A bachelorette weekend getaway with your bridesmaids is one of the most relaxing, best parts of wedding planning. It gives you a chance to leave the wedding plans and stress at home and go have fun with your girlfriends.
It is also a great opportunity for your bridesmaids to meet if they do not all know each other and for you to see any that might live out of town before the big day.
Each bride has their own preference for what type of bachelorette weekend they want to have depending on their personality and the options are endless.
For mine, we took a weekend and drove down to Orange Beach, Alabama to get some sun, seafood, and serenity. I am not what you might call a partier, I do not even drink alcohol, so I was not interested in going out on the town or hitting up all the bars, just not my personality.
Engagement season has been stressful for me though, so I was all about some relaxation. If you need help planning, CLICK HERE for all my wedding planning resources.
If you are trying to decide what to do for your bachelorette weekend, I definitely suggest the beach. In this article, you will find helpful tips and suggestions for your trip! Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Gulf Shores, AL: Accommodations
First off, finding a place to stay is uber important. We stayed at the Phoenix Condominiums, below is a link for more information if you want to check them out. There are so many Phoenix Condos and if you have ever been to Orange Beach or Gulf Shores, you know exactly which ones I am talking about, you really can’t miss them.
The great thing about going to the beach is there are so many different options on where to stay. There are condos, hotels, houses, Airbnb, the list goes on and on, so you will have no problem finding a place. Make sure to pay attention to any festivals that might be going on during the dates you place to make the trip and plan accordingly.
Where to Eat
Next, my favorite subject, food. Each person in my family is a foodie. I am not sure if it is because we are from the South, but we will be planning our next meal while eating.
I love seafood, so I was pumped about going to the beach for the bachelorette weekend. There are so many amazing places, it is impossible to go to them all in one weekend, so make sure you plan future trips.
While planning our bachelorette weekend, I knew I wanted to try somewhere different and I wanted to go to one of my favorites. On Friday, we did not get there until late, because we all had to work so the only place open was Waffle House. A solid choice when it is 10:00 at night and you have six hungry girls. On Saturday, we decided to have a big breakfast and snack for lunch so we could stay on the beach longer during the day.
The Ruby Slipper
For breakfast, we went to The Ruby Slipper (link below). I had never been there before, but my Maid of Honor found it and it was the perfect breakfast spot.
They had big portions, yummy food, and a wonderful atmosphere. Service was good and quick and prices were average, which made us all happy. They have the garage doors on one wall and put them up so you can feel the beach breeze flow through the building as you relax inside or on the patio.
I got an omelet which also came with a biscuit and grits, but everyone raved about their food. I will definitely go back in the future.
Website: https://www.therubyslippercafe.net/
Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s
For dinner, we went to one of my favorite restaurants at the beach, Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s. There are so many reasons why I love this place. The atmosphere is relaxed, yet upbeat and full of energy. Although the wait times can be long, they have so many things for you to do while you wait.
They have games for the kids, live music, gift shops, an arcade, an obstacle course, several outdoor bars, places to sit and chat, and many picture-perfect areas to document your big weekend.
On top of that, I have never had anything I did not like there, and the menu is extensive. My go to is the shrimp quesadilla’s and they are amazing and enough to have leftovers.
Website: https://lulubuffett.com/
Lambert’s: Home of the Throwed Rolls
On our way out on Sunday, we stopped by the ever-famous Lambert’s- home of the flying rolls (link below). This is a little bit out of the way, so it is best to stop there either on the way in or out, but with the ridiculously large portions, make sure you have room for leftovers. Lambert’s is famous for their flying rolls, large portions, and pass arounds.
Although you order your meal like a regular restaurant, they also have what they call pass arounds. They are basically additional sides that several workers will walk around the building serving. 10/10 recommend the fried okra. Additionally, one of those pass arounds is rolls and the person that walks around with them will throw them to you.
Years ago, they would quite literally chunk them across the restaurant at you. Although they will still throw them now, they do wait until they are closer to you. They are roughly the size of a softball and so yummy. I think we each ate at least three and took one for the road.
Website: https://throwedrolls.com/
More Favorites Include: Cobalt, Tacky Jack’s, The Gulf, Bubba’s Seafood House, and The Hangout
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Entertainment: Things to do
One of the best parts of the beach, especially for a bachelorette weekend is there are plenty of things to keep you busy. Because we only had a short weekend, we wanted to just have girl time and relax/chat, so we spent our time on the beach, eating, or hanging out at the condo.
If you want to just relax, you can spend all of your time on the beach with the sand in your toes and water lapping at your feet.
If you want to party or go out in your matching “last sail before the veil” shirts, you can go to Florabama, The Hangout, or The Pink Pony for drinks and live music.
If you want it to be laid back, but want to get out, there are several goofy golf courses, go carts, ice cream parlors, and shopping centers for you to visit.
Orange Beach has something for everyone.
*Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commision if you click through and make a purchase. I greatly appreciate you helping me keep this blog running!
Packing List: What to bring
One thing you will quickly learn about me is that I love lists. I will make lists of lists I want to make; not even joking. I have been this way since I was young, therefore, I find joy in making packing lists. One, because it is a list. Two, because I am terrified of forgetting something. CLICK HERE to get my ultimate list of wedding photographs.
The great thing about the beach is you do not have to pack much and if you forget something, you can easily run to the store to get it. But, there are some essentials that I have learned I cannot forget when I go to the beach. These include:
- Sunscreen
- Sun Hat
- Beach Tent
- Beach Chairs
- Bathing Suits
- Beach Towel
- Beach Bag
- Cooler
- Bathing Suit Cover-Up
- Sunglasses
- Sandals
- Sun Dress
More Details and Extra Tips
I am a stickler about protecting my skin from the sun, as you might can tell from my packing list. I am very fair skinned and get burnt easily, but I am also a huge believer in doing everything I can to prevent skin cancer. Therefore, sunscreen and a sun hat have become two of my essentials no matter where I am going.
I love the Neutrogena sunscreen and use the lotion kind, because the spray sunscreen makes me break out. The Neutrogena sunscreen does not feel ridiculously oily and soaks in well. They also have many different varieties that you can choose from depending on how much SPF you want and whether you need body or face.
Also, I have learned about the luxury of having a beach tent and beach chairs. They may seem cumbersome and like it is not worth it, but if you plan on staying out on the beach all day, it is so worth it to have some shade and a chair to sit in and take a break from the sun.
Of course, you cannot forget a beach bag for all of your beachy necessities and a cooler for water, sweet tea, Kool-Aid, or your drink of choice when the sun starts beating down.
Other items on the list are things you hopefully would not forget, but it is always nice to have a list. I cannot tell you how many times I have forgotten something important, because I told myself oh no it doesn’t need to go on the list there is no way I will forget it.
Recommended: The Perfect Southern Honeymoon or Romantic Destinations
We had a wonderful bachelorette weekend in Orange Beach and I hope that if you choose to take a trip to the gulf for your bachelorette party that this article will be helpful for you.
The Gulf of Mexico definitely has the prettiest beaches in the world, but I may be bias! What do you think?
Lots of Love, Laurel McDaniel
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