101 things to do on Pleasure Island | pnj.com | Pensacola News Journal
“Let’s face it, Memorial Day Weekend is a time to forget about the job or school and just get on island time, which, most times means food, music, atmosphere and dancing. If there’s a restaurant that is the hot spot for Memorial Day Weekend that offers all those things and more, it has to be Live Bait, Live Bait Too and Live Bait at The Wharf in Orange Beach.
This famous eatery and nightclub combines a classic family-style eatery with a jumping nightclub with live music and dancing nightly. Live Bait restaurant offers an outstanding menu, featuring traditional Pleasure Island fare, lunch menu, kid’s menu and daily and nightly specials.
Live Bait will keep the kids entertained in their video arcade game room and surrounding bayou teeming with small alligators and turtles.
For the ultimate paradise atmosphere, enjoy a Red Stripe in their outdoor Tiki Hut and watch the sunset beyond the bayous of Orange Beach.
When the sun goes down, just walk across the bridge for a night of live music at Live Bait Too. Also, Live Bait is serving sushi at Live Bait at The Wharf.
Details: Live Bait and Live Bait Too, 24281 Perdido Beach Boulevard, 251-974-1612, www.livebaitrestaurant.com.
Try Mexican this holiday
When it comes to Memorial Day Weekend on Pleasure Island, it’s typically all about the grilling staples like fresh fish, USDA meats, maybe some skewered shrimp, you know — the stuff of Memorial Day.
By Monday, you just might be grilled out and have a mysterious and sudden hankering for a mammoth bean burrito and a side of yellow rice. Pleasure Island has many great Mexican places, but here’s a few to keep in mind if burgers and hot dogs just won’t cut it.
Tequilas
Up Gulf Shores Parkway at the Bruno’s Shopping Center is Tequilas Mexican Restaurant. This place doesn’t have pool tables or a bar or televisions — it just serve delicious Mexican cuisine in a place that you might find in Tijuana. Patrons sit in wooden booths with high backs. Sombreros hang from the wall next to fine prints and quilts. It’s a small, quaint restaurant tucked in the corner of the shopping center. What the restaurant lacks in size, Tequilas makes up for it in taste. Their menu features nearly 85 items, including 13 lunch specials. While 85 items might seem overwhelming, it basically means you can combine just about any items you crave. Most of all, Tequilas is a relaxed simple place to enjoy a Mexican feast.
Details: Tequilas Mexican Restaurant, Highway 59, Bruno’s Shopping Center, Gulf Shores, 251-968-5171.
El Toro
At El Toro Mexican Restaurant in Gulf Shores, customers are greeted with ‘Bienvenidos amigos!’ It’s fitting, because not only does El Toro serve fresh Mexican food, but their watistaff is quick, accomodating and friendly. Three things rarely found at any Pleasure Island eatery. Elo Toro’s menu features 70 usual Mexican dishes, plus a botanas (appetizer) section. Beyond the usual chili con carne and chili relleno, El Toro prepares several specialty dishes, including their Mezquite Grill, a succulant dish piled high with Chorizo, grilled chicken breast, rice, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo and six tortillas to wrap all the goodness in. Another special dish is their Camarones El Toro, a fresh shrimp dish with steamed vegetables and special Toro Dip. El Toro has a full bar where you can enjoy a margarita at lunch. El Toro Mexican , 3645 Gulf Shores Highway, Suite 102, 251-968-9030.
Original Point Restaurant
The official saying at the Original Point Restaurant is ‘In Mullet We Trust’ And why not? Mullet is said to have mystical powers for the soul that ingests it — and the Original Point Restaurant’s got plenty of the fish you can’t catch with a pole, plus a lot more on their menu. But before it was the legendary eatery it is today, the Original Point Restaurant was, in the words of its owner David Lively, ‘An old hippie joint.’ That free spirit can still be found at this favorite restaurant of ‘Point people.’ Tourists flock from Orange Beach and Gulf Shores to sample some of Lively’s true Southern cuisine, including alligator bites, mullet, grouper and shell fish, done to your liking. And gumbo. Real gumbo. One cup of Lively’s gumbo and you won’t need to travel to Louisiana for the real McCoy. Add the bluegrass sounds of Bubba N’ Them this Memorial Day Weekend and you’ll feel like you’re on the Louisiana coast. Original Point Restaurant, Innerarity Point Road, Pensacola, 850-492-3577.
Fishtales at The Wharf
Last summer saw the opening of Fishtales at The Wharf when they opened to hungry and thirsty visitors on Memorial Day Weekend. With a roofed outdoor dining room, FishTales is drenched in natural light. Patrons enjoy a stunning view of The Wharf’s Marina and the Intracoastal Waterway. The dining room also has a full service bar. But it’s not just ambiance that customers have been coming in for — it’s the menu. The menu consists of traditional Southern fare, including a genuine Alabama Shrimp Boil dish prepared by Chef Fletch Miller. The menu consists of traditional Southern fare, including a genuine Alabama Shrimp Boil dish prepared by Chef Fletch Miller. Everything is cooked over a oak wood oven fire, so nothing has that microwave taste. The food keeps all its natural flavor, with a hint of oak. nother popular item at FishTales is their spare ribs prepared with Hank’s Bar-b-cue sauce. And this holiday weekend FishTales features live music under the tent with Cary Laine. FishTales at The Wharf, 251-224-1910.
Waterville U.S.A.
Water, water and more water; that basically sums up Waterville in Gulf Shores, but you’re not going to wade in shallow kiddy pools at this amazing water park. From the Waterville Wave Pool to Rainbow Falls to Gold Rush, their signature ride, the twisting slides will leave your stomach in your throat. And their Kamikaze slide will test even the most fearless.
Everybody already knows how much fun Waterville U.S.A in Gulf Shores is, but what a lot of folks don’t know is that this Gulf Shores summertime favorite has added the ‘Flowrider,’ a self-contained wave that will challenge even the best surfer. Hang ten or ride this incredible wave on your stomach as water rushes up at nearly 35 miles per hour. Of course, Waterville U.S.A. has their usual thrill rides and slides, too, plus some new heart stopping slides. Waterville features a Coney Island style roller coaster. The Cannonball Run is a pure adrenaline rush for any speed freak. For the NASCAR fanatic, The Waterville 500 will test your driving skills on their Grand Prix racetrack. So, you can cool off at the beach or spend the day at Gulf Shores number one attraction, Waterville.
906 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores, 251-948-2106.
The Track Family Recreation Center
Gulf Shores has several amusement places and you could spend a weekend hitting all the fun things to do, but before this weekend is out, you certainly want to spend one full afternoon at The Track. Maybe one of the biggest attractions to The Track in Gulf Shores (besides the water bumper cars, miniature golf course, bumper rides, thrill rides and video games) just might be Wild Woody, a three-tiered wooden track that spirals three stories high, and back down again. If Wild Woody was the only thing to bring you to The Track, that’d be enough, but they offer much more, including Skycoaster. Skycoaster is a thrill ride that hoists and drops you from 110 feet in the air at 70 mph, before recovering just feet from the ground. You might want to hold off on the barbcue before getting strapped into this ride. If you want to get out of the sun for a spell, The Track features a huge arcade with dozens of games. 3200 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores, 251-968-8111.
Southern Rose Dolphin and Dining Cruise
One of the most popular pastimes along the Alabama Gulf Coast is dolphin watching — maybe nobody does it better than Southern Rose out of Sun Harbor Marina behind Tacky Jack’s in Orange Beach. Watch dolphins break the surface, and view multi-million dollar homes from their classic 64-foot, double decker boat, which offers a snack bar in an air conditioned enclosure or sit upstairs in the open deck. This Memorial Day, enjoy a narrative tour and beach music while cruising the pristine waters of Bayou St. John, Perdido Bay and Pirates Cove in search of the bottle nose dolphin. Enjoy a late morning cruise at 11:00 a.m. or a sunset cruise at 5:30 p.m. For a two-hour outing you’ll never forget, break away from the grill and madness of the cookout and enjoy the Intracoastal Waterway and all it has to offer. Bring your binoculars and camera as Southern Rose guarantees dolphins. Reservations are required, so call ahead. Southern Rose Dolphin, Sun Harbor Marina, Marina Rd., Orange Beach, 251-981-7673.
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
Get wild this holiday weekend with a visit to one of Pleasure Island’s premier attractions, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in the heart of Gulf Shores. If you’d been watching the Animal Planet a few years ago, then you probably caught ‘The Little Zoo That Could,’ the highly-acclaimed 13-week series that chronicled the trials and tribulations of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo during the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons on the Discovery Channel. But if you didn’t catch it, you need only get in your car and visit this superb zoo, which is now flourishing with exotic animals. While the zoo has gone through many changes, big plans are in the works including a move to higher ground, but Pleasure Island’s very own zoo is still only minutes from the beach. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is tucked away just blocks from Gulf Shores Public Beach and is home to more than 290 animals, including lions, tigers, bears and macaws just to name a few. There’s also a petting zoo, reptile house, aviary and daily animal shows and gift shop, too. Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, 1204 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores, 251-968-5731
Legends Bar and Grille
For some, Memorial Day Weekend is all about a day on the links. All day, if possible, and one of the most popular courses on or near the key is Perdido Bay Golf Club. But this short profile isn’t about golf, it’s about food after or before golf. And the restaurant at Perdido Bay Golf Club is Legends Bar and Grille. In the few months they’ve been opened, the Hatcher’s have drawn new and old patrons with a new menu unlike any found on or near Perdido Key — and the word is catching on.
The menu consists of breakfast served every day from 6:30 a.m. — 10 a.m., and features such standards as French toast, two eggs any style, biscuits and gravy and pancakes. More appealing items are their breakfast burrito stuffed with scrambled eggs, bell peppers, and sausage. Then there’s the favorite, the Western omelet and shrimp omelet. Squeezed between the appetizer and salad portion of the menu the dinner section features a superb 12-ounce New York Strip aged for 21 days, shrimp and grits with Andouille and Vermont white cheddar grits topped with sautéed jumbo shrimp.
The lunch menu that boasts eight lunches perfect if you’re coming off the 18th hole or are heading into downtown Pensacola, but want to eat near the Key. From a juicy eight-ounce burger with large fries to shrimp salad and chicken club wrap, all for under $8. One of their most appealing (but quite large) lunch items is the grouper sandwich. It’s a grilled, blackened or fried grouper served with tartar, lettuce and tomato. This is big, big lunch, but one you’ll enjoy later at dinner. Legends Bar and Grille, Perdido Bay Golf Club, 1 Doug Ford Drive, Perdido Florida, 850-492-1223.
Fisherman’s Corner
Sometimes Memorial Day Weekend is all about just getting out of the house and letting someone else prepare the food and mix the cocktails. On Perdido Key, resting in the shadow of the Perdido Key bridge, there sits an old shack that looks like it belongs in the bayous of Louisiana selling bait and tackle than it does a superb seafood eatery and pub. In fact, that’s exactly what Fisherman’s Corner Seafood Pub once was before the Montogmery’s assumed ownership three years ago. No longer trading in live shrimp for anglers, this watering hole and gem of the Key has become a favorite for locals and tourists alike for seafood chow, cold beer, atmosphere and the live music of The Corner Band. But it’s the blue crabs, a softshell item ‘that you eat whole’ that brings em’ in week after week. Seafood not your thing? Well, you can also throw down one of the best burgers and tastiest fried chicken at Fisherman’s Corner. And since it’s Memorial Day, you know they’ll have a killer barbecue plate ready to chow down. And recently, The Corner has brought in a pool table, Foozball table and darts to pass the time. This weekend, they’ll feature Gary Story, Ryan Corner and Scott Bryan. Fisherman’s Corner, 492-5574.
Guy Harvey’s Island Grill
What does Key West, Marco Island and Orange Beach have in common? All three places have a Guy Harvey’s Island Grill restaurant. And The Wharf’s addition of the family eatery has just opened. Not only can you collect all of Harvey’s clothing for men, women and children, but you can also enjoy some classic Orange Beach fare at the large restaurant. Choose delicious items from the Light Tackle section of the menu including Island Style Fish Dip, Chicken Tenders Basket and the Captain’s Buffalo Wings. The Captain’s Sandwich and Burgers features some half a dozen tasty items. And from the Captain’s Bridge section, select from several fresh seafood items. Guy Harvey’s boasts a large outdoor bar with a view of the Intracoastal Waterway. This new location is sure to become an Orange Beach institution, and this Memorial Day will be Guy Harvey’s will be the place to be for great food, drink and live music. Guy Harvey’s Island Grill 4851 Wharf Parkway, 251-224-8180.
Calypso Joe’s Caribbean Grille
Hey, mon, for an unforgettable dining experience that blends tropical Caribbean island appeal with Pleasure Island’s relaxed atmosphere, Calypso Joe’s Caribbean Grille in Orange Beach is that island time establishment. With their idyllic water-side dining area and accompanying raw bar, they blend the soul and flavor of the Caribbean. The outdoor Tiki Bar and view of Orange Beach Marina continues brings guests to this classic eatery. Enjoy their expertly prepared dishes and a cold beer inside, where ceiling fans whir, or pull up to their indoor bar. Calypso Joe’s promises to transport all who enter to the Caribbean, mon! Traditional Caribbean food as well as seafood. Some live music. 27075 Marina Road, Orange Beach, next to Orange Beach Marina, 251-981-1415.
Pirate’s Island
Not all of us can hold our own on the links, but then there are those folks who are avid miniature golfers. Maybe the best course anywhere around here is Pirate’s Island on Highway 59 in Gulf Shores. No, Pirates Island doesn’t have water slides or go karts, they don’t have a roller coaster, and they don’t have a huge, indoor arcade. Pirate’s Island in gulf Shores does just one thing, and they do it the best — miniature golf. Their miniature golf course will challenge even the most skilled miniature golfer. Surrounded by ancient graveyards, cascading waterfalls, old shipwrecks and historical markers of Blackbeard, this 18-hole swashbuckling course promises a day of miniature golf adventure for the whole family. Set sail for Pirate’s Island, mate. Pirate’s Island, Highway 59, Gulf Shores, 251-968-4653.
Bear Point Marina
Didn’t have the opportunity to take your significant other on that dolphin cruise last summer? Or romatic sunset cruise? At Bear Point Marina in Orange Beach folks can cruise over the ICW, view dolphins, a stunning sunset or just let the wind blow through your hair aboard one of their many cruises. Rent a boat through Wallace Boat Rentals, or go dolphin watching aboard the Cold Mil Fleet or Dolphin Express Cruises. Or set sail aboard the beautiful Corsair. When it’s time to restock on provisions, then visit the Bear Point Marina Dock Store where you’ll discover everything you need for a Memorial Day on the calm waters surrounding Pleasure Island. At Bear Point, there’s no shortage of water activities. And now customers can enjoy the breathtaking view at Flippers Seafood and Oyster Bar, the new restaurant at Bear Point Marina. Bear Point Marina, 5749 Bay La Lauch Avenue, Orange Beach, 251-981-2327.”
(via: )
