Crowds at the beach

Has Summer started? SoWal is still in school. When are Georgia and Alabma public schools out?

Kurt, the last day of school for the major counties around Atlanta occurred two weeks ago. I would guess that the rest of Georgia is on the same schedule.

I have no idea how many tourists are in SoWal now but there seems to be a lot of advertising by destinations and rental companies such as Sandestin and ResortQuest. ResortQuest has been sending emails offering $100 in gas rebates if you rent thru them.

My boys in Alabama were out May 29...and go back around Aug. 11th.

My friends that are at Gulf Shores both teach and have been out of school several weeks.

Scenic 98 had empty parking spots and a beach that looked "half full", I even noticed empty beach chairs. Really weird, normally that whole stretch would be a mad house of people and traffic.

I haven't thought it was that crowded lately, but I was optimistically thinking I was just getting used to the tourists.

My boys in Alabama were out May 29...and go back around Aug. 11th.

OMG - - Aug. 11??? That is so crazy.

Same for Tn, schools are out and will go back in early August, hot, so hot.

memorial day weekend and week were pretty packed with visitors in sowal. its a little respite right now. give it another few weeks. I dread seeing what July 4th is going to be like around here... given how memorial day weekend at grayton beach was as packed as it has ever been.

sure people will think twice about gas prices so we may experience fewer tourists before and after July 4th. the usual visiting suspects we know are on go for their summer vacays in sowal.:roll:, I mean...

Sowal was packed for Memeorial Day? We must have been in different places. We were on 30A the entire time and could not believe how easy it was to get around--both traffic and favorite restaurants.
I asked in a couple of restaurants about "holiday crowd' and they cited gas prices.
I must admit to mixed feelings---while it was great for us, I know our locals need the business.

Sowal was packed for Memeorial Day? We must have been in different places. We were on 30A the entire time and could not believe how easy it was to get around--both traffic and favorite restaurants.
I asked in a couple of restaurants about "holiday crowd' and they cited gas prices.
I must admit to mixed feelings---while it was great for us, I know our locals need the business.

I guess everyone decided to go to grayton beach that day!

Seacrest Beach is freakin packed . We were all sitting around commenting that folks are traveling inspite of gas prices. Seaside also appeared to be packed as I drove through it last night. There was a line to get parking places at the Seagrove Publix

Seacrest Beach is freakin packed . We were all sitting around commenting that folks are traveling inspite of gas prices. Seaside also appeared to be packed as I drove through it last night. There was a line to get parking places at the Seagrove Publix

believe me it was worse memorial day weekend. I have never in my life seen publix that packed. ever.

memorial day weekend and week were pretty packed with visitors in sowal. its a little respite right now. give it another few weeks. I dread seeing what July 4th is going to be like around here... given how memorial day weekend at grayton beach was as packed as it has ever been.

sure people will think twice about gas prices so we may experience fewer tourists before and after July 4th. the usual visiting suspects we know are on go for their summer vacays in sowal.:roll:, I mean...

SoWal was full Memorial Day weekend. I'm pretty sure Rosemary, Seaside, WaterColor, etc. were maxed out. Since then, while there has been plenty of people here it kind of feels like the lull between Memorial Day and the last day of school which is why I wasn't sure what was up with school dates.

If Wal-Mart this afternoon was any indication. . . THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!

Btw, just moved here from Gulf Shores. MUCH different tourist there. The Wharf in Orange Beach (their take on Destin Commons) is practically empty except for concerts at the amphitheater. My friend was there this past week; took their kids to the new Indy film at the Rave at The Wharf and had the theater to themselves. In our experience, we never shared a theater with more than a dozen people.

No shortage of sunburns that I am seeing. They even drew a phallus on a stop sign in Seacrest Beach to demonstrate their presence:roll:

If Wal-Mart this afternoon was any indication. . . THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!

Btw, just moved here from Gulf Shores. MUCH different tourist there. The Wharf in Orange Beach (their take on Destin Commons) is practically empty except for concerts at the amphitheater. My friend was there this past week; took their kids to the new Indy film at the Rave at The Wharf and had the theater to themselves. In our experience, we never shared a theater with more than a dozen people.

welcome to sowal miss critter! glad you finally made it! you kept threatening! are you all settled in?

I think all the people were at Grayton Beach and the Red Bar. I haven't seen that many people in the Red Bar in a long time.

welcome to sowal miss critter! glad you finally made it! you kept threatening! are you all settled in?

If you don't count drowning in a sea of cardboard, I'm settled. Thanks for the welcome! Happy to be here.

If Wal-Mart this afternoon was any indication. . . THEY'RE HERE!!!!!!

Btw, just moved here from Gulf Shores. MUCH different tourist there. The Wharf in Orange Beach (their take on Destin Commons) is practically empty except for concerts at the amphitheater. My friend was there this past week; took their kids to the new Indy film at the Rave at The Wharf and had the theater to themselves. In our experience, we never shared a theater with more than a dozen people.

yeah,my son and his family and myself went to Gulf Shores for a week last June,just not the same, I'm not a condo person period,I can't stand those concrete monsters.Don't care how nice they are inside,should be against the law to build them on the beach side!!
Anyway I took the grands out to Wharf,Main st was packed (hard to find parking)but we went to some eating establishment on the intercoastal in that development that I'll never forget!
I ordered a grilled chicken salad,it took forever to get the thing,then the waiter left before I could ask if I could please have some salad dressing. I almost chocked to death trying to be cool and eating it dry!!!!Finally he came back (a teenager) and he said oh I think there is some red stuff back there .Want some,so I ask if it was Russian or a rasberry something,he
so out it came,very bad. Well he said I think my friend that works here has some ranch want some? I almost killed him then by hugging him to death.He was trying to help me lord knows And all the while all I was thinking was I'm paying 17.50 for this mess and I'll have to stop on the way back to the condo and get a hamburger!
I'll remember that salad to the day I die!
And I did try to get that hb on the way,but that was a whole nother sad story

Wow, cp, your salad sounds way worse than my sans pico one at Chili's.

I don't think it's a lack of people, I think it is a lack of spending money to go out. They are here no doubt, but no one is just randomly driving around to look at the area due to gas prices. I have a feeling folks are driving down, getting groceries, and staying put.

I'll remember that salad to the day I die!

Very few good, or even passable, restaurants there. Cosmo's on Canal Road in OB is good. Trying to think of another.. . . . ...

Very few good, or even passable, restaurants there. Cosmo's on Canal Road in OB is good. Trying to think of another.. . . . ...

what about tacky jacks breakfast?