Find Good Food and Live Music on the Gulf in October

September is wrapping up and October is right around the corner—a wonderful time of year on the Gulf! With this time of year being so close at hand, it’s time to start thinking about one of the biggest Gulf Shores & Orange Beach events of the year: the National Shrimp Festival (October 11th-14th).

This popular event brings four days of fine art and crafts vendors, live music, and lots of fresh Gulf seafood. It also inspires several of the area’s sports events—such as the Shrimp Fest Volleyball Invitational and the Shrimp Fest 10K Run. It’s definitely not an event to be missed.

But, of course, not everyone will be able to attend, and if you find that you simply can’t make it to the Shrimp Fest weekend, no worries—it’s still possible to enjoy the good food and music that Gulf Shores & Orange Beach has to offer. The area is home to a variety of restaurants serving delicious seafood, and live concerts are a common part of the local nightlife. Or you can find it all in one place by visiting a Gulf restaurant like Tacky Jacks—a Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission sponsor.

This is an excellent restaurant choice if you’re looking for a good variety of seafood to enjoy from a water-front view. You’ll also find plenty of entertainment: live music, karaoke, and bingo are some of the regularly scheduled events at Tacky Jacks. And with three locations in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, it’s easy to find something fun scheduled almost nightly.

Hungry After the Big Game? Enjoy a Delicious Meal at LuLu’s

This time of year, you may be visiting Gulf Shores & Orange Beach for any number of reasons: to participate in a tennis championship or a softball competition; to watch one of the several sporting events taking place, such as Thunder on the Gulf, the Shrimp Festival Volleyball Invitational, or the SEC Women’s Soccer Championship; or simply to relax on the beach and enjoy what the area has to offer.

Whatever the scenario, delicious food and good fun will likely be welcome additions—which is why a visit to LuLu’s at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores should be part of the plans. Owned by Lucy Buffett, the restaurant is famous for its food—cheeseburgers, mahi mahi sandwiches, seafood baskets, wraps, and tacos. LuLu’s even offers allergy menus for those with gluten, egg, seafood, shellfish, or dairy allergies.

And not only is LuLu’s a sponsor of the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission, but the establishment also offers its own form of sports fun, including volleyball nets and the “Mountain of Youth”—a three-story rope-climbing contraption. There is also a fountain for the kids to cool off in during the hotter weather, snow cones, a retail store, face painting, and a sand area with toys.

Grab a drink at the restaurant’s Bama Breeze bar, take in the view of the Intracoastal Waterway, and enjoy the nightly live music.