Valentine greetings have been popular since the Middle Ages. The first commercially printed Valentine cards in America appeared in the 1840s. Today, an estimated one billion cards are sent each year, often accompanying the popular gifts of candy and flowers.

Make Valentine's Day even more special when you bring your valentine to the beach.

Those gestures are wonderful, sweet, and certainly appreciated by anyone who receives them. But wouldn’t you like to do something a little different for your sweetheart this year? Say “I love you” by creating a wonderful memory together at the beach.

We can help by offering some love to your budget. When you take advantage of the Valentine Special through Meyer Vacation Rentals, you’ll receive TWO free nights. Rent a romantic 1-bedroom beach or bay property for four nights, but just pay for two. That’s a 50% savings!

If you prefer to celebrate the occasion with spacious, private accommodations for the whole family, rent a house for seven nights and get the sixth and seventh nights free.

Even if you can’t stay the extra nights, you can use them for an early check-in and late check-out, allowing for more leisure time along the coast.

So instead of thinking red or pink this Valentine’s Day, think white sands and blue water—and a little extra green in your pocket. Your sweetheart will love you for it.

Stay informed of local activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Real Estate on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

Think ahead to February 5, 2012. It’s the height of the winter season. You need to escape to the beach for a bit of warmth, a change of pace, relaxation . . . and football.

Imagine watching the biggest football game of the year while looking out over the beach. Meyer Vacation Rentals can help make that happen for you!

That combination may not be top of mind, but why not? On Super Bowl Sunday, wouldn’t you love to chuckle at the idea of parkas, hats and gloves to get to and from the stadium as you admire the beach view from your condo?

Let us help you make the decision by sweetening the pot with FREE nights. Pay for 2, 3 or 4 nights in a condo and get an extra night free, or book a house for 3 or 4 nights to get another night free. Better yet, come enjoy the beach life for a week—pay for 5 nights in either a house or condo, and we’ll give you TWO more free nights! (Even if you can’t stay the extra nights, you can use those as a late check in or check out.) You’ll find the details at our Lazy Winter Special page.

If you’d like to watch the big game among a cheering crowd AND play some games (how about a grand prize of $5000?), join the folks at The Hangout for their Super Bowl Sunday party. The first 200 people in the door an hour before kickoff will receive free tailgating food, and the regular menu also will be available.

Stay informed of local activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Real Estate on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

The 40^th Annual National Shrimp Festival is here, filled with great food, live music on two stages, amazing fine arts and arts & crafts vendors, Children’s Village and more—all with a backdrop of our gorgeous white-sand beaches.

Save the parking hassle and fees—ride the shuttle to and from the Shrimp Festival.

As with any large public gathering, parking can be tricky. But the festival folks have made it easier to get around with the help of the Baldwin Rural Area Transit System (BRATS).

The transportation service will run Thursday–Saturday, October 13–15, between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., and Sunday, October 16, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. A one-way ride is just $2 per person.

Multiple stops allow you to park away from the site and ride to the main entrance. The buses will run a continuous loop, so you won’t be waiting long at any pick-up point:

Running north/south along Hwy. 59 in Gulf Shores
Winn-Dixie
Bruno’s
Walmart

Running east of the main beach through Orange Beach
Gulf State Park Campground
Gulf State Park Pavilion (you MUST return BEFORE 10 p.m., as the pavilion lot is locked at 10 p.m.)
Winn-Dixie
Walmart Market
Flora-Bama
Publix

Running west of the main beach in Gulf Shores
Pier 33

Let BRATS take care of your transportation so you can soak up all the Shrimp Fest fun without the parking hassle.

Don’t forget to take time to hear some top-notch live music while at the festival. Take a look at the full line-up, including links to many of the performers, on our Shrimp Fest—East Stage and Shrimp Fest—West Stage pages.

Stay informed of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Vacation Rentals on Facebook and Twitter.

Handmade items hold special appeal, partially for the obvious reason of being handmade and therefore one of a kind. While you are visiting the Alabama/Florida Gulf Coast area, create a special handmade souvenir or gift loaded with extra “uniqueness factor” by making your own hand-blown ornament, paperweight or flower.

Create your own souvenir or gift from glass!

It’s not as difficult or scary as you may think, since you’ll be working directly with a professional who loves to teach the art form. Make it a family affair—children aged 8 and up, parents and grandparents alike will enjoy the learning process, making the masterpiece, and then admiring each others’ creations. (Children younger than 8 will be allowed to assist.)

This opportunity is not common or ordinary. In fact, The Hot Shop at the Orange Beach Arts Center is the only public-access glass studio in the state of Alabama, and one of only a handful in the Southeast. At only $20 per ornament (discount on 3 or more), $25 for a flower or $35 for a paperweight—and only about 20 minutes to make one—this is an experience and a bargain that just cannot be missed. (Hint: It’s not too early to think about holiday gift-giving!)

Learn glass-blowing at Alabama's only public-access glass studio at the Orange Beach Arts Center.

Contact the Orange Beach Arts Center for details and to make your appointment. Call 251-981-2787 or stop by 26389 Canal Rd. in Orange Beach (just a few moments east of Hwy. 161), Tuesday through Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Even if you choose not to make your own, don’t pass up the opportunity to watch artist Sam Cornman at work. Be sure to allow time to wander through the Arts Center and the gift shop while there. You will find numerous artists represented and a great variety of media and subjects.

Share your hand-blown ornament as a gift, or place it on proud display in your own home. Either way, you will have a fun, distinctive memory to hold onto always. Who knows—it may open you to a new interest and the discovery of a hidden talent!

Stay informed of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Vacation Rentals on Facebook and Twitter.

As part of the Visiting Artists and Special Exhibits Series at the Orange Beach Art Center, the works of Shellie Reese are on display through May 12, 2011.

View Shellie Reese's whimsical watercolors through May 12, 2011 at Orange Beach Art Center.

Even if the name is not familiar, there is a good chance you have seen at least one Shellie Reese artistic creation. Her artwork was chosen for Gulf Shores’ 2010 National Shrimp Festival poster. The carefully placed colors and great detail allow Shellie to tell a story with each painting. The titles of each canvas supply yet another humorous touch to her whimsical characters depicted via watercolors.

Shellie’s scenes and unique style inspired a line of music boxes, candlesticks and figures for a major department store. Look for those items in the exhibit, and chuckle at the clever combination of beings and objects in each of her masterpieces.

A Meet the Artist reception will be held Thursday, April 7 at 5:30, and you are invited to remain afterward for live demonstrations and a friendly gathering during Hot Glass/Cold Drinks.

The Orange Beach Arts Center is located at 26389 Canal Rd., between the Orange Beach Library and Waterfront Park, east of Hwy. 161. Visitors are welcome Monday through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Stay informed of local activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Real Estate on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

While it may be fun to write something like “Spring Break 2011” or “Gulf Shores or bust” by drawing your fingers across your car’s dirty windows, I’m sure most will agree that having a clean car just makes us feel better.

Your dirty car + discount car wash + a good tip for drying & vacuuming = funding for Relay for Life.

So we’re offering you an opportunity to not only feel good about your clean car, but to feel great about helping raise money for Relay for Life at the same time. We’ll even toss in some elbow grease! Here’s how it works:

– Come to Meyer Real Estate to purchase a ticket for the Ultimate Car Wash Package, good at Pinnacle Car Wash in Gulf Shores.

– Pay only $10.95 for a $12.95 value. A portion of that price goes toward the American Cancer Society’s fundraising efforts.

– Take your car to be washed any day through March 31, 2011, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. But if you wash your vehicle on Saturday, March 26, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., let the folks from Meyer Real Estate take care of the drying and vacuuming. That service is free—but please tip generously, as your tips will go toward cancer research and awareness.

Say goodbye to your dirty car and say hello to supporting a good cause!

Stay informed of local activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Real Estate on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.