These are great ideas. For items that are smaller, like the inflatibles that collapse, I do just this. But for larger items like the buckets, usually we wait until we get closer to the beach and we stop at a discount store for this buy.
If we are staying at a condo or a beach house, most of the time we leave these items behind for the next family to enjoy. We did this the last time we went to Gulf Shores. The buckets and shovels didn't cost that much and I knew the kids wouldn't use them back at home. So it saved space in the car and kept some of the sand from coming home with us. ... View related article.
Gayle - October is a great time for any of the communities along the Alabama Gulf Coast. The Shrimp festival that some people have mentioned is Oct 9-12. It used to be a small local festival but has really grown. It is lots of fun.
The local tourism site is the best way to do some digging on restaurants and places to stay. www.thebeachiscalling.org. All of the hotels and condo places can put their specials on the tourism site - so it makes searching easier for you.
You can look in the calendar area to see what might be going on during your trip.
I'll be traveling to the area next month and I'll try to update this post with anything special I discover. ... View related article.
