Gulf Shores Fun Activites

5 Must Dos While On Your Golf Trip

By Brian Weis

Attention snow birds and warm-weather-loving-northerns, it might be time to take a snowbird vacation to Gulf Shores, Alabama - a 32-mile stretch of Gulf Coast beach that offers mild off-season temperatures.

Rates starting as low as $70 per golfer, per night (based on a group of four) for room and golf on any of nine golf courses, and stays in a wealth of condos and hotels with great views, are just a few reasons why Gulf Shores was named a Top 10 Best Winter Retreat by Yahoo Travel.

"The Gulf Coast's winter weather is very pleasant, especially for folks who otherwise would be shoveling snow in bitter wind chills," said Duncan Millar, executive director of Golf Gulf Shores. "The attractive rates on our nine courses, great food and beverage options and a host of area activities make Gulf Shores the perfect winter golf destination."

Here's a list of winter to-do activities in Gulf Shores to combine with great golf:

1. Go Fish
Winter is perfect for Bull Redfish and charters will continue daily in Gulf Shores. Jump on an early-morning charter and be on the links by afternoon.

2. Eat Local
Royal Reds - deep-water, locally caught Gulf shrimp that are sweet and tasty - are the favorite in Gulf Shores. If you're visiting for a few days, try Live Bait 2 at the Wharf to find a sample. Staying longer? Try Blalock's Fish Market and cook them in the condo. Several other restaurants offer a bounty of fresh seafood daily on the waterfront.

3. Shop for Deals
Golf couples can finish Christmas shopping at Foley and Tanger outlets -popular areas for deals and specials. Gulf Shores also prides itself on local boutiques and galleries, including the must-see Orange County Art Center, which has artists in residence.

4. Scenic Drives
Driving along the water's edge is fun, but don't miss the 10-mile slow drive through the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. The slower time and smaller number of tourists returns this ecosystem back to life in the winter.

5. Pub Crawl
There are plenty of bars and restaurants in Gulf Shores. Start your trek at Lulu's. The sister of Jimmy Buffett, she's been serving local favorites in a fun atmosphere for years.

Sample Package Pricing

Family Golf and Gulf Trip
2 Bedroom Gulf Front Condominium
$82.38 per person per night for golf and room

Starting-at rate based on 4 people staying in a two-bedroom condominium with Gulf Coast views, with one king bed, two twin beds and a sleeper sofa.

Buddy Trip
2 Bedroom Golf Course Condominium
$73.31 per person per night for golf and room

Starting-at rate based on 4 people staying in a two-bedroom condominium with golf course views and four queen beds.

Couples Golf Getaway
Double Queen Hotel Room
$81.00 per person per night for golf and room

Starting-at rate based on 2 people staying in one room with two queen beds and a deluxe continental breakfast.

All packages are based on a group of four golfers staying four nights and playing three rounds of golf at three different pre-determined courses.

Visit www.golf.gulfshores.com/stay/allrates.aspx for more information.

Article Tags: Gulf Shore Activities

Revised: 11/07/2011 - Article Viewed 30,941 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.