beach too. We used to vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This year, I think it will be a lake vacation in Door County Wisconsin.
Sounds like you had a nice relaxing time. Sometimes it is good to unplug.
Lisa I am a big fan of the beach myself! The pictures look great...I bet you had an awesome time. It sure is nice to take a break from Real Estate from time to time :)
Judi, thanks :)
Rebecca, I've never been to the Outer Banks, but I hear it's beautiful...be sure to take pictures to share if you get to the lake this year since I've never been to WI either!
Bill, it wasn't a completely voluntary break, but once I started to relax, I hated to come back to work. Isn't that always the case??
Lisa - I am enjoying my memories of your pictures! When I visited my kids and grandkids in Ocean Springs, MS last December, we did a day trip there. Ist stop was Morgan Fort where my camera batteries went dead after one picture of the cannons. So thank you!
I am sending this post to my daughter, we didn't make it to the water park, it was December, so maybe they will go again.
Thanks!
Lisa, Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation. Glad you were able to get away and enjoy. Thanks for sharing with us.
Virginia, did you enjoy Fort Morgan? The kids complained about going, but then had a great time exploring while we were there. And then, there is always the museum gift shop :)
Gary, it truly was wonderful. That peaceful sound of the waves on the sand...it makes me want to stay forever! Thanks for stopping by, my friend.
Lisa - Fort Morgan is so creepy - ghosts everywhere! :) Yes, I love it, been there several times. My husband always tells the kids that he was raised poor, they had no furniture and had to eat dirt, etc. So while we were down there in the prison, my daughter (who was about 6) said, 'is this what your house was like, Daddy?'
Who told you that I spent a small fortune in the gift shop for stocking stuffers for my kids and grandkids?
Hello Lisa -- what a lovely set of photographs to compliment such an interesting post! Sounds like an excellent place to vacation in. My hubby and the kids absolutely adore the beach, while I, on the other hand, am a snow bunny. :) Go figure... Enjoyed your post (and all the comments as well). Have a lovely evening. Regards, C.
Virginia, LOL!!!
Carolyn, thanks for stopping by...I love to take pictures and sometimes just write posts to use them :)
Yeah, I have often wondered where were all of the water parks when I was growing up as well? SO unfair. But I love the pics of your vacation. It looks fabulous. I love reading and the beach as well, my hubby gets antsy to soon and always want to leave before me.
Have a great weekend.
Terrie, my hubby HATES the sand. It's amazing - he can hang out in a pool all day (provided there is a swim up bar, of course) but won't set foot on the beach and complains about sand the whole time we are there! The good part of that is that he doesn't mind taking me shopping so he can get away from it :)
I wondered why your face wasn't popping up on my blog roll lately. As odd as it sounds for someone living in Alaska, Kathy and I love nothing better than being at the beach or (personally) on the ocean. My folks used to have a house in Gulfport waaay back when dirt was new. Man I miss those days. Good to see you back!
PS. You took some excellent pictures!
LISA - Sounds like a really fun trip. We're planning on doing something similar with the extended family this summer for the first time ever.
Lisa, Everyone needs a vacation from email and the computer. Hope you enjoyed yours. the vacation sounded very fun!
Jesse, thanks for the welcome home :) The beach is absolutely my favorite place to be...every time we go I'm sooooo tempted to buy a house and just stay, but the hubby tends to put the kabosh on it :(
Adam, I wasn't sure how we would all fare for so many days together, but it was wonderful and there weren't any squabbles at all!
Judy, we had a great time. Back to work now, though!
Yes, I am vacationing, but I am also blogging. Wife is busy showing off the baby and going to ladies tea parties...so that means lots of free time for me...which means lots of sleep, and lots of blogging!
Jeremy, I think you are officially an AR Addict :)
Lisa, Wow! great vacation and photos. And re the laptop... your are supposed to gothere to get AWAY from work and or technology!
Pam
Pam, what can I say...I'm a blogging addict :)