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The Appalachian Mountains were worn down over the ages, eroding to their present smoothness. Quartz from these peaks was washed towards the sea, in time depositing the tiny granules that would became the sterling beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama.

One has plenty of time to imagine it here: the shifting of earth, the rise and fall of waters, the crumble of mountaintops. If only the rest of life allowed as much time for quiet thought and imagination as a day on a white beach does.

What the millennia wrought is now best appreciated with a few beers, globs of sunscreen, and a mind relaxed enough to take its own time absorbing the Gulf's turquoise water. That's the best part about this stretch of sea and the twin burgs nestled here — while there is certainly a sense of revelry in the air, one can choose to be a part of it or not. They still feel like small coastal towns: real in a way that other beach destinations are not. You can take your time here.

Though if you are like me, and find yourself taking too much time getting lost in thought on expansive stretches of ancient quartz, there will eventually come a moment when the present makes itself felt again.

For then, there are plenty of things to do, see and eat for the adventurous family. Both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have all the niceties that good beach towns offer, along with their own Southern flavor and the quaintness of a coast that won't wear out its charm with too much garish flair.

All of which makes this part of the country great to escape to for a while. A weekend trip to part from everyday stress, a chance to spend time with your children before they grow up too fast, an opportunity to drink wine at sunset with your loved one at your shoulder— you'll find the area suited for all of it.

And don't get too caught up in the spanning epochs of time involved in the creation of such a beautiful place. Just enjoy it. It's a great spot, after all, to catch those moments ever passing us by.