If you live on the Gulf Coast, you’re probably not working on your snow fort plans. Gulf Shores and the surrounding areas average 233 sunny days a year. January’s low is around 42 degrees, and the climate stays comfortable year-round. It feels strange to be able to wear flip flops during the holidays, but the mild climate creates year-round options for outdoor enjoyment. Tourists flock to the area during warm months, and these winter activities make it the perfect place to live or visit, even when the rest of the nation is covered in rain and snow.
Fish on the Gulf State Park Pier
Spend winter days soaking up the sun on the second-longest pier in the Gulf of Mexico. The pier extends 1,540 feet into the ocean and has on-site bait and tackle, rod and reel rentals, and fishing permits on site. Few go home empty-handed, but if you don’t want to eat what you catch, there are a number of restaurants nearby that grill, bake, broil, and fry succulent fare right out of the sea.
Drive the Coastal Connection Scenic Byway
Meander along the Gulf Coast through Mobile and Baldwin counties. Celebrate Christmas along the coast all December with numerous parades. Stop by Bellingrath for 65 acres of lights at Theodore, or go ice skating at Orange Beach’s Wharf.
Go Golfing
Golf enthusiasts move to the Gulf Coast because they can play nine or 18 holes all winter long, on the same courses enjoyed by Arnold Palmer, Jerry Pate, and Earl Stone. Kiva Dunes has one of the top 100 public golf courses. Nearby Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club offers 27 holes, while the 7,127-yard Cotton Creek course is the only Arnold Palmer-designed course in the state.
Take in a Mardi Gras Parade
Let the good times roll in February without having to drive to New Orleans. The City of Gulf Shores has been offering a family-friendly parade since 1978. This year’s parade starts at 10 a.m. on February 13. Mobile Alabama celebrated Mardi Gras even before New Orleans and offers cook-offs, festivals, and parades from mid-January through February.
Enjoy Nature
Alabama offers a variety of nature trails for biking, hiking, and bird-watching. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge provides safe harbor for migratory birds and native vegetation. Sea turtles nest on the beaches and ospreys, herons, and hummingbirds make the area their winter home. The Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve offers a safe habitat to largemouth bass, flounder, and sea trout, along with over 350 species of birds.
If you’re looking for a place along the Gulf Coast to call home this winter, we can help you find it. Contact Kris Powell for information on our latest listings.
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