Fort Pickens is in the Gulf Islands National Seashore of Florida. We’ve stayed here before and love the miles of white sand beaches that don’t have beach crowds or rows of high-rise buildings like other parts of the Florida coastline. Our favorite kind of travel day; about an hour and a half of a sunny scenic coastal drive from Santa Rosa Beach to Fort Pickens Campground.
Fort Pickens Campground
In the past, we stayed in Loop A which we enjoyed. This time, however, to check out something different, we were in an end site in Loop E. Unfortunately, we didn’t care much for Loop E as there weren’t enough trees and it was too crowded and noisy. Even though the sites had water and 50amp electric, there was no sewer or WIFI, but it gave us a chance to see how long it took to fill the small Airstream tanks in case we wanted to boondock. Luckily, we were able to get a few over the air channels and Verizon and ATT for television entertainment at night. A warm, humid night leaves condensation on the Airstream making it look like a cold Coors beer can (the silver bullet).
Jake loves finding armadillos rooting in the grass for grubs. Because they are so animated, Jake is fascinated; he shakes with excitement watching them.
There were a few hiking trails that led either to the beach or to Fort Pickens. The trail to the fort was 1.5 miles round trip. Along the way, we came across a great blue heron but it was difficult to get close enough with a 24mm camera lens.
One of the trails to the beach across from the campground was popular at sunset.
Each night the sunset was a little different.
Fort Pickens
As a result of it’s strategic location, the history of Fort Pickens, for it’s time period, is fascinating.
There weren’t many big guns, but the few on display were impressive.
We love the softness of the ferns growing out of the old brick and mortar and concrete walls.
Low light images of Michael at Fort Pickens. The wall art is impressive.
The leaching of minerals from the bricks reminds us of cave formations.
We enjoyed exploring the nooks and crannies of Fort Pickens.
Orange Beach, Alabama
It’s a popular area with plenty to see and do. There is also an incredible number of restaurants and bars including Flora-Bama. In the past we went to Fort Walton which was similar to Fort Pickens, but slightly better preserved. This time, we were only here for a short stay.
Red or White wine bar has a good wine selection, nice atmosphere, and a limited menu of food that pairs well with wine. Dogs are allowed inside. Jake enjoyed playing with a couple of young black springer spaniels.
Gulf State Park, Orange Beach Alabama
An amazing Alabama State Park. The sites are large, asphalt pads with full hookups and WIFI fast enough to stream. They have fishing, miles of bike paths, boating, tennis, pickle ball, a heated pool and a nature center. The only downside is that because it is so large, it’s lost some of that state park wooded feel. Instead, it has a large older resort feel in a great location. We can see why so many northerners winter here.
