Escapees May-June 2023

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There’s nothing like the beach, so I was excited when I arrived in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I had two days to explore and enjoy as much of this vacation paradise as I could in a limited amount of time. T o better understand the lay of the land and local history, I did a little research ahead of my arrival. Before completing the Intracoastal Waterway in 1937 and opening Gulf State Park in 1939, the Gulf Shores area, including Orange Beach, was made up of tiny fi shing villages. When a bridge was constructed to connect the southern and northern sides of the waterway, develop ment followed. By the 1960s, the town was thriving with family-owned grocery stores, restaurants, cottages and motels for tourists. Today, visitors fi nd towering condominiums, charming hotels, busy restaurants, souvenir shops and traf fi c. That is unless you know a few secrets about this para dise along the Gulf of Mexico. One secret is Gulf State Park. Once you enter the park, the modern world fades into the background. Gulf State Park The park encapsulates Alabama’s natural beauty with its beaches, campground and a multitude of activities. It includes 6,150 acres of exceptional landscape on the Gulf of Mexico and features nine diverse ecosystems: freshwater lakes, dunes, pine savannas, marshes, woodlands and beaches. It is one of Alabama’s most popular attractions and draws more than two million visitors a year. The park’s facilities were built in the 1930s by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, working under the auspices of the Federal government. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan devastated the park. Several additions and improvements were made in the wake of the storm, including a 1,540-foot Gulf fi shing pier, a 5,000-square foot swimming pool and splash pad, an interactive nature center and a beach pavilion along with camp ground renovations. Ten years later, Alabama announced plans to spend $85 million to renovate the park further. Funds came from the civil and criminal proceedings stemming from the explosion of Deepwater Horizon and the resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The renovation included the construction of The Lodge at Gulf State Park, which is a Hilton Hotel and The Learning Campus, across the street from the park headquarters. The Campus contains a collection of buildings, includ ing six meeting rooms, modern bunk-style accommo

The area’s pristine beach meanders along in front of hotels and condominiums. PHOTO BY MARILYN JONES

After developing a scent, a High Cotton Bath sta ff member creates the products customers choose. PHOTO BY MARILYN JONES

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ESCAPEES Magazine May/June 2023