Gulf Shores (and more specifically the Fort Morgan area) has had my heart for as long as I can remember. Every summer since I was 6 years old we have made the 13 hour drive from St. Louis, MO in a caravan, ready to reach the sugary sands that Alabama has to offer and enjoy fun in the sun with family. Back in the very beginning, it was my mom's side of the family, consisting of our lovely granny, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, 25+ people. Always squeezing in to one house for a week in June, we played tennis, hunted for crabs, learned how to play poker, ate at some fabulous gulf coast restaurants, swam in the pool and the gulf, relaxed under umbrellas, played some pretty hard core games of beach soccer and always made time for a visit to the coveted shark store. All of the cousins slept on air mattresses, couches, floors, walk in closets, etc. and to this day I don't think any one of us would have changed a thing. When I think of my childhood, this precious place is the first thought that comes to mind and it has only gotten more special as the years have gone on.
My sister and I lost our mom at 12 & 16 years old respectively, but our trips to Gulf Shores with grandparents continued. I truly believe that the sun and surf gave us a peace & calm we couldn't get anywhere else in the world. And while our grandpa explored pulling the trigger on a beach house of his own over the years, by the time he was able to his health had deteriorated. Never one to be easily detoured, he passed that dream on to us. After a decade, that dream turned into a beach lot of sand and dunes backing up to a serene wildlife preserve, just steps away from the gulf nestled in the lovely community of Morgantown.
We started visiting Morgantown a long time ago, back when there was only one pool, so to be able to have a beach home in this community feels like everything has come full circle. Driving into the neighborhood and seeing the same (although nicely updated of course) tennis courts our grandfather taught us how to play on tugs on my heart strings. Our kids weren't lucky enough to know our grandpa, but through this community, this house, this beach, they will. They will create amazing memories with their cousins and this area and always feel like they have a home away from home.
And that's what I hope our beach home, Aurora Del Mar, does for our guests; gives them a place to put down roots, even in a beach rental home. Each bedroom has a bathroom, so you don't have to worry about sharing a bathroom. Get your shampoo and toothbrush out and stay awhile! Enjoy views on the back deck where its truly serene, or sit out on the front decks to catch some rays and views of the Gulf, have a meal with the family. Walk 300 steps and reach the boardwalk to put your toes in the sand. Bring your dog and enjoy walks on the beach with them. Have an orange blossom and some royal reds down near the Fort @ Tacky Jack's, grab a coffee @ Beach Bums on the drive in to town and stop at Sassy Bass or Dollar General for those last minute items. Shop in Foley at the outlet mall and catch a dolphin cruise along the Intercoastal waterway. Take a daydrive to Fairhope, Mobile or Pensacola to catch events or different vibe. Watch the Blue Angels and Coast Guard make runs along the coast. Have a shrimp boil in our well-equipped kitchen with your friends and family. Pack your coolers in our bar area by means of the ice maker and mini fridge, so you have ice cold beverages ready for your day at the beach. Take in all of the colors of the sunsets. Swim in one of two recently refinished pools and play pickleball or tennis at the courts. And of course, don't forget to make time for the guilty pleasure that is the shark store (shout out to Souvenir City).
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We would love to be your beach home away from home! Aurora Del Mar will be ready to host you this summer and we couldn't be more excited for this new chapter of beachdom to begin. Similar to the illuminating colors of the northern lights (Aurora Borealis), come witness some of the most gorgeous sunsets around. Where the kaleidoscopic sky touches the waters of the gulf coast, you'll find our piece of paradise, Aurora Del Mar.
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