Dog Friendly Beach – Sunset Properties Blog

January 2, 2023January 2, 2023

5 Reasons to #bookdirect with Sunset Properties

With Sunset Properties, What you see is what you get! We will not ever mislead you or pressure you into booking anything you don’t want or need. Our team wants you to feel like a part of the family and that means we are going to make that happen!

Wide Variety of Homes available

One of the nicest things about Sunset is that we have a huge variety of houses and condos available. Sunset has everything from luxury properties to accommodate the whole family to small condos for just a romantic getaway.

Cleanliness of Homes

We take pride in knowing that you are showing up to a home that has not only been cleaned by professionals, but also inspected by a member of the Sunset crew. Our team knows how important it is for your family to enjoy a clean environment while on your vacation, and if anything is ever not right we will do everything to ensure it gets fixed!

Friendly Staff

When you book direct with Sunset Properties you are getting a real person helping you plan the details of your trip. You have someone that lives on the Alabama Gulf Coast that you can ask, “ Hey, what’s a good place to go to dinner?” Or “Where’s the closest Walmart to my property?” Get down here and still need help? Come see us in the office! We are located across from The Track at 3145 Gulf Shores Parkway (Alabama Hwy 59). If you need us after office hours we have an on-call service that is there to help or you can send us a text message!

Pets are welcome!

Sunset knows that your four- legged friends become family and are so hard to leave at home. That’s why we make sure that we have properties for you and them! Many of our properties are dog friendly, with only some restrictions. We are also always happy to recommend the best beaches and dog parks!

No Scams or spams

We won’t spam you and we won’t scam you. While some individuals may not actually be who they say they are, Sunset Properties is a reputable company, both in our local area and nationally. We are proud to be a member of the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber and a partner with the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau. Additionally, we have partnerships with Xplorie, and Red Sky. We are the real deal and we have over thirty-five years of experience in the real estate and hospitality industry and we are here to stay. You can rest assured you’re booking with a great company and rest well when you arrive and stay with us.

July 27, 2022July 27, 2022

Dog Friendly locations on the Alabama Gulf Coast!

Hi Friends! Bringing your pet to the beach doesn’t have to stop at the house you’re renting. Sunset Properties has a great selection of pet friendly homes that you can visit! Just a few options we have are Tortuga Bay, Happy Clam, and Eden’s Waters. Check out our website for a complete list of our pet friendly rentals. Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have done a great job trying to be more pet inclusive! For a full list of restaurants that have outdoor seating and welcome pets click here. In the meantime, check out this list of places we think are great!

Gulf Shores Dog Park

Gulf Shores Dog Park is open everyday from Sunrise to Sundown! They even have a designated area for dogs that are under 25 pounds! They do have a few rules so make sure you check out their website before visiting.

Fort Morgan Beach

Fort Morgan is known for their pet friendly beaches! So, bring the family and head down to the beach for a week of memories no one will forget.

Dog Pond at Lake Shelby

The Dog pond at Lake Shelby is located in Gulf State Park at the picnic area. Pawrents are welcome to bring their furry friend and play in the water while also enjoying the state park! Check out their website for more details.

The Wharf

The wharf invites you to bring your furry friends while you shop, dine, and relax with family. They are allowed to roam wherever you do as long as they are under control! Most restaurants have outside tables for you to enjoy dinner with your pups.

Cobalt

Not only does cobalt have awesome food and a great view, but they also have outdoor seating for you to bring your dog!

Tacky Jacks

Tacky Jacks is fun for the whole family. With three locations you are always near a Tacky Jacks, and you can get there by land or water. Come enjoy the views of the water while your kids play and you and your pup hangs out at the table eating good food and maybe even hearing some live music!

A few safety tips for you and your pup while you are out and about enjoying nature!

Make sure they are up to date on Vaccines
Watch the temperature!
Bring your pups essentials (i.e water bowl, leash, doggie poop bag, towel)
Watch for Marine life (not just sharks but jellyfish too!)

May 30, 2019

5 Reasons to Visit Fort Morgan this Summer 2019

Located at the far west end of Alabama Highway 180, also known as Fort Morgan Road, stands one of Alabama’s oldest structures, Fort Morgan Historic Site. Constructed on the site of an outdated Fort Bowyer in 1819, Fort Morgan’s interesting history intertwines with today’s modernization. If you’ve never visited our beloved fort, The Summer of 2019 is a perfect time to go! If you’ve been there before, you should definitely plan a trip back soon. Here are five reasons why you should visit Fort Morgan Historic Site this summer:

1. Inexpensive Attraction

We know that when you go on vacation, everything seems to cost money. Often, we decide which activities and attractions we are going to do, based on the cost for the whole family to participate. If enjoying a whole day of family fun without breaking your budget, appeals to you, you’re in luck! Fort Morgan is one of the least expensive attractions on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The price of admission for adults is only $8 each and for kids and seniors it’s $5 each. So basically, a family of four can visit Fort Morgan, tour the site, visit the beach and stay all do for less than $40. That’s a deal! We suggest visiting Rouse’s Market located at the intersection of Fort Morgan Road and Gulf Shores Parkway and grabbing a few things for a picnic, then enjoy the scenic ride all the way to the fort.

2. Abundant Wildlife

Because Fort Morgan Historic Site is a protected area, it is surrounded by natural sea oat covered dunes and plenty of local wildlife. You will see seagulls, herons, sandpipers, sand crabs and different varieties fish. On warm summer days, dolphins swim and play just offshore in Mobile Bay. It is a treat to get to see them splashing around in the bay. Be alert and watchful for snakes and perhaps even an alligator or two. The beaches that surround the fort are home to several coastal plants and animals and several ecosystems can be observed.

If the heat of the day gets to you, go ahead and take a swim in the rolling waves of the bay. There is no lifeguard on duty, but swimming in Mobile Bay is a great way to cool off on a summer afternoon.

3. Living History Explained

All summer long the staff at Fort Morgan Historic Site will offer daily walking tours. Tours start at the fort museum and gift shop area and are led by knowledgeable staff members. If a scheduled tour isn’t your idea of enjoying this attraction, feel free to take a self-guided tour. When you pay your fees at the entrance gate, the attendant will provide you with a helpful brochure detailing specific facts about Fort Morgan. Do you think it’s too hot to tour the fort during the day? Well, we have a suggestion on how you can avoid the daytime heat and still visit the fort. On Tuesday evenings at 6PM all summer long, there will be reenactments and interpretive performances based on information about the lives of fort inhabitants from the 1800s. So if you choose to come to the fort at night, plan to take an actual step back in time and be surrounded by a living sample of 19^th Century coastal Alabama life.

4. Pets Allowed

If you choose to bring your dog with you on vacation, we know you’re looking for dog friendly attractions as well at dog friendly accommodations. Ellie Fish 2 in Gulf Shores is a fabulously decorated fully stocked beach home that welcomes guests with small dogs. Fort Morgan also welcomes leashed dogs with their owners during the hours of operation. In addition to traversing the fort grounds with you, your four-legged child can also enjoy Fort Morgan’s beach and museum. Please remember to keep your fur baby on a leash and to clean up after any potty outings.

5. Great Fishing

Are you looking for a quiet place to fish either from waist deep waters of the bay or right from the shore? Fort Morgan’s beaches and shallow areas just off shore are perfect places to fish! You’ll need to check with Outdoor Alabama to get your licenses to fish in the salt waters of Mobile Bay and The Gulf of Mexico, but once you get there, we’re pretty sure you’ll catch something that’ll make you smile. Mobile Point, the name of the area where the fort is located, is known for great fishing by locals and tourists alike. We’re letting you in on the secret. Check the local tide reports for the days you want to fish and visit one of our great local bait shops like Sam’s Stop and Shop or J&M Tackle in Orange Beach, and come fish at our fort.

This is just a short list of reasons to visit Fort Morgan this summer.

We’re sure once you get inside the historic stone gates of Fort Morgan, that you will make irreplaceable memories and find other reasons why you’ll want to keep Fort Morgan Historic Site on your “to-do” list when you visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Remember, Sunset Properties has beach homes available all along Fort Morgan Road, in Gulf Shores and in Orange Beach. Give us a call and let us help you get your vacation home reserved.

251.543.1370

www.sunsetproperties.com

November 3, 2016

What are the Best Pet Friendly Beaches in Alabama?

When you plan your visit to the Gulf Shores of Alabama, there’s no need to worry about boarding your furry friends! Besides, it’s expensive anyway. Just bring them to the beach! There are plenty of great options for your pup to sniff, explore, and have fun at the pet friendly beaches in Alabama! You’ll never see those sad puppy dog eyes as you leave again when you come to coastal Alabama. But, where are the best pet friendly beaches? Read on to find out!

Want to know more about the best things to do near Sunset Properties? Then check out our Local Activities page today! It’s full of the best ideas to make your visit the vacation of a lifetime. And, with all the great activities, you’ll be sure to please the whole family, including Fido!

The Best Pet Friendly Beaches in Alabama

Fort Morgan, Alabama
Head west out of Gulf Shores and you’ll eventually run out of land. This is where Fort Morgan sits, at the tip of Mobile Point. It’s also the first of our best pet friendly beaches in Alabama! Fort Morgan allows your furry friends to play on the public beaches as long as they are on a leash. You can access the city’s public beaches from inside the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. At the end of the peninsula near the Fort Morgan State Historic Site grounds, you have access to the beach through an unnamed access road. The other point of entry is just past the refuge visitor center and just off of Mobile Street. Parking there is on a first-come, first-served basis. Also of note: the Fort Morgan State Historic Site property does not allow dogs.

Dauphin Island, Alabama
Away from Gulf Shores and three miles south of the mouth of the Mobile Bay is the barrier island of Dauphin Island. The island’s beaches are pet-friendly and open to the public year-round! There is a small fee during the spring and summer, and dogs must remain on leash on the beach. Again, parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis and you may re-enter the park as many times as you like during the same day by furnishing your ticket. Dogs are only allowed on Dauphin Island’s public beaches. The West End Beach Park on the west side of the island does not.

Other Great Places to Take Your Dog

Unleashed in Orange Beach Dog Park
Unleashed in Orange Beach Dog Park has separate fenced-in areas for all sizes of dogs. Training stations, water stations, and plenty of benches with shade make this the perfect mid-day stop for your pup to run free! Open daily for free from sunrise to sunset.

Gulf State Park
What better way to get both you and your pup out than to explore Gulf State Park? Hike along the pristine dog-friendly trails and see nature up close! Dogs must be leashed at all times in the park, including in the campgrounds. The best part? The Dog Pond at Lake Shelby is the perfect place for your pooch to explore the water. The dog park is to your immediate left when you enter the parking lot. For just a $2 daily pass, it’s the perfect way to let your dog explore!

Pet Friendly Rentals to Go with Your Pet Friendly Vacation

You can’t take your dog on vacation with you if you don’t have a pet-friendly place to stay! Here at Sunset Properties, we have the most comfortable pet-friendly vacation rentals in the area. You and your pup will feel like you’re at home when you stay with us. So, check out our pet-friendly options and contact us today! We’re eager to accommodate you and your pooches every need so you can have the best vacation!

January 16, 2013

To Bring Your Pet Or Not To Bring Your Pet???

I am an avid pet owner! My husband and I have two dogs and a cat. We love our animals and it is completely possible that they may be the only “children” we ever have. Thankfully we have people who love them as much as we do who can watch them while we are away. Not everyone has this option in fact many people choose to travel with their pets. I wanted to give you the pros and cons of traveling with your pet for a rental companies point of view. So you can make an informed decision.

You know your pet loves you and if they could choose would be with you most likely. However you are coming on vacation and want to do things outside and away from the rental property you have chosen. Most dogs cannot go shopping nor are they welcome in any nature walk / historical areas. So this confines your precious dog in a strange place without you for long periods of time. This strange place is often a condo or duplex that other dogs have recently left. So the likelihood of your quiet, non-destructive pet not to panic a little is unlikely. We have seen the best dogs damage furniture, have potty accidents, and /or bark incessantly because they were left alone in a strange condo. I can’t say this happens every time but please consider how your dog will react in a new place without you. If these things happen at a kennel or with a sitter you won’t be asked to leave or charged extra for damages.

Be sure your pet is welcome where you are going to stay. There are size and breed limits in most places you can stay. Also, most places do not allow any thing but dogs. I know in our area cats are not welcome because of a federally protected Beach Mouse. In the condos that we rent dogs must be 35 pounds or smaller, there is a mandatory pet fee and your dog must be leashed and cleaning up after them is an absolute must.

We love that people bring their dogs and there are owners who welcome the dogs in their condos and houses. As a dog owner I only want to see what is best for each pet so consider your decision carefully. I know my little dogs wouldn’t do great in a condo. Would yours?

April 30, 2012

Bands, Barks, and Brews!

Bring your favorite pooch and join us the last Sunday of each month this Summer and celebrate a day with the family! Live entertainment, food and an event centered on regional craft beers all included in a great family event. Bring your friendly dog on a leash and enjoy socializing with other dog lovers. Leash-free area and dog activities abound. Event benefits the Humane Society of Baldwin County.

Come for a long weekend and enjoy some great time on the beach with your dog. Then go for a little doggy social time at The Wharf! Check out the video of this past Bands, Barks & Brew. Ginny Lane Bar & Grill sponsers Bands, Barks & Brews featuring different live local bands each month. Bring your friendly dog on leash and enjoy the afternoon listening to great music and socializing with Fido and Rover. Activities include a leash-free area, weiner dog races, pet exhibits, local art sale, food, and of course, beer.
*Friendly dogs only please. Leashes are required when not in designated free-leash area.

We hope to see you there for this family friendly, low cost fun outing for pets and there people! Don’t forget this money helps the entire beach community with keeping our local animals safe and

January 19, 2012

Winter Guest Activities

Winter Guest Schedule!!!

We are excited out Winter guests are back in town and we have planned a few activities for them to enjoy. We wanted to keep everyone posted. Take a look below at the fun stuff planned for January and February!!!

Every Tuesday, Starting in February we will have yoga classes at 10 AM! We’ll Carpool! The more that participate the cheaper the classes will be!!!
Every other Thursday we will be serving complimentary coffee and doughnuts at the Sunset Properties Office at 10 am. Come meet and greet with the other winter guests.
On the opposite Thursday’s we will have Yappy Hour at 3 in the afternoon. Bring your dog if you have one and let them make some doggy friends. If you are with out a fuzzy friend come by and meet the pups and your neighbors too! This will be outside at the Sunset Properties Office.

Below is a link to the Gulf ShoresActivities Calendar We’re so glad your back everyone!

Gulf Shores Activites Calandar

December 6, 2011

Dogs are the Best Photo Contest Winners

We have our winners!!! We wanted to take a minute and share them with you. This contest was so fun. As I have mentioned many times Ft. Morgan Loves Dogs! We are so happy to see your fuzzy four legged friends when they come through. They brighten our day and always make us smile with their antics. Look for more information and events involving dogs in our area. We look forward to meeting your pets and seeing more fun pet photos to come. This winter we will be having “Yappy Hour” for our winter guest and their pets! We will be sure to share some photos of all the doggy festivities.

We loved every photo and the all tugged at our hearts because we are all pet owners, at Sunset. The winner stood out from the moment we recieved it.

Our second place was the most popular on Facebook and made us laugh out loud, every time we looked at it!

We had a tie for third place and had to give credit to this big cutie and the tiny cutie as well.

We loved you photos everyone! Thank you for sharing your memories and pups with us!!!