ORANGE BEACH STILL DELIGHTS...

Well, we MOSTLY love variety and new places when it comes to travel but we just spent a couple of weeks at Orange Beach, Alabama, again!  It's our winter go-to in February!  I think it's our 7th year?

At the east end of the beach by the Perdido Pass 

We haven't grown tired of it yet!  This year we did a few new things besides our usual walking on the beach and biking.  And the weather was amazing!  Only one cold day for the two weeks we were there.

We drove to Pensacola (about 30 min) and visited the lighthouse on the Naval Base - if you go you must bring proper ID to get on the base.  

We climbed to the top on this beautiful staircase.  At the base there was a keeper's house which is now a nice museum of history on the lighthouse.   

There are lots of Live Oaks there!  Can you see the lighthouse through the tree?

Close to the lighthouse, also on the Naval Base was the National Aviation Museum.  This is a presidential helicopter.  

We watched a movie about the Blue Angels and were so impressed with the training and precision it takes to fly one of those planes!  The whole museum was very interesting!

I discovered a new coffee shop I LOVED in Gulf Shores, about 15 min. away.  DH's grandpa name is Pappy, so of course I had to come again and bring him for a hot chocolate and enjoy their comfy atmosphere!

Being on the east end of the beach, we were close to the Perdido Pass bridge, which has a pedestrian walkway across it to Gulf State park.  We decided to give it a try!

On the bridge

A look at the Gulf State park (one of several beach ones) from the bridge!  We we walked about 6 miles this day, including all around the beach here.  

Near the bridge is a neat restaurant - The Gulf -  made out of shipping containers.  They have a great seating area with sandy beach, looking out at the ocean.  Great food, too!

We were there on Fat Tuesday, so watched the Orange Beach parade!  There are always lots of floats and they throw lots of Moon Pies and other goodies.  

Some of the goodies from the parade!

Another part of the trip we love is driving and listening to audio books, and stopping at new places along the way.  This time we listened to The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly and Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly.  Both books were really good.  We went through Nashville (DH had a business meeting) so one good lunch stop was a butcher shop/deli called Mr. P's in Hoover, AL and another was Priester's Pecans near Montgomery, AL, with great food and gift items.  They also had a viewing area to watch pecan processing. 

I'm always thankful for the chance to get away during the winter!