Gulf Shore Getaway

Gulf Coast condo, hotel availability good this weekend

Spot checking hotels and condos along the Gulf Coast shows generally good availability for this Easter weekend.

Are people staying away for fear there is nothing left to do or to see at the beach? Doubtful. More likely it is fuel prices keeping people closer to home right now. Whatever the reason it won't last long. People want need their vacations. Once everyone is used to the price of driving they will load up the family and head for the beach just the same.

The beach will always win out. It always does. That means this weekend is an especially good value. With plenty of incentives there for the taking - lots of freebies and other enticements to fill up those Gulf front condos - smart vacation shoppers will head for the beach this Easter.

Southern Breeze Coastal Wine Tour

For those who love beautiful places to drink wine and eat delicious foods we offer the Third Annual Southern Breeze Coastal Wine Tour. The tour is held each year in Orange Beach, Alabama. This year's event will be held the weekend of May 19-21 and includes winemaker dinners, a wine tasting and seminars from Michael Bryan of the Atlanta Wine School on deciphering the language of wine.

This year's tour starts with the Winemaker Dinner on Friday evening in which event organizers pair regional chefs with a noted winemaker. During the meal event participants will learn all about pairing fine food and wine.

Easter is going to the dogs in Orange Beach

Oh this is going to be fun. Saturday the 15th of April, the day before Easter, come on out to Waterfront Park in Orange Beach for the Third Annual Easter Bonnet Dog Parade.

Better yet, see if you can get Buster to wear those pink bunny ears and take part in the parade. Even better, get some of those pink bunny ears for yourself too and enter the Pet - Owner Look Alike contest.

Other contests will include a contest for best Easter Bonnet and Best Outfit. There will be an Easter Bone hunt for Buster and an Easter Egg hunt for the rest of the family. The Easter Bunny will be on hand to give Buster something to bark at, and for photographs with the kids.

Porto del Sol Condos

There is so much to be said for Orange Beach's newest ultra luxurious condo developments, Porto del Sol. Built in 2005, the Porto del Sol offers vacationers the height of luxury accommodations right in the heart of the Orange Beach action. You'll be only minutes from the beach, shopping, golf, fine restaurants, Orange Beach's many local
entertainment hotspots and of course your own private deep water marina.

The Porto del Sol overlooks the Cotton Bayou and the Gulf of Mexico. The property is situated about 500 yards from the pass at Orange Beach, across from the beach on Perdido Beach Blvd. You'll be surrounded by gorgeous views inside and out. Each fully decorated unit is professionally appointed with the finest amenities - granite counter tops and vanities, state of the art appliances and electronics and gourmet kitchens.

Spring break a bust for Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island is the place where the Ocean Warwick washed ashore last August. It's where Katrina tore a hole clear through the thin barrier island from south to north, separating most of Dauphin Island's undeveloped western territory from the more developed east.

Dauphin Island is the barrier island which lost a third of its vacation rental houses to last year's storms.

And as if that weren't enough, now the tourists and vacationers who migrate in as the snowbirds migrate north - the spring breakers - are not coming back. Talk about adding insult to injury.

Come to think of it Dauphin Island might become something like Florida's Forgotten Coastline - a refuge for smart vacationers looking to get away from the crowds and the noise you find on the more developed beach front areas like Gulfport and Orange beach.

Oh, wait, that's exactly what Dauphin Island is today.

Captain Morgan's Island Resort

Presales have begun for a new Orange Beach vacation condo development, Captain Morgan's Island Resort. In total there will be 180nits of the pirate-themed family resort in Orange Beach, according to Sandy McDaniel of REMAX of Orange Beach. So far about 100 of the units have been reserved at prices starting at $359,000. The resort features a large pirate ship at the entrance, pools and water slides and a shuttle to the beach and shopping.