If this email does not display properly, view the web version. To ensure receipt of this email, please add info@gulfshores.com to your address book. July 22, 2010 Packages and Hot Deals Find sizzling summer specials on our Packages and Hot Deals page. AROUND THE ISLAND Beach Soundtrack It's the summer tradition of driving to the beach with the windows rolled down and your favorite tunes blasting. It's the fun of catching a great concert at the beach like we enjoyed with The Hangout Music Festival in May and the Jimmy Buffett & Friends concert earlier this month or one of the great acts performing at the Amphitheatre at The Wharf. There is just something extra special about summer beach vacations and music. As we all wind down from the amazing performances by Jimmy Buffett & Friends, we want to thank everyone who traveled to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach to enjoy the show and to support our local tourism industry. And a great big thank you to Jimmy Buffett and everyone else involved in making this show a reality. Putting together such a massive event with short notice took tremendous effort and cooperation from a lot of people. To find beach tunes at local restaurants and bars during your Gulf Shores & Orange Beach vacation, just head to our website and look for the "Who's on Stage Tonight" section. And for details on major concerts, visit our Calendar of Events. LOCAL FLAVOR Save Room for Dessert Maybe you've been good for months, counting calories, saying no to dessert so that you can look good at the beach on your vacation. But now that vacation time is here, it's definitely time for a sweet reward.  Whether the summer heat has you craving ice cream, the pucker of a Key Lime pie, or perhaps a rich cheesecake, our area restaurants  have some truly tasty treats on the menu. You can find towering meringues, bread pudding crafted from Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a peanut butter chocolate chip pie worth writing home about, and fruit creations such as banana pudding and cobblers. So take a break after your walk on the beach, round of golf, shopping, visit to the waterpark or other fun activity and cool off with an amazing dessert. After all, being on vacation isn't about counting calories, it's about counting smiles.  Plan your next sweet treat with our restaurant listings. RACHEL REPLIES Send your questions to Rachel; she knows everything beach! Q: I'm confused about the swim advisory and the beach flags during this oil situation. Where can I take my kids swimming? A: The swimming advisory and our local beach flags are different. The swimming advisory is from the Alabama Department of Public Health. When an advisory is issued, people are discouraged from swimming in affected waters.   The beach flags have been used in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach for many years to show the surf conditions or the presence of marine animals such as jellyfish. Now with our oil spill situation, the flags are also being used to indicate any warning to stay out of the water - whether surf, oil or a combination. Double red flags indicate that the water in that area is closed to swimming. Single red flags indicate a high hazard. Yellow flags indicate a medium hazard.  If your visit to our area is during a time when a swim advisory is in effect or when red flags are flying, you can still make a splash at area pools. If you are staying at a local hotel or condo, most will have a pool area. Or you can visit the Bodenhamer Center in Gulf Shores, the Orange Beach Aquatics Center, Lake Shelby at the Gulf State Park or enjoy a day of water fun at Waterville USA. Our Facebook page has all the information on locations and prices.  Upcoming Events Pepsi Star Series and The Wharf presents Steve Miller Band and Peter Frampton July 31, 2010 2010 National Softball Association Summer's End Tournament July 31 - August 1, 2010 2010 Golf Channel, Amateur Tour Gulf Shores Open August 21 - 22, 2010 Send to a Friend Travel Tip Fun in sun doesn't have to break the bank. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach offer many free or low-cost activities to help you stretch your vacation budget. For more information, visit our website. Orange Beach Indian & Sea Museum: Discover local history including Indian culture and the importance of fishing to the area. Free admission. Gulf Shores Museum: From Hurricane Hunters to Fishing the Lagoon, exhibits offer a great view into the coastal way of life. Free admission. Baldwin County Heritage Museum: Take the short drive to Elberta for a step back in time and a look at the heritage of the area. Museum and grounds are free admission. Special exhibit Shipwreck! Treasures from the SS Republic is a ticketed admission. Adult $12; Child (2-12) $8. City of Foley Museum Archives and Model Train Exhibit: All aboard for fun! Model trains are operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Free admission. The Estuarium at The Dauphin Island Sea Lab: The Estuarium makes learning fun with exhibits on the four key habitats of coastal Alabama. Adults $7; Child (5-18) $4. Fort Morgan: History echoes off brick walls at this pre-Civil War fort. Designed to control the shipping channel into Mobile Bay, today the mission is to share lessons from the past. Adults $5; Child (6-18) $3. Gulf State Park Pier: See what's biting with a visit to the longest pier on the Gulf of Mexico. Sight-seeing passes are available for those who don't want to drop a hook. Adult (all day) $3 or (one-trip) $2; Child, under 12 admitted free with paying adult. Bon Secour NWR: Combining exercise with coastal discoveries, the trails at Bon Secour NWR are a great way to view area flora and fauna. Free. The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trails at Gulf State Park: Hike or cycle into the wilderness of the Alabama Gulf Coast with trails that guide you along marshes, secondary sand dunes, swamps and creeks. Free. Connect with Us Archive Click here to view our past newsletters archive. This email was sent to archive_email@informz.net, because you requested monthly e-newsletters from Alabama Gulf Coast CVB. If you wish to no long receive this newsletter, please opt-out here. If you are not interested in this type of information, you may unsubscribe. Read our Privacy Statement. Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau PO Drawer 457 Gulf Shores, AL 36547 1-800-745-SAND Contact Us