Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/375781
FRoM sEa To TablE It's easy to build up an appetite after dolphin cruising in Wolf bay, tanning on a catamaran or paddleboarding around a small island in Perdido Key. I can't resist trying the local offerings of turnip greens, fried green tomatoes, cheese grits and crab cakes, but there is much more of the Gulf coast cuisine to sample. hanging out for lunch with bob baumhower, former Miami dolphins' defense player at his restaurant, the compleat angler seafood Grille & bar, is fun and tasty. I decide on the Mango bay salad, which features a hearty piece of mahi mahi served on top of gourmet greens, crispy spicy pecans and chunks of mango. another excellent place to dine is at The Gulf, an uber-cool outdoor waterfront restaurant, constructed from cobalt-blue shipping containers. Guests relax on swanky white sofas in the sand and eat at impressive long teak tables. With a menu that changes daily, the food is simple and fresh. burgers look awesome, but I opt for simply seasoned grilled snapper on a heap of jicama and carrot slaw. I discover a similarly modern vibe at lucy b Goode coastal café. This indoor beach-chic restaurant is owned by lucy buffett, chef, restaurateur, crazy Sista cook- book author and sister to jimmy buffett, who had stopped by for a snack earlier that day. lucy b Goode's small-plate dining encourages patrons to taste more of the local foods, such as lucy's creamy baldwin county peanut soup and West Indies salad, made with succulent jumbo lump blue crab. a PERFEcT sEnd-oFF although I never try a "bushwacker," the signature local chocolaty rum drink, I do manage to fi t in a two-hour zip line adventure at the Gulf Adventure Center. decked out in zip lining gear, trying not to trip on the heavy clip dangling between my legs, I climb up a sturdy wooden tower, look down and notice a two- metre-long 'gator swimming directly under the zip line. before I have a chance to back out, chase, our expert guide, shouts, "Go!" I obey, jump from the platform, swing my trembling legs in front of me, and then serendipitously, fi ve F-18s from the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, based in Pensacola, Florida, fl y by. I fi nally relax, sitting comfortably in my harness, catching the wind and the beauty of the beach below. travel planner Delta Airlines (delta.com) offers service from Toronto to Pensacola, Florida, connecting through Atlanta, Georgia. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are approximately a one-hour drive from the Pensacola airport. Typically, visitors to the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area stay in condominiums. Summer is high season, so plan ahead, and book your accommodation preferably by March. For more information, visit: Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism: gulfshores.com Brett/Robinson Vacations: brett-robinson.com Cetacean Cruises: cetaceancruises.com Gulf Adventure Center: gulfadventurecenter.com Lucy B Goode Coastal Café: lucybgoode.com Meyer Vacation Rentals: meyerre.com Sail Wild Hearts: sailwildhearts.com Young's Suncoast Realty & Vacation Rentals: youngssuncoast.com Hit the bike trails and discover the coastal beauty of Gulf State Park. Gulf shores & orange beach Tourism 16 Fa l l 2 0 1 4