Hooray – our 2009 calendar is now available.  Book your trip now while all the good dates are available.

So, I keep hearing about how gas prices are changing how we travel, canceling vacations or forcing folks to choose the increasingly popular “staycation”.  Don’t let gas prices get to you like that! From experience, we changed our June plans and headed to Atlanta for a weekend rather than Gulf Shores (2 1/2 hours rather than 5).  Well, perhaps we spent less gas… but…

You must consider the overall value of a vacation.  Yes, I spent about $60 on gas rather than perhaps $120.  True.  But that $60 disappeared overnight with a $24 per night parking fee.  Not to mention everything we wanted to do in Atlanta involved a 5-25 minute drive.  Suddenly another $30 in gas expense!  Restaurants, the cost of getting into the Aquarium (which was outrageous), and the cost of getting to other venues, sites and snacks, etc. really add up.
A beach trip, on the other hand, especially to a condo with kitchen, can be quite economical.  We would have spent $120 in gas, but once at our location, the nightly rate is roughly the same for a condo as a decent hotel room.  Plus, when we do a beach trip, we buy (often bringing in a cooler) lots of kitchen items, enjoying the free time to prepare meals.  We love to cook at the beach! Plus there is nothing better than ice cream straight out of the freezer!  Boom – money savings right away!

Next, consider the cost of entertainment.  Once at the beach, the indoor-outdoor pool, hot tub, and um am I forgetting something – oh the GULF OF MEXICO!!!  Yes, the kids can play all day in the sand for free rather than looking at the sand at the bottom of the tank in the expensive aquarium.  Now we do enjoy going to The Wharf and letting the kids ride the Ferris Wheel (which is really nice if you’ve not been).  That is only a few dollars and a short 5 minute drive from Island Royale.

Finally, a hidden treasure of Gulf Shores is the city playground.  One block past Blalocks’, hang a left pass the city buildings you will find a treasure of a playground.  Honestly, this is the coolest playground I’ve ever seen.  Our kids are 6 and 4 years old and they could play all day if we’d let them.  It is a perfect excursion on a cloudy day.  Drop by the library just around the corner from the playground for story time.  They have a real nice children’s section.

Have I convinced you that a beach trip is still worth it during this summer of high gas prices? If not, you’ll come around soon.  Take your stay-cation and my guess is you’ll be wanting a real vacation soon enough.  If I have convinced you, check me out at VRBO and give me a ring.  We’ve still got dates available.

All of you headed down to Gulf Shores for the July 4th holiday, here are a couple of informational links.  I know you are going to have fun at the beach and in the sun.  But of course you want to take in the fun of our Independence Day as well.