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This year for Thanksgiving, we headed to a state we have never visited before, Alabama. We went to the very southern part of the state and found so many great things to do in Gulf Shores with kids.

Every single Thanksgiving that we have had children, one of them has been sick during the holiday. We determined that our oldest, Kayden has only been healthy for two Thanksgivings his entire 15 years of life.

Our track record is not good.

Now that we live at least a two day’s drive away from extended family, we decided to change it up and not go visit family in hopes not to get or spread sickness. And with a smaller crowd, we decided not to have the giant traditional Thanksgiving feast!

What?!

This year, we decided to do it differently.

We did not have turkey for Thanksgiving, but we had some great beach house meals and we also had a whole lot of fun. And it was off-season, so many things, including housing, were super discounted! Yes, please!!

And sickness? Well, it still arrived and spread through half of us, but the sickies would just bundle up and lay on the beach and still enjoyed themselves.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IN GULF SHORES ALABAMA WITH KIDS

1. WHITE SAND BEACHES

Obviously the beach is the BEST thing to do in Gulf Shores with kids and is the reason why vacationers go to Gulf Shores, Alabama, but I don’t think they truly understand how simply amazing it is!

People rave about Destin, Florida along the Panhandle, but just one hour west of Destin is Alabama.

Same bright white sands. Same crystal clear water. Same calm ocean waves.

The place where we stayed (see below) was right on the beach and was along far enough away from the high rises along the coast that even in the summer, it would not be as crowded as other locations.

Pretty much any location along W Beach Blvd will bring you to gorgeous beach and all of the public parking is free.

2. THE YARD MILKSHAKE BAR

After talking to local market owner across from where we were staying, we made our way to The Yard Milkshake Bar.

Oh my goodness!!!

The milkshakes they serve here are so dreamy and pictures can almost do them justice. We had never had milkshake so beautiful and also so very good!

3. GULF STATE PARK PIER

Hurrican Ivan destroyed the old Gulf State Park Pier in 2004 and the remodel of this pier is simply outstanding!

At 1,540 feet long (it took me a few minutes to walk to the end), 20 feet wide and boasting 2,448 feet of fishing space, this is the largest pier on the Gulf of Mexico and Alabama’s only public pier on the Gulf.

The Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier has covered seating for the concession area and an indoor retail shop with tackle and souvenirs.

Signs along the pier share information on native fish, birds and other area wildlife. There are comfort stations at the midpoint of the pier, benches spotted along the entirety of it and wheelchair accessible rail fishing.

4. SOUVENIR CITY

Another great thing to do in Gulf Shores Alabama with kids is walk through the mouth of a freaking shark! Or a pirate ship in the back entrance. What more is there to say?!

Not only is the outside of this place incredible, but the store is giant! They not only have souvenirs, but also brand name sandals and swimwear, all the gear you would need for the beach, and homemade fudge just to name a few of the extras.

Souvenir City is definitely worth the time just to wander through the shark’s belly with the kids!

5. SASSY BASS CRAZY DONUTS

So I know I already listed one amazing sweet shop, but you can not leave Gulf Shores without trying at least one Sassy Bass Crazy Donut!

Whether you go for breakfast or for one of their lunch donut sandwiches, the point is just to go. These are unique donuts that you can buy in bulk or you can order an individual specialized donut entree. Of course my advice is to try both!

GULF SHORE ACCOMMODATIONS

AirBnB

We hit the jackpot with this one! Imagine not lugging your sand toys, chairs, towels, ets. across a street and down a long sandy trail to finally make it to the beach. Only for your kid to now have to go number two!! TRUTH!

This condo we booked through AirBnB was literally steps from the beach that were along a gorgeous wooden bridge. No joke, this was a picturesque location!

With a large family, we are constantly on the lookout for great condos or homes that are close to the beach and also have a great kitchen to save on eating out. Here are some ideas on easy meals we eat on vacation.

It was beautifully clean, stocked with extra blankets and towels and had a beautiful open floor plan for great conversations and was conveniently located across the street from a cute market in case you needed to run and get a quick something.

Here is the booking we used: Sundial on the Beach