2022 Trip to Orange Beach, Alabama

Hi friends!  Thanks for stopping by Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.  Today I'm thinking about our vacation last week to Orange Beach, Alabama!

I was in desperate need of a vacation and Eric was more than happy to come along.  When we started talking about getting away for a week, I knew I wasn't going to have a lot of time to plan a trip.  So I fell back on a trip I took last year with my friend Linda and rented the exact same condo we stayed in less than a year ago.  The condo was located in the Regency Isle building in Orange Beach, Alabama.  It's a short walk on the beach to the infamous Florabama and sits right on the beach.  I was hopeful sitting on the balcony, overlooking the waves coming in on the white sand, would melt my stress and give me the fresh start I so desperately needed.

Our journey started bright and early on Saturday morning.  We were facing a 12-hour drive to our beach destination.  After crossing Illinois, we entered Kentucky.

From Kentucky, we drove straight into Tennessee.

Nashville was the perfect distance from our home to stop for lunch.  We love finding quirky little dining places and were drawn to Bare Bones Butcher.  This joint is a combination butcher shop and diner.  Word on the street was they have the best burgers in Nashville.  I would have to do more taste testing to confirm that, but I can attest to the fact that the burger was delicious!

It was great to get out of the car for a bit, but we still had a seven-hour drive in front of us.  We loaded back up and headed out.  

The next state we hit was Alabama!  We were getting closer to our final destination!

To get to the condo, we had to drive into Florida, then barely back into Alabama.

We pulled into our home-away-from-home for the week at about 8:30 pm.  The sun had already set for the day and we quickly unpacked the car and settled in.  

To be honest, the week didn't quite unfold like I had hoped it would.  Work kept me busy the majority of the time, but working from the beach did have its upside.  One was the view of the sunrises and sunsets!

The weather was gorgeous!  The beach was literally steps away from the condo, which made it easy to take a break and go for a walk on the sand and let the water wash over our feet.  

We also made it a habit to celebrate happy hour every day.  Why don't we do this at home?

We divided the time during the day when I wasn't working between sitting outside on the balcony and hanging out on the beach.  I'm not sure what it is, but the rhythm of the waves washing ashore is one of my most favorite things.  

We did break away one night to go on a dolphin cruise.  Eric did a little research and selected Surf's Up Dolphin Cruises.  Best decision ever!  We loaded our boat and took off for the open water on a beautiful evening.  This particular cruise company takes two boats out and when they spot dolphins, they position the boats on either side of them and cruise as fast as they can.  The dolphins love to play in the wake between the boats.  Boy did we see a show!  Can't say enough about this company.

Friday was the only day the weather wasn't perfect.  Honestly, I still loved sitting on the balcony watching the clouds roll in.  By late afternoon, the sun was out and we enjoyed our last day of vacation.  

I'm not going to pretend the vacation turned out to be the relaxing one I'd dreamed of, but it was still wonderful to have a change of scenery for a week! 

Now it's your turn - what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

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