With the weather hot and getting hotter, the official first day of summer passed by on Thursday, June 20. Now is the perfect opportunity to get outside and discover what Baldwin County has to offer …
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With the weather hot and getting hotter, the official first day of summer passed by on Thursday, June 20. Now is the perfect opportunity to get outside and discover what Baldwin County has to offer for some summer fun.
Fairhoper's Community Park
The nautical themed splash pad at Fairhoper's Community Park is the perfect watery way for kids to cool off on a hot summer day. The park is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week. The park also offers a variety of other amenities including pavilions, picnic areas, playgrounds and swing sets.
105 S. Church St., Fairhope
Community Kids Park
The splash pad water park area found in Bay Minette's Community Kids Park is filled with fun water amenities that are sure to keep the kids entertained this summer. This park is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the week. The playground also features pavilions available for rent and a playground structure for kids of all ages.
303 McMillian Ave., Bay Minette
Bay Minette Municipal Pool Complex
Splash pads are not the only water-based fun that Bay Minette has to offer. The Municipal Pool Complex has a small pool with water attractions as well as a larger pool with eight swimming lanes. This pool also features a swirly slide and a diving board entry to two side sections in the pool that do not contain the swimming lanes. The pool hours are Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
1300 Bradley Ave., Bay Minette
Max Griffin Pool
Foley's public pool is directly across the parking lot from the Foley Kids Park. This swimming pool offers two diving boards in an area of the pool with six swimming lanes in a larger part of the same pool. The pool is open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
300 Roosevelt Ave., Foley
Meaher State Park
The camping site is located on Mobile Bay that offers a boat launch directly to Blakeley River, which flows into the bay. The ramp is available for use from 7 a.m. to sundown. The park also hosts a variety of flora and fauna found in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta where the park is located.
5170 Battleship Pkwy., Spanish Fort
Pirate's Cove
This is a popular location to unwind and relax by the bay with a bushwhacker and cheeseburger. This location is accessible by land, but it also offers boat slips for bay access to attract the pirate in everyone. Don't be alarmed if there is a dog or 20 roaming around the sandy waterfront. They are another iconic part of this location. Pirate's Cove is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Sunday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays.
6664 CR 95, Elberta
Beaches
Baldwin County's beaches are the reason millions of people visit the area each years, always a great place to work on a tan and cool off in the Gulf during the summer months. With several different beaches across the coast, it can be hard to choose just one, but one popular access point, which is conveniently located in Gulf State Park in Orange Beach, is Cotton Bayou. The entrance is found at the intersection of Hwy. 182 and Hwy. 161. This beach access point has restrooms and an ADA beach access mat. Cotton Bayou is just one beach access point for the state park, so if the parking lot is full a quick drive down Perdido Beach Boulevard will lead to other locations such as the Beach Pavilion or Alabama Point.
For other beach access points, find a list in Gulf Coast Media's most recent issue of Beachin' magazine at www.gulfcoastmedia.com/magazines.
25900 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach
Before heading out to the shore, it's important to regularly check the daily beach report at www.gulfshores.com for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to ensure a safe and fun beach experience. You can also sign up for a free bi-weekly newsletter from GCM, which includes the daily beach report and other headlines, at www.gulfcoastmedia.com/newsletter.
If water-based activities are not your style, don't lose hope on your dreams of outdoor adventure! A variety of parks, trails, and disk golf courses are available across the county for your enjoyment.
Disc golf courses
Daphne Central Park — 72 Lakeshore Drive, Daphne
Foley's Graham Creek Nature Preserve — is located at 23030 Wolf Bay Drive, Foley
Loxley Municipal Park — is located at Municipal Park Drive, Loxley
Parks and trails
Stockton's Bicentennial Park — 51233 State Hwy. 225, Stockton
Spanish Fort's 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center — 30945 Five Rivers Blvd., Spanish Fort
The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail has several entry points across Orange Beach/Gulf Shores
This is not a comprehensive list, but it can help you get started on finding places to cool off and stay active this summer. For more information, search individual city websites.
