Beach Club Vacation – Gulf Shores, AL

by Danielle · February 8, 2016

Gulf Shores, AL / Duration of trip: 5 days

This trip was a first for us in two ways:

It was the first time we have vacationed for more than a weekend with friends/family.
It was our first time renting a condo vs. staying at a hotel or campsite.

We were accompanied by some of our favorite people: the Breedlove family. This trip was extra exciting for us because not only were we with friends but we LOVE the ocean and this was their first time seeing/experiencing it. The drive down to Gulf Shores seemed like it took forever….lots of bathroom breaks with 3 kids and 4 adults who all seemed to be on a different potty schedules haha. It was dark by the time we got down there so the Breedlove family got to smell and hear the ocean but didn’t really get to take it all in. Even though we couldn’t really see the beach we just HAD to get out on it for a few minutes. We put on our headlamps and walked out across the cool, damp sand. We could see the edge of the water and the sand that our lights captured but nothing more. The kids found crabs scurrying across the beach and they followed it with their flashlight. They had to wait until sunrise before they could see how vast and gorgeous the Gulf really is.

Funny Story:

The next morning we got up and looked out toward the beach. The Breedloves were mesmerized by the ocean just as I am every time. Everyone was SO ready to get out on the sand, play in the surf, search for seashells and soak up the sun. it was one of those “HELLO VACATION” feelings that we hadn’t really experienced until this moment since we had arrived after dark AND after a 12 hour drive the day before. We hit the beach running….LITERALLY hahaha I raced Lexy to the water and just before I got to it WHAM!!! I face planted right on the water packed sand just in time for waves to come crashing over me. After (with help) getting back on my feet, and getting over being stunned from it, we all laughed so hard 🙂 The kids said that that my feet actually hit the back of my head and that I looked like a scorpion. I’m not sure if they did or not but I can be pretty entertaining because of things like that. Thankfully I have never been very seriously injured…usually just enough to set myself up for some teasing or a new nickname.

Okay, moving on….

We stayed in room 101D at the Beach Club Resort. http://thebeachclub.spectrumresorts.com/ It was spacious enough for all seven of us and cost less than if we had got two separate hotel rooms. The best part was being able to all be together while still having privacy. It was nice having things that we needed like a dishwasher and a washer/dryer. The Beach Club offered great amenities such as a club house, several pools/hot tubs, activities for the kids, etcetera. Take note: this resort is located WAY down the beach next to Fort Morgan. It is a beautiful beach that isn’t too crowded and we were never bored with all the resort amenities. However, it is approx. a 20 minute drive to other Gulf Shore activities such as restaurants and shopping. There are a few close food/store options but only basic stuff without much variety. We were trying to stick to a budget so we bought groceries and cooked our own meals for the majority of our visit. I am used to loading our family up with too many things to see and do while on vacation so much so that we usually feel like we need a vacation from our vacation. Being in a more secluded area really got away from it all and actually allowed us to relax and enjoy each other’s company. I would recommend this location to anyone looking for a vacation that will bring your family closer together. It was so nice being away from the typical distractions. Without them we actually spent time really relaxing and enjoying the beach.

The next few days were spent burying each other in the sand, fishing, tossing a football around, building sand castles, gathering seashells, and even watching dolphins from the shoreline. The night before we headed back home the resort put together an opportunity for us to make s’mores on the beach. It was a fun way to end a very memorable vacation.