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Alabama's coast promises the pleasures of a sand beach and watersports, with the gracious ways, slower pace and lower prices of the Old South.

This is not Florida, yet if brought here blindfolded, I defy anyone to convince me otherwise. White sand, blue water, heat, palm trees - all the ingredients necessary for a subtropical experience are present - but, this is Gulf Shores, Alabama and it looks more like Florida than much of Florida. This 30,000-acre Gulf of Mexico island community at the southern tip of Alabama mingles Southern hospitality with a warm weather getaway - without the crowds and pavement of better-known tourist destinations.

The setting of Forrest Gump's shrimping industry, and home of the largest fishing fleet in the northern Gulf, this retreat has retained its character almost unscathed - relative to its neighbors along the Coast - from hurricanes. Gulf Shores continues to attract those who appreciate a quiet beach experience, a splash of Southern culture, history, wildlife (dolphins are everywhere), spectacular seafood, fishing and 9 courses of championship golf - but without driving as far from "up North." Just remember to not feed any alligators in the stormwater ponds.

At the beach, play pick-up volleyball, sail, windsurf or rent a jet boat. The obvious activity here is none at all - beach combing and nature observing are prime. If relaxing on the white beaches needs a disruption, a quick excursion to a nature preserve or secluded, magnolia-tree-lined historic Main Street community is just the ticket.

Great Outdoor Habitats to Explore

Families frequently find their favorite leisure activity to be the outdoors and nature. Given that, make your first break from laying on the beach a nature walk at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (251/540-7720, 12295 State Highway 180, Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542) nearby. This spectacular natural gem and example of excellence in conservation demonstrates that nature can be enjoyed rather than avoided. Created in 1980 and consisting of 7000 acres of pristine coastal ecosystems, Bon Secour (French for safe harbor) harbors habitat from dunes and marshes to freshwater swamps and pine-oak woodlands as well as rare plants and animals. Local favorites include sea turtle nesting, migratory birds and wild flowers highlighted by a rare mixing of temperate and subtropical plant species. Stop at the visitor's center and pick up a trail guide, stroll to your hearts content and see how many of the plant and animal species described in the brochures you can identify.

I saw a robust octopus resting and flexing its gill jets and tentacles in only one foot of clear water near the calm bay shoreline of a marsh trail, of all places - a rare find indeed considering a predatory bird usually gobbles up these soft and succulent prey in such unprotected waters. Oh -- and to report a sea turtle nesting or stranding, call 866/SEA-TURTLE.

For the ultimate outdoor appreciation, sign up for a boating excursion. Numerous vendors are available for power boating and sailing tours - and if you like fishing it is almost illegal to leave here without sampling the sportfishing prey of the Gulf. Try black and striped bass, bream and red drum or board a deep-sea charter at Orange Beach and go after marlin, red snapper or mackerel. If you feel lucky and skilled, try the Orange Beach World Championship Red Snapper Tournament (251/609-2047) in April and May.

For just nature appreciation, a truly unique boating experience is Sailaway Charters (251/974-5055, 24231 Gulf Bay Road, Orange Beach, Alabama 36561) - an informative, interpretive naturalist-guided tour of the local marine biology and resources. It's just about the best two-hour experience around - but then again, I am biased as one who had the same career in his professional youth.

Passengers are introduced to the watery fauna and given hands-on demonstrations of actual shrimping, oystering and crabbing in between the exploration of bays, bayous and marshes. The first mate cleverly sneaks in some biology and nature education on the sly while demonstrating fishing techniques. All the while, dolphins are surreally surfing around in waters you might think are too shallow. The highlight of the trip is when a trawling net is released into the water and hauled back up full of flopping Bay bounty. The critters are transferred to a holding tank and examined at close range to the delight of landlubber kids of all ages.