The Gulf State Park Tradition...

Which week seems to work best in 2025?

  • May 23rd to May 29th (Memorial day weekend and following week)

    Votes: 5 45.5%
  • May 30th to June 5th

    Votes: 8 72.7%
  • June 6th to June 12th

    Votes: 5 45.5%
  • June 13th to June 19th

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • June 20th to June 26

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • June 27th to July 3rd

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .
Yes the end of the pier was the single level fishing spot and the state had funded a second level observation deck and deck repairs before 2020 along its entire length. It was nearly finished and ready to open when the hurricane came and blew out a lot of the decking, dropped several of the concrete piers (in the last picture) into the water, and damaged the second level.

It's fun (and free for GSP campers) to walk the pier and watch the fishing going on. Out on the far ends the coolers are sitting around the center area of the circle with the fishing taking place on the rail. Wasn't a lot of space for spectators which is why they were installing the second level - to get out of the way and avoid all those hooks flying around when casting.

I look forward to it reopening. Thanks for the update Jim.

ED

PS - well not "free". Campers are stuck with a 'recreation fee' added to a campsite cost to cover the pool etc. and also access to the fishing pier, the picnic pavilion ("free parking" not free) and such.
 
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I know many of us have been saddened by the end third of the pier being gone (from hurricane damage in 2020), they are getting close to having it repaired.

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Here's what it looked like before and after the hurricane.

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j

Yes sir, getting close. They could not give me a planned opening date this past week when I asked.

Here is a pic of it last week.
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The parking lot there is still full of construction equipment. Should be open by our planned Dismeet however.
 
Restaurant update for Gulf Shores.

There had been a restaurant at the intersection of Fort Morgan Highway and Highway 59 north of the Lagoon called Hazel's Nook. It closed this month after it had been in business for 67 years :earseek:which puts it back to 1957 and Gulf Shores was incorporated in the early 50s I think. I don't know if it had been at that specific location that long but has been since I started going to GS in the late 70s.

https://www.al.com/life/2024/08/a-n...reakfast-burgers-and-more-in-gulf-shores.html

It supposedly had been known for its breakfast buffet but I always had bad experiences with the food so hadn't been in decades (dry biscuits, greasy hashbrowns, not-hot scrambled eggs). But it's in a prime location between the Wal-Mart Supercenter and the Rouse's Market Shopping Center and the owner of Orange Beach restaurants took it over, retired the 'Hazel's' name and named it similar to his OB place and it will continue to serve breakfast and lunch. The new name is "Duck's Diner".

https://ducksdiner.com/

We'll be back at Gulf Shores in February and will have to check it out. The first link above has a pic of a Reuben which is one of my FAV-O-RITE types of sandwiches. Of course, I will make a full report here in time to consider this place for our DISMeet (although I'll probably go for lunch rather than breakfast).

But Hazel's was the prototype definition of a local dining "institution" (especially with retirees in winter) but the new place sounds good. And it's convenient to the campground and central to much of GS.

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ED
 
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We had only been to Hazel's once... for breakfast. It was ok, but I have other favorites for that.

j
 
Never tried it Ed. Usually we almost never eat breakfast away from the camper. When on vacation the ladies typically sleep too late. However, if during our next get together we gentlemen might just have to pick a morning and have a breakfast meeting out.

Not Waffle House.

My brawling days are long over.
 
During our next get together we gentlemen might just have to pick a morning and have a breakfast out.
Over in Ed's favorite town (Orange Beach), there is a great breakfast place at the corner of Canal and 161. Apparently they are a chain down there, but Another Broken Egg has consistently had good breakfast when we went in.

j
 
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Over in Ed's favorite town (Orange Beach), there is a great breakfast place at the corner of Canal and 161. Apparently they are a chain down there, but Another Broken Egg has consistently had good breakfast when we in.

j

Yeah it's a chain.

We have one here in Titletown down along River Road. Never been there (it's kinda hoidy toidy I've heard from those who have been) but if you venture into OB, you're not surprised. :rolleyes1

ED

PS - I judge my breakfast restaurants by whether or not I can get a thick piece of fried bologna as my meat option with my omelette and hash browns and biscuits (with gravy). But like tiggerdad, when camping I prefer my own breakfast.
 
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Hello Everyone. Add us to the list. I just booked site 80 for 5/31 to 6/8 so I will be there. Hopefully I can get the time off if not I will commute some. Look forward to seeing y'all then.
 
#80 is just at the other end of Sumac Road - not far at all from where I'll be.

Glad you got something close by, Joe/@Flametamr, and hope you can come stay for a while but at least we know you might come over from home for the day as the schedule allows.

We can work around your schedule if need be.

The news just keeps getting better and better!

ED
 
@tiggerdad, Michael would you like to put together a list of who on what site? I have 2 other peoples booked and traveling with us
 
The original 4 puzzlers are all signed up to be present in 2025.

It was May 2016 when the morning puzzle "thang" started.

@tiggerdad is back left, @SouthAlabama5er is on the right, @Flametamr is front left, and @bama_ed (yours truly) stopped puzzling momentarily and took the picture.



The previous summer (May 2015), I first met @tiggerdad at Gulf State Park and in 2016 we returned and two locals, @Flametamr and @SouthAlabama5er, came over and camped with us. And we had DISMeets in May (end of most school years in Alabama and Mississippi) in 2017, 2018, and 2019 with more-and-or-different people coming each time. 2020 was our 1st Fort Wilderness DISMeet (Rendezvous at the Fort) during covid.

A Gulf State Park DISMeet has a slower, more relaxing vibe than one at Disney. I'm looking forward to it.

ED
 
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The original 4 puzzlers are all signed up to be present in 2025.

It was May 2016 when the morning puzzle "thang" started.

@tiggerdad is back left, @SouthAlabama5er is on the right, @Flametamr is front left, and @bama_ed (yours truly) stopped puzzling momentarily and took the picture.



The previous summer (May 2015), I first met @tiggerdad at Gulf State Park and in 2016 we returned and two locals, @Flametamr and @SouthAlabama5er, came over and camped with us. And we had DISMeets in May (end of most school years in Alabama and Mississippi) in 2017, 2018, and 2019 with more-and-or-different people coming each time. 2020 was our 1st Fort Wilderness DISMeet (Rendezvous at the Fort) during covid.

A Gulf State Park DISMeet has a slower, more relaxing vibe than one at Disney. I'm looking forward to it.

ED
Ah, 2015. remember it like it was yesterday. Shrimp boil. As i recall Ed, it was the only time i was around your entire family at the same time. You, DW, DD, and both DSs were there for that one. over on Wildcat loop. Here was the pic i took preparing for the arrival of the Famous Bama_Ed. You can see the shrimp boil ongoing in the background.
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One thing for sure, over the years the Dismeets there have produced some serious good laughs and good food. Here are some examples starting with simple hamburgers.
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Barbeque chicken and Mac&cheese
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Crawfish
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The famous chunk of cow that quite literally almost got Randy and myself arrested...
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This was actually a medley made from left over corn and potatoes from a shrimp boil and we cooked up more chicken.
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We've cooked just about everything and i cannot recall a single time it was not fantastic.
 
I've updated the first post of the thread, with the members and sites that i am aware of. I'm going by the ones that you guys posted on here. If you are attending and not listed, please let me know and I'll get you added. Really would like to see as many as possible, even if you are not able to get site close by, several of us have big sites that allow for plenty of parking so don't let this get in the way.

Oh yeah, I like new faces too!
 
You and I were there in 2015, @tiggerdad.

At your campsite you cooked up a FEAST!

But I remember maybe 2016 ...

SouthAlabama5er's parents came over and cooked up a shrimp boil of AWESOME proportions. And Randy's dad told naughty jokes and entertained us till we could not laugh any more.

That's why Randy is the way he is. Gentle, funny, and easy going. What a family it must be.

Waiting for May 25. ED
 
:rolleyes1There is an airport close by that’s big enough…

View attachment 913870

Jack Edwards Field in Gulf Shores, AL.

Or Pensacola airport to the East for public flights inbound.

Mobile is the nearest public airport to the West.

But KEEP IT QUIET. We don't want us to be "found" or "discovered" any more (than we already are).

ED
 
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