So the first question you’ll ask yourself is, do I want to stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach? You really can’t go wrong with either because if you stay in Gulf Shores, it’s not like you can’t drive a short distance for a taste of Orange Beach and vice versa. Gulf Shores is going to give you a bit more naturesque vibes (perfect for biking trails) while Orange Beach will give you more boating and fishing options. Now, I might be a little biased since we stayed in the Gulf Shores area, but I highly encourage you to pick the option that speaks best to what you and your family want to do during your stay.

We stayed in 3bd/3ba rental unit at the Beach Club Resort and Spa by Spectrum Resorts. At this facility you don’t have to worry about picking the right room for a view; the design of the building gives every room an ocean view. We stayed on the 18th floor with incredible views of the entire resort, beach and beautiful sunsets. At night, I would leave the balcony door open to hear the sounds from the ocean while I slept, talk about RELAXING! It’s a full-service resort with everything you need right at your fingertips. There’s multiple pools, if the ocean is a bit too cold for swimming and there’s even an indoor pool in case of inclement weather. The indoor pool is what really makes this a great place to stay during the holiday. There’s a full gym and bike rentals to get your exercise in. There’s an ice cream parlor, hotel-like housekeeping services and even grocery delivery! That’s what I call a vacation honey!

Our room had a full-kitchen, fully stocked, balcony access from both the living room and main bedroom, televisions in each room and a washer and dryer. Click here for a tour I put on my Alabama Instagram story highlight reel.

Of course out of everything, my favorite was the direct beach access from the resort. Complete with beach chair and umbrella rentals, the beach was definitely my favorite part. There are showers upon exiting the beach where you can wash your feet and your body off before heading back to your room to avoid dragging sand into your room. There’s large swinging chairs along the boardwalk if you want to just sit and watch the sunset without walking on to the beach.

For more information about this facility and others offered throughout Gulf Shores and/or Orange Beach, check out the official tourism site here.