50 before 50 on the Gulf Coast

50 things to do before turning 50 on the Gulf Coast! Celebrating doing new things, visiting new attractions, and exploring the Gulf Coast.

TL;DR Don't have time to read the full article? Here are my top finds:
🏨Hotels and Vacation Rentals
📍Tours

50 before 50 on the Gulf Coast

When I turned 49 in August I decided it was time to do 50 new things along the Gulf Coast before turning 50.

I did 40 new things before I turned 40 and it was absolutely amazing. Pushing myself to step outside my comfort zone and try new things led me to eating new food, taking a sea plane ride, and visiting a couple of new countries.

This year I decided to focus on the Gulf Coast and exploring our local area. I am excited to share this adventure of 50 new things along the Gulf Coast.

1. Carabelle Smallest Police Station

My first new adventure was visiting the smallest police station in Carrabelle, Florida. It's crazy to think a phone booth was a working police station at one time.

2. Margaritaville Beach Cottage Resort

We stayed at Margaritaville Beach Cottage Resort for the 1st time and fell in love with the resort. It was the perfect weekend getaway with time in the lazy river, relaxing on the beach, and soaking in the gorgeous beach cottage.

If you want to experience Margaritaville Beach Cottage Resort you can Book your Margaritaville Beach Cottage Resort stay here. Use code GCJ for a discount on stays with a minimum of 3 nights for Surf Bungalows and 4 nights for Resort Cottages.

3. Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery, New Orleans

I won a stay at The Old 77 Hotel, and it was absolutely amazing! The perfect getaway for our 17th wedding anniversary.

This was a brand new hotel for us to visit in New Orleans. I am going to admit I had to look up what "Chandlery" meant before our stay.

4. Art-o-Mat

I have wanted to get a piece of art from an Art-O-Mat for a while but had never been in a place to get one. During our stay at the Old 77 Hotel in New Orleans they had an Art-O-Mat machine in the lobby!

I can't tell you the joy that it brought me to get a fun piece of art. Honestly I ended up with 2 pieces of art because I missed the memo on what one was going to be so I ended up picking a 2nd one hoping for something fun.

It was all part of the 50 before 50 experience of not really knowing what is going to happen but having so much fun doing it.

5. Eco Clean Marine Clean Up

I attended my first Eco Clean Marine Clean Up in Gulf Shores during the Shrimp Festival. It was a lot of fun getting out with the group from Bronco Wild Fund and cleaning up the beach.

I may need to get a pair of litter grabbers and a bucket and take them with me on my daily beach walks now.

6. Tuscany Wine Dinner, Gulf Shores

We attended our first Wine Dinner at Tuscany in Gulf Shores. The wine dinner was so good we ended up going back in November for another amazing wine dinner.

4 courses paired perfectly with delicious wine was the perfect date night in Gulf Shores.

7. Attended my 1st Meeting of the Minds Event

We had the opportunity to attend the Meeting of the Minds Event for the first time at The Hangout in Gulf Shores.

The music was amazing, the outfits were unbelievable, and the vibes were tropic fun all day and night. I would go back to this event every year it was that much fun.

8. Attended Experience the Oyster

We went to our first Experience the Oyster event at The Hangout. Chefs from around the Gulf Coast showcased their oyster skills. They served raw and baked oysters along with gumbo.

A great band played on the Hangout Stage during the event. If you are a fan of oysters I highly suggest getting tickets to this event next year.

9. Stayed at The Hotel Effie

We stayed at The Hotel Effie for the first time in Miramar Beach, Florida. This gorgeous resort has an amazing rooftop pool and lounge. It was so nice sitting outside enjoying a craft cocktail next to the pool.

Ovide Restaurant was fantastic for breakfast. The staff was amazing, the food delicious, and the luxury vibes immaculant. I would book a stay at The Hotel Effie again and again.

10. Christmas Photo with a Penguin, Gulfarium, Fort Walton Beach

We visited the Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach, Florida for the 1st time with our PoGo Pass.

During our visit we were able to get a photo with Jelly the Penguin! We watched a dolphin show, learned about seals, stared in awe at the White Pelicans, and enjoyed all of the amazing wildlife at Gulfarium.

11. Stapled a Dollar bill on the wall, McGuire's Irish Pub, Destin Florida

We enjoyed an amazing Irish Coffee Sunday Brunch at McGuire's in Destin, Florida.

Did you know you can staple a dollar bill on the wall during your visit? This was the 1st time I have stapled money to a wall. My dollar bill is near the host/hostess stand right next to the Optimist poster. Let us know if you see it.

12. Buccaneer Pirate Cruise, Destin, Florida

Ahoy! It's a pirates life for me..or it was while we were on the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise in Destin, Florida.

I have always wanted to go on a pirate cruise and finally had the opportunity to let my inner child giggle in joy over pirate jokes, sea treasure, and even learning to swab the deck.

We enjoyed a water fight, cannon fire, fun pirate hats, and the gorgeous Florida Gulf Coast weather. This cruise was perfect for kids and adults who are ready to laugh and just enjoy the moment.

13.. Stickered Flora Bama

Have you seen the Gulf Coast Journeys sticker at the Flora-Bama? I stickered the Flora Bama right under the yellow Bama part of the big sign inside. Let us know if you see it.

14. Painting class at Coastal Art Center

I took an amazing paint class at the Coastal Art Center. We spread paint all over a canvas and used a hair dryer to move it around. It was thrilling and a little scary not knowing if it was going to turn out looking good. I have to say I love how the turtle paining turned out and would take a class at Coastal Art Center in Orange Beach anyday.

15. Timberline Glamping

We spent a night in a Timberline Glamping Tent for the 1st time and I loved it! Seriously, I am ready to book one for a rainy night and just enjoy the best sleep ever.

This was the 1st time I have showered in a tent and I wasn't sure what to expect but it had amazing water pressure and great hot water that lasted longer than I thought it would.

16. Yawdie Jamaican - Festival Bread and Porridge

Yawdie is a brand new Jamaican restaurant in Foley, Alabama serving traditional Jamaican food. I tried festival bread and corn porridge for the 1st time and they were so good.

I was a little leary of the corn porridge not sure how a porridge of corn, cinnamon, and other flavors would taste but it ended up being really good. The spices with the corn were so balanced and flavorful.

17. Painted with Giraffes, Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

If you would have told me that I would get to paint with giraffes and help support the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo's auction I might have giggled and said there is no way!

Somehow it actually happened and I am still in awe of this moment. I am also going to admit that I bought the painting during the zoo's auction because I NEEDED it in my life after smearing giraffe drool all over the canvas. LOL!

18. Visited Louisiana's River Parishes

We spent a few days exploring Louisiana's River Parishes area for the 1st time, and it was amazing. I led a session at the STE Southern Travel Explorer conference, and during the event, we had the opportunity to visit Oak Alley Plantation, Laura Plantation, Whitney Plantation, Felicity Plantation, St. Joseph Plantation, and more of the local area.

We went to our first Frost Top and tried their amazing freshly made root beer. It was so good made with real cane sugar. It was quite the pick me up after a few days at a conference.

19. Admiral Oyster Farm Tour

I have no idea what I was doing with my hands during this photo but it made me laugh looking at it so here it is.

I took a really fascinating tour with Admiral Shellfish Co in Fort Morgan learning about their oyster beds.

Did you know a single adult oyster filters up to 50 gallons of water a day?

✦ They ship 20-25K oysters a week, including shipping to Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, and St. Louis

✦ Oysters start as seed at just 1/16th of an inch (called spat!) and reach market size, 2 to 3.5 inches, in about 6 to 8 months

✦ They plant 100-250K seed oysters in one planting, 6 to 8 times a year

✦ Oysters double in size every 2 weeks

✦ The farm uses triploid oysters, meaning they're sterile and won't compete with wild reefs

✦ They are able to "shape" the oyster shell so the lid is flat and the body is a cup to hold the meat and oyster water

✦ Each oyster has its own "merroir" - a sea-driven flavor profile shaped by where it grows, similar to wine terroir

Alabama has only 24 oyster farms, with 3 right here in Baldwin County. If you haven't made it out to Fort Morgan for a tour, add it to your list. It's one of the most fascinating things I've done on the Gulf Coast.

20. Bottled Wine at Duplin Winery in Panama City Beach

Did you know you can bottle your own wine at Duplin Winery in Panama City Beach?

I love that this 50 before 50 adventure included a bottle of wine I got to bring home and enjoy after our visit. The bottle your own wine experience starts with a video tour of the original Duplin Winery vineyard before learning about the wine bottling process.

We started with disenfecting the jar, adding the wine, capping it off, and then adding the Duplin wine label and making sure it lined up perfectly.

21. 7D Theater at Ripley's Believe it or Not, PCB

If you need a stress relief moment I highly suggest heading to Ripley's Believe it or Not in Panama City Beach and checkign out the 7D theater.

I was a bit nervous that I was going to get motion sickness but thankfully that wasn't a problem at all. What I did get was one of the best stress relief moments I have had in a while.

I literally laughed non-stop the entire time I was in the 7D movie experience, trying to take out creepy monsters in the interactive game/movie. It was beyond hilarious, so much so that the amazing girl working the theater told me she enjoyed how much fun I was having laughing and going for it.

I loved walking through Ripley's Believe it or Not for the 1st time and would visit again every time we are in PCB. There are so many curiosities and surprises around every corner.

22. Yaupon Tea Class at the Gulf Coast Eco Center

The Gulf Coast Eco Center in Gulf Shores has monthly classes that are great. I took a class on Yaupon Tea and learned a lot about this native tree and how the tree leaves have been harvested by people for hundreds of years.

This was my first time harvesting my own tea leaves and sampling Yaupon Tea which is so good.

23. Red Light Therapy and Float Spa - Gulf Coast Recovery and Wellness

I look like I am in a 80s/90's music video is this photo. LOL! I am actually in a red light therapy bed at Gulf Coast Recovery and Wellness Spa in Gulf Shores. This was my first time but definately not my last time enjoying the red light therapy bed.

It was so zen! 10 minutes of doing absolutely nothing after I took this picture and just letting the warmth soak into my body. I also enjoyed a 60 minute float in their float pool.

You can use code GulfJourney to save on a visit to Gulf Coast Recover and Wellness! I can't wait to try their infrared sauna. Give them a call at 251-943-8112

Let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas for 50 before 50 fun on the Gulf Coast.