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As nice as it is to have a break from the heat, it really will be great to return to warmer weather and the activities the Alabama Gulf Coast is most recognized for – enjoying the sun, sand and surf.
With spring just weeks away, it's a perfect time to get ahead of the competition by making plans now for spring break trips.
Unlike other beach destinations that cater to college crowds, the Alabama Gulf Coast is a family oriented place to spend time exploring, sunning, swimming and enjoying quality time.
The beaches around Orange Beach and Gulf Shores literally begin to come alive around the time of spring break as sea turtles start building nests and laying eggs while flowers, trees and grasses start to bloom. Everything seems renewed and refreshed, so it's an ideal time to bring a family for renewal and refreshment.
A good thing about getting a jump on planning is being able to secure great deals on great accommodations. By booking well in advance, early birds get the best of the available offerings – not that there are any bad places to spend a week on the Alabama Gulf Coast!
To see what specials are being offered, keep an eye on www.thebeachiscalling.org. Look under the “Packages & Deals” menu. Some packages already are posted; others are sure to follow.

Now that our snowbird friends have had a chance to settle in, it's only natural they might want to keep in touch with those who are here from the same part of the country. Several local establishments host meetings of state clubs for snowbirds so they can catch up, plan day trips or organize other group activities.
In addition to state clubs, there also are clubs for senior snowbirds and for special-interest groups, such as those who enjoy playing bridge.
The Alabama Gulf Coast has a lot to offer snowbirds, including special memberships to local libraries and museums; activities tailored to every level of physical ability; and even part-time employment for those who want some extra “mad money” for special trips or purposes.
In return, of course, snowbirds give back so much. Philanthropy and community service are just two of those things.
To find out which state snowbird clubs meet where and when, visit www.thebeachiscalling.org. Go to the “Travel Tools” menu and look for the “For Our Snowbirds” link.

Southerners have some long-standing traditions tried to New Year's Day, many of them tied to food and symbols of luck.
There are turnip greens, which represent “folding” money (bills); black-eyed peas, which represent “change” (coins); fatback (pork) which represents prosperity; and cornbread, which represents a complete menu.
In some homes, Hoppin' John, a beans-and-rice dish, is a New Year's Day must.
And for some folks, it isn't New Year's Day without a Polar Bear Dip.
No, it's not something you serve with chips or crackers. For a quarter of a century, a group of people have gathered at the Flora-Bama, a local watering hole, for a bracing, early morning dip into the Gulf of Mexico on New Year's Day.
Of course, on Flora-Bama time, early morning is noon.
Other places around the world have similar celebrations in much more forbidding climes. But it's a sure bet that the backdrop for those events is not nearly as colorful or as fun as the Gulf of Mexico. And to make the day truly Southern, everyone who takes part gets a heapin' helping of black-eyed peas.

Remember how we moms are always (always!) saying, “Turn off the light when you leave the room!”? Well, now we have even more proof that we're right. If you won't do it for us, for the sake of the household budget or for the environment, do it for the sea turtles.

That's right, sea turtles.

The Alabama Gulf Coast is home to several species of sea turtles, including some species that are threatened. It turns out, one of the biggest threats comes from a seemingly innocent source: artificial light. Scientists call it “coastal light pollution.”

Female turtles return to the beach where they were born to nest and lay their eggs. Bright lights on beaches can cause the turtles to become disoriented, leading them to drown in swimming pools, wander into traffic or fall victim to predators.

Hatchlings count on the lights of nature to guide them from their nests to the ocean. For the tiny critters, it's a long trek filled with peril, and that peril is compounded when bright lights confuse little guys.

Scientists from Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and lots of volunteers work in the local Share the Beach program to make sure that sea turtle nests remain undisturbed and that hatchlings have a save trip to the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone can help by following guidelines for lighting. It's good for the earth, and it's good for the turtles.

The Alabama Gulf Coast is known as a wonderful place for birding. In addition to natives, migratory guests make the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach a stopover or temporary home.

Of all the many types of birds that come and go, my favorite type is, of course, the snowbird! (For those who might not know, “snowbird” is the affectionate nickname given to those who spend the winter months in the South and the warmer months elsewhere; since they “fly south for the winter,” they are dubbed “snowbirds.”)

Any area visited part of the year by travelers welcomes guests during its off-season because that helps the local economy. But with snowbirds, there's so much more than simple dollars and cents. The snowbirds who come to this community are “invested” in it in the deepest sense of the word. They don't just come to stay here for a few months, they live here, and they become part of the community. They volunteer; they take part in fundraisers; they help with community projects. They make this a better place to live and to bring up families.

It is such a joy to see friends come back after months away. Although there are all sorts of ways to keep in touch, there's nothing quite like a seafood meal shared with the Gulf of Mexico as a backdrop and exchanging tales of the time away.

Welcome back, snowbirds!