Although a small coastal town split between a manmade island and the mainland, Gulf Shores, Alabama offers a bit of just about everything a bigger city has to offer – but with some exciting extras.

The wonderful climate is especially beckoning to those who have spent years shoveling the winter snow. Here, the shoveling activity occurs on the beach while you create a magnificent sandcastle. Then there’s the unofficial dress code of Hawaiian shirts and flip flops at the local high school football games. And your daily walks are filled with clean, salty air on the miles of soft, white sand along the Gulf of Mexico shore.

The excellent schools, from elementary through community college, offer a safe and engaging educational environment for the leaders of tomorrow. Recreational opportunities run the gamut from organized sports for children and adults to activity centers to biking and nature paths to deep-sea fishing to historical tours — and more.

Gulf Shores residential property is available in a wide variety of prices, styles and settings. Houses, condos and apartments can be found along the gulf or back waters, on golf courses, or tucked into friendly older neighborhoods and newer subdivisions. Tiny 1-bedroom bungalows to multi-million dollar homes assure that residents can find their comfort zone in this beautiful, active beach community.