Family Vacation to Orange Beach, Alabama: Part 1

Family Vacation for a Big Birthday

In 2023 I (Lindsey) made a New Year's resolution to offer up the idea of a trip for each of my parent's 70th birthdays in 2024. My mom jumped on board with the idea, excited to plan a trip. My sister and her family would also be available so we started planning while Keith and I were in Indiana the summer before. Ultimately, Orange Beach, Alabama was the perfect destination for various reasons that met our preferences; beach, driving distance for them, airport for us, a place we had yet to visit, amenities for adults and kids, etc.

May 31st, 2024 was my mom’s 70th birthday and it worked out for them to begin driving from Indiana on this date. Keith and I would fly in the next day. Unfortunately, we got delayed overnight in Texas before meeting everyone to celebrate in Alabama. It felt unreal to finally be together after months of anticipating this trip.

One of my Favorite Moments

One of my favorite parts of the trip was the first evening together. After a little pool time, we surprise-decorated the condo, headed to dinner, and ended the night with my brother-in-law and niece making a birthday cake.

At dinner, we enjoyed the evening eating seafood outdoors and reconnecting by giving brief updates on normal life events. We talk about these things over the phone and by text all the time, but it’s so much better being in person to catch up. As these moments were happening, I just had a feeling it would likely be one of my favorite memories of the trip!

Birthday Excursions

Parasailing

Wanting to make this birthday extra special, we started looking at excursions. My sister and I were shocked when my mom expressed interest in parasailing. She’s not afraid of heights but avoids certain activities like rollercoasters. We were excited to do this together and it would be the first time for each of us!

Arriving at the meeting location was a little nerve-wracking not knowing exactly how this would work. There was little instruction before loading the boat and our group was chosen to go up first.  Immediately we felt at ease as we were helped into our harnesses and told to sit at the back of the boat. Without concern or any effort on our part, the parachute lifted us into the air! Within seconds all our nerves were replaced with pure joy! Time seemed to slow as we were chatting, looking along the coast for landmarks, and just having the time of our lives. What a way to celebrate 70 with our mother!

Sunset Cruise

I wanted there to be some surprise element to the trip. When I came across a sunset cruise on a catamaran with Sail Wild Hearts, it seemed like a perfect option. I originally thought this would be something we all could do together, but ultimately, it may not have been the best choice for the kids. After clueing in my sister, we decided Keith and I would still surprise my mom with this excursion.

We kept it a surprise until a couple of hours before the excursion, we didn't want the unknown to cause any concern for my mom. After teasing her about it for several days, we told her what we were doing. We were excited as we boarded the sailboat and sat inside for a few minutes before making our way to the trampolines. We spent the next few hours sailing out of the harbor and down the coast. The boat narrowly fit under a bridge, we saw a “pirate ship” among other boats and enjoyed seeing everyone along the coast eating at restaurants, etc. It was the perfect way to spend an evening relaxing. We enjoyed the amazing sunset from the water!

More Next Week

Check back next week to learn more about the vacation, the hotel resort, and other highlights from the week together celebrating our mom!

Do you have the opportunity to travel with family? What is the best part of traveling together and how do you make memories together? Let us know in the comments section below.👇 💬