Our Refuge

10/11/2026

A seafood restaurant with chicken and dumplings on its lunch rotation understands that everybody at the table has an opinion.

DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen has been serving Gulf Shores since 2000. The locally owned restaurant is at 138 West First Avenue, one block north of the Gulf of Mexico.

Seafood is a major part of the menu, but the choices reach well beyond fish and shrimp. Chicken, steak, pasta, sandwiches, salads and homestyle vegetables give a mixed group several directions to go.

That matters when one person wants a coastal meal and another would be perfectly happy with hamburger steak.

Coconut shrimp is among the dishes highlighted in the local tourism listing. The restaurant also offers seafood prepared in different styles, including fried, broiled, grilled and blackened options.

Then there is the lunch rotation. The published weekday specials include fried chicken, barbecue meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, beef tips over rice and Parmesan-encrusted flounder.

Those choices bring a little Sunday dinner energy into the middle of a beach town.

DeSoto’s also publishes separate children’s and senior menus. The senior menu is designated for diners 55 and older, with serving times that change seasonally.

The practical appeal is having different needs represented in one place. A family meal can involve several generations, different appetites and at least one person who announces they are not hungry before studying everybody else’s plate.

A restaurant does not have to sit directly on the sand to belong in the Gulf Shores story. Sometimes its place in the community comes from years of serving meals near the beach.

DeSoto’s combines coastal dishes with familiar Southern lunch choices.

That combination gives Alabama beach life another food chapter, one where coconut shrimp and chicken and dumplings can both belong, depending on who is choosing supper and what sounds good to them.

10/04/2026

At the western end of the Fort Morgan Peninsula sits one of the most historically important places on Alabama’s coast.

Fort Morgan has been standing at the entrance to Mobile Bay since 1834.
Construction began in 1819, following the War of 1812, and took roughly 15 years to complete.

Its location was strategically important because the fort was designed to help control the main ship channel leading into Mobile Bay.
The history here, however, stretches beyond the brick fort itself.

Fort Bowyer previously occupied Mobile Point and saw action during the War of 1812. Fort Morgan later became part of the nation’s coastal defense system and was active during four wars: the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II.

Its best-known moment came on August 5, 1864, during the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Walking the grounds today gives you a much different perspective than simply reading about those events.

You can move through brick arches and passageways, see the massive fortifications and explore later concrete artillery batteries constructed between 1895 and 1904.

There’s also a museum covering the military history of Mobile Point from 1814 through 1945.
And there’s another part of the fort’s story worth remembering.

The Alabama Historical Commission notes that skilled masons, including enslaved African Americans, were involved in constructing Fort Morgan.

Today, this National Historic Landmark sits about 22 miles west of Gulf Shores at the end of Highway 180.

People may associate this peninsula with beaches and vacation homes, but long before modern Gulf Shores developed into the destination we know today, this point of land was guarding the entrance to one of the South’s most important bays.

10/02/2026

If you've never stepped inside the model train exhibit beside the Foley Railroad Museum, the size of it might surprise you.
This isn't a little train circling a Christmas tree.

The city's O-gauge model railroad display measures approximately 60 feet by 20 feet and contains a quarter-mile of track.
There's also about one mile of electrical wiring underneath it all.

The miniature railroad includes 84 freight cars and 50 passenger coaches, along with a model of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad's famous Hummingbird passenger train.
Look closely and you'll find miniature buildings and scenes representing pieces of Foley's past.

The railroad connection makes perfect sense here.
The museum next door occupies Foley's original Louisville & Nashville railroad depot, built in 1909. The railroad played an important role in Foley's development during the years when agriculture was a major part of the local economy.

Today, the old depot has become the Foley Railroad Museum.
The museum is currently open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The model train exhibit operates Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

There's even a small Event Train that carries passengers around Heritage Park on Saturdays during its regular operating schedule.
And here's the part families will appreciate.
Admission to the museum, model railroad exhibit and Event Train is free.
It's one of those places people can live near for years and never actually walk inside.

But once you see how much detail went into that enormous miniature railroad, you'll understand why plenty of adults seem to enjoy it every bit as much as the kids.

09/27/2026

A trip through downtown Foley can still include a seat at an old-fashioned soda fountain.

Stacey’s Olde Tyme Soda Fountain is on West Laurel Avenue, where the business has roots reaching back to the 1920s. It operated as a pharmacy for many years. The pharmacy portion closed in 2020, but the soda fountain continued, keeping a part of downtown’s daily life going.

Inside, the focus is on familiar treats: ice cream sodas, shakes, malts, and simple lunch fare. An electric model train runs overhead. Those details help explain why Stacey’s means more to people than a place to get something cold on a warm day.
For longtime customers, the counter is tied to memories of downtown Foley as they knew it years ago. For younger visitors, it’s a chance to experience a kind of shop that has become harder to find.

The business is at 121 West Laurel Avenue, close to the Holmes Medical Museum. Two neighboring stops tell very different stories about the same stretch of town: one preserves a former hospital, while the other still serves customers across a soda fountain counter.



Verification: Visit Foley’s business feature and reporting on the pharmacy’s closure and continuing soda fountain.

09/19/2026

We had the best time on the dolphin cruise!

The Best Dolphin Cruise in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. We Guarantee You Will See Dolphins. Call us at 251-943-3510 to schedule your dolphin cruise today!

08/01/2026

Your ride is waiting! 🚗

From rental cars and rideshares to taxis, shuttles, and executive car services, we have plenty of ground transportation options to get you where you need to go. Plan ahead and travel stress-free.

🔗More info: https://flyjka.com/ground-transportation/

06/25/2026

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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

Heads up beachgoers! Starting July 1, Gulf Shores is rolling out updated paid beach parking regulations to make it easier to enjoy the beach and support nearby shops and restaurants.

These updates were developed 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡‑𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 to address long‑term parking issues, improve turnover in high‑demand areas, and ensure customers can access local establishments during peak times. We're working to keep the beach experience smooth, accessible, and welcoming for everyone.

🏡 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
Residents continue to 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 in all public beach parking areas with a valid Hurricane Re‑Entry Decal. East Gulf Place remains resident‑only.

🚗 𝐍𝐨𝐧‑𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 (𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 1):
• $2/hr north of Beach Blvd.
• $3/hr south of Beach Blvd.
• $4/hr overnight (11 p.m.–6 a.m.)
Overnight parking remains prohibited after 2 a.m. in beachfront lots and Lagoon Pass Park.

⚠️ 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 & 𝐄𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
• $75 per violation
• +$75 every 24 hours the vehicle remains in violation
• Vehicles may be towed or booted if parked illegally or if fines are unpaid

📍 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬:
• Gulf Place
• West Gulf Place
• Public parking north of AL 182 (East 3rd St. to West 2nd St.)
• Other designated areas

✅ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡
• Improves turnover for residents, visitors, and local businesses
• Reduces long‑term and overnight parking in high‑demand beach areas
• Creates a consistent and easy‑to‑understand parking system
• Reflects strong feedback and support from business owners in the beach district

📱𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐲
Use the ParkMobile app, on‑site pay stations, or posted QR codes. ParkMobile sends reminders and lets you extend parking remotely.
More about ParkMobile ➡️ www.gulfshoresal.gov/1139/Beach-Parking

💬 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭:
“Listening to our business community has been essential in shaping these updates. Improving parking turnover helps support local shops and restaurants while creating a more efficient and user friendly experience for everyone enjoying our beachfront.”

Thank you for helping us keep our beach district safe, accessible, and easy to enjoy.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 ⬇️

https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/1255

05/07/2026

We love it!

Sea-N-Suds is one of those classic Gulf Shores spots that people have been going to for decades. Sitting directly on the beach beside the old pier area, it gives you one of the closest-to-the-water dining experiences on the coast.

The setup is simple—nothing flashy, nothing overdone—but that’s exactly why people love it. Fried shrimp, oysters, gumbo, po’boys, and cold drinks with the Gulf right in front of you. It feels old-school in the best way possible.

A lot of newer restaurants have come and gone, but Sea-N-Suds has stayed part of Gulf Shores culture because it delivers exactly what people want: beach views, seafood, and a relaxed atmosphere that doesn’t try too hard.

It’s one of those places tied to memories for a lot of families who’ve been vacationing here for years.

03/12/2026

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Send a message to learn more

03/07/2026

Spring Break is almost here, Gulf Shores! This weekend, our slice of paradise is going to get a whole lot busier.

If you're a local, now's the time to come enjoy Mikee's before the crowds are here. Fresh seafood, cold drinks, and the relaxed atmosphere you love....no wait, no crowds, just the way you like it.

And to all the Spring Breakers heading our way soon...we can't wait to share our beautiful beaches with you!

📍 205 East 2nd Ave, Gulf Shores
📞 (251) 948-6452
🌐 mikeesseafood.com