We know you’re on the last few weeks of summer vacation and school starting back is already on your mind. After all, it’s literally just a calendar page turn away. While you’re visiting our beautiful beaches and great summer destination venues here on the Alabama Gulf Coast, why not take advantage of our Alabama state back-to-school sales tax holiday weekend and save on your back-to-school purchases? Enjoy a state tax free shopping experience for most of your back-to-school items from Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21, 2019. Here are some of our favorite places to do back-to-school shopping here in beautiful Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley.
- SanRoc Cay Marina
Have you been to SanRoc Cay? This uniquely upscale outdoor mall is a great place to begin your back-to-school apparel shopping. Located in Orange Beach on Perdido Beach Boulevard, SanRoc Cay not only offers great boutique shopping, but also great places to take a snack or beverage break. School clothes and shoes are on the list of approved items eligible for the sales tax holiday. SanRoc Cay has some lovely boutiques and we encourage you to visit them. Jane Loves Shoes (JLS) at SanRoc Cay offers a variety of beautiful trendy footwear. Along with the great shoes they stock, be sure to check out their clothing. You won’t be disappointed. Jane Loves Shoes and we think you’ll love JLS! Another place that always makes us smile is Too Hot Mommas. With a classy and fun-to-wear selection of both clothing and accessories, Too Hot Mommas should also be on your shopping list. Remember many accessories do not qualify for the sales tax holiday, but you’ll probably want to splurge and get jewelry and a handbag to match your new school outfit. After all, the best way to go back to school in your hometown is wearing some of the trendiest coastal fashions available today.
- The Wharf at Orange Beach
You were planning to visit The Wharf in Orange Beach anyway to ride the Ferris Wheel and go to the Luke Bryan Concert at the Amphitheatre. Why not do some school shopping while you’re there? With a host of great shops like Khloe and Kate Children’s Designer Boutique, Sand Dollar Lifestyles, and Ocean Eddie’s , we know your whole family will find some terrific clothes to wear when you welcome back the fall. While you’re at The Wharf, be sure to play a round of mini-golf and visit Villagio Grille. You’re going to need a break from all this shopping and the good folks at Villagio Grille serve everything from pizza to steaks to seafood. When you’re making your list of special spots to shop for those necessities to make the school year start off exceptionally well, be sure to have The Wharf in Orange Beach at the top!
- Tanger Outlets in Foley
When you’ve done all the shopping you can do at The Wharf, head north on the Foley Beach Express to Tanger Outlets in Foley. We can’t say enough good things about Tanger Outlets. The stores are stocked with the most highly sought-after fashions, the sales folks are extremely helpful, parking is easy and the conveniently located restrooms are clean. With over 50 trendy clothing stores to shop, shoes in over 20 stores and plenty of places to eat when you’re all shopped out, Tanger Outlets really should be on your back-to-school list. If you need one more reason to shop Tanger Outlets during our sales tax holiday, how about planning to attend their back-to-school shopping block party? On Saturday, July 20, Tanger Outlets in Foley will be hosting a block party. There will be lawn games, balloon animals and a DJ. There are also extra deals to be had, including saving an additional 25% off on some items. Contact the mall office for details.
- Downtown OWA
Did you know OWA has a shopping district? That’s right! Downtown OWA is home to Alvin’s Island and Parker & Co. Everyone knows Alvin’s Island is chock full of trendy coastal tees, shorts, shoes and other fun apparel items our families love to wear at the beach. We say you should wear them in the fall, too. After all, isn’t the beach your happy place? Why not take a little of our local happiness home with you? Parker & Co. is an affiliate of Utopia which is a hip little boutique in Orange Beach. Parker & Co. offers fashion-forward boutique clothing at affordable prices. While you’re at OWA, be sure to check out the beautiful fountain show choreographed to music. The fountain’s water dances each night at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30. Bring your camera along on this shopping adventure. We’re sure you’re going to want to capture some great pics of the kids in front of the fountain. We cannot leave out the Park at OWA with so many thrilling rides. We know this blog is about shopping for school items, but, hey, if you can squeeze in a roller coaster ride while you’re at OWA, we say go for it!
- Pelican Place at Craft Farms
If Target is on your list of places to shop for school supplies, then you’re in luck! Pelican Place at Craft Farms in Gulf Shores should be your next stop. Target is a unique place to find not only clothing and shoes, but also all the paper, pencils and laptops you might need. All these items are listed on the tax-exempt list and Target is your one-stop-store for these commonly needed items. Pelican Place is also home to Books-A-Million. Many of us have AP reading assignments and BAM is a great place to pick up those popular American novels. Finally, don’t forget about the clothing boutiques at Pelican Place. Visit The Beach House Boutique where you’ll find a diverse selection of upscale beach outerwear and footwear for the ladies in your family. We know your time in our little island paradise is limited, but your wardrobe doesn’t have to be. And what better time to shop than when you’re avoiding taxes?
- Shops at Original Oyster House Boardwalk
Last on our list, but not least is the Boardwalk at the Original Oyster House in Gulf Shores. This has been one of our life-long favorite places to get our retail therapy. To say this is a local’s favorite is an understatement. Perhaps it was the consistently well-prepared food served in the Original Oyster House that first drew us to this unique shopping venue. Maybe it was the cool view of the alligators swimming below. We really cannot remember what first caught our attention here, but we are sure we love to shop the Boardwalk Shops and eat at the Original Oyster House! Geez Louise Boutique is definitely one of our faves! And we’re pretty sure you’ll love this store, too! They have everything from great tees, to cute dresses, to flip flops, and even fun souvenirs you won’t find anywhere else along the Alabama Gulf Coast.
We hope you enjoy our school sales tax holiday weekend while you’re staying with us at Sunset Properties. At Sunset Properties, we manage wonderfully decorated and fully stocked beach homes in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan. We offer condos like Lighthouse 607, single family homes like 4 Shore and penthouse condo homes like Caribe C Penthouse 14. We manage several homes that allow small dogs and homes that will sleep from 2-20 people. So, if you’re planning your back-to-school shopping adventure, why not skip ahead to Spring Break 2020. That’s the next time you’ll be visiting our area, right? Go ahead and call us today to make your reservation early. Or better yet, stop by our office on Gulf Shores Parkway across from The Track and visit with us! If you’re not already a part of our guest family, we’d love to add you!
Happy shopping and we are looking forward to meeting you!
251.543.1370
