A Family Day at Barefoot Landing
Alligators, gospel brunch, a hundred shops and a lake full of turtles. Barefoot Landing is the easy answer to "what should we do today?"
When the beach needs a day off, Barefoot Landing is our go-to. It's a waterfront complex on the Intracoastal Waterway, about ten minutes from Wait and Sea, with more than 100 shops and restaurants wrapped around a lake full of fish, turtles and waterfowl. You can easily spend a whole day here.
Meet the alligators
Alligator Adventure is one of the largest reptile facilities in the world — a 15-acre park that's home to hundreds of alligators plus hundreds of other species. Kids lose their minds over the feedings. It's the single best rainy-day card in the deck.
Dinner and a show
The House of Blues brings in national touring acts and hosts a famous all-you-can-eat Gospel Brunch on Sundays. Next door, the Alabama Theatre runs its long-running variety show, "ONE: The Show," and, come winter, "The South's Grandest Christmas Show."
Eat your way around the lake
Dining runs from the European café-de-Paris vibe to the deliberately rowdy Dick's Last Resort, plus crowd-pleasers like Wild Wing Cafe, LandShark Bar & Grill and Ultimate California Pizza. There's something for the pickiest kid and the fussiest uncle.
Leave time to just wander
Half the charm is strolling the boardwalks at dusk, feeding the fish, and watching the boats slide by on the waterway. It's a low-key end to a full day.
Ten minutes home, and the porch is waiting.
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