In the middle of August, when I was there, the sea turtle nests were expected to hatch. I had the pleasure of meeting volunteers from Alabama who were protecting the nests along the coast. Though I didn’t get to see the turtles hatch, it was great to go out each morning and check on the two nests near my room on the beach. The Naturalist at the Gulf Shores State Park can help you find a nest as well as give you information on when it should be hatching.

Some highlights from my trip included reading on the beach as I watched a tropical storm roll in late one evening. The crickets, birds and waves were so loud; I could hear them over the thunder. It was great practicing yoga on the beach facing the ocean during sunrise. Before it got to hot or humid, laying in the cool, damp sand and rinsing off after a run in the salty waters of the Gulf was a totally rejuvenating experience.

The only draw back was that the local area is lacking in dining options, with the local flair being distinctively and nearly exclusively seafood. For a vegetarian like myself, I found Subway, Denny’s and gas station convenience stores to be my major source of nutrition. If you’re not a fan of seafood, think about packing some provisions, or making it to a grocery store while you’re there.

Buy yourselves a body board and go ahead. In spring, waves are quite big (not enough to really surf) and if you can swim well, you can have a lot of fun (I know I did). But be warned, if you decide to go swimming on a red flag day, you might be fined (most likely if you have to be rescued) so be sure that you are a good swimmer and that you don’t stray too far from the beach, the undertow can be quite strong. It is even stronger than what I experienced in Huntington Beach, California.