Gulf State Park in Alabama, an hour west of Pensacola airport, is perfect for a few days of R&R. Rest and Relaxation come easily when you have two miles of beaches, glistening white sand, varieties of birds, 26 miles of hiking trails, swimming pools and indoor and outdoor sport activities. Pick a campground under the stars or stay at the brand new Lodge (a Hilton Hotel). The park is close to the town of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, so food options are plenty, including a Lulu's. 30 miles further west, at the tip of the peninsula is Fort Morgan, a historic masonry pentagonal bastion fort at the mouth of Mobile Bay, Alabama. Named for Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan, it was built on the site of the earlier Fort Bowyer, an earthen and stockade type fortification involved in the final land battles of the War of 1812. Construction was completed in 1834 and it received its first garrison in March of the same year. Gulf State Park is a destination you’re destined to visit over and over again.