OWA Parks & Resort Amusement Park in Gulf Shores Review
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Gulf Shores, Alabama is a popular destination for families during spring break, summer, and is perfect just about year-round. And if you’re seeking things to do, you might come across an amusement park in Gulf Shores, AL. That park is Tropic Falls at OWA.
What exactly is OWA? OWA is a family-friendly entertainment district in Foley, Alabama. Located about 20 minutes from Gulf Shores, OWA Parks & Resort includes Tropic Falls, a two-in-one amusement park and water park.
Additionally, there is Downtown OWA, an entertainment, shopping, and dining district. The nearby Mariott TownePlace Suites is literally steps away from Downtown OWA.
Downtown OWA also has an amphitheater, splash pad, playgrounds, and more! Walking through the adorable district leads right to the amusement park.
Staying and playing at the OWA Parks & Resort is a great add-on to your Gulf Shores, AL vacation. I’ve been twice and had a great stay both times. The following is my updated review.
OWA provided me admission in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.
What does OWA mean?
In the Muscogee Creek language, OWA, pronounced as one word and not an abbreviation, means Big Water. It’s run by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and the Tribe is the sole owner and developer.
I included this tidbit as I found it fascinating and dug in to learn more about the Poarch Creek Tribe. Their roots lie in the Southern Alabama area and are the only federally recognized tribe in the state of Alabama. In addition to OWA Foley Alabama, their enterprises focus on hospitality. You can read more about the Tribe here.
The Tropic Falls Park at OWA
Let’s talk about the fact that there’s also an amusement park at OWA. Named the Tropic Falls at OWA, this is a gated amusement park full of classic amusement rides. Over 20 different rides are here with a mix of thrill and family-friendly attractions.
You’ll find a trip to Tropic Falls at OWA rides include classics like teacups and a flying carousel as well as thrill rides such as the Rollin Thunder roller coaster that travels nearly the length of the entire park.
Tropic Falls also boasts an indoor water park, which was my favorite place to hang out in the heat! The tinted glass enclosure provides just enough shade throughout the water park to get out of the sun and still enjoy the rides.
The water park in Gulf Shores includes six varieties of tube slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, surf simulater, and a kids’ splash play area. Two dining options and a drink station are also inside.
OWA Tickets start at $62.49 per person for a family 4-pack.
The Tropic Falls at OWA Hours are limited during the off-season, so be sure to check the hours here ahead of time.
Year-round, The Tropic Falls Park at OWA has can’t-miss holiday events for the whole family. While visiting, I enjoyed the Halloween festivities that included trick or treating and pumpkin decorating, as well as Terror in the Park.
Events for the holidays will include the Holiday Tree Show, The North Pole Experience, and Classic Christmas at Legends in Concert.
Downtown OWA Entertainment District
The OWA entertainment district or Downtown OWA includes shopping, dining, and live performance entertainment.
It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon or evening with friends or family. The best part, parking is free and plentiful!
While the Park at OWA may cater to the younger kids, the entertainment at Downtown OWA is perfect for teens and adults. I visited with my husband and we enjoyed our dinner and a show.
OWA Restaurants
Downtown OWA has a variety of dining options, with plenty of room for growth, I see many more coming to that area. Some highlights:
Gussies is a sweet little family-style restaurant just outside of the amusement park entrance. They serve traditional American fare. My favorite was the deep-fried banana pepper rings. I’ve not seen anything like that on a menu before and they were delish! If you like fried pickles, give these loaded fried peppers a try.
The Speakeasy at Waffles R Wild is one of the newest additions to OWA. This family run food truck added on a new sit down restaurant filled with all the waffle goodness. Breakfast is served all day, of course, or you can opt for some of your favorites like a Philly Cheesesteak, but on a perfectly cooked waffle instead. Waffles R Wild hosts trivia nights and bingo, so be sure to check out their sign out front for updates.
Murder Creek Distillery serves up and sells moonshine flavors such as apple pie, peach, pickle, and more. You can try them all out for $1 so you know just which variety to take home.
Find all the delicious dining options here.
Shopping
There are a few shopping places to include in your trip to the Park at OWA. Be sure to check out Native Treasures. As mentioned above, OWA is part of the Poarch Tribe. Native Treasures showcases authentic Native American creations for your home or clothing.
Entertainment
Entertainment at OWA is another area not to be missed and fun for the whole family, including the teenagers.
Brandon Styles’s comedy, comedy, magic, and impressions will have you awed and amused. We attended his variety show. Impressions are great, but when you have someone who does singing impressions, that’s talented. His blend of comedy, song, and a little bit of magic was highly entertaining. This is appropriate for all ages, though some of his impressions may not hit with a younger crowd if they don’t know entertainers like Ozzy Ozborne or Jon Bon Jovi.
OWA Theater features movies, musical performances, and celebrity performance tributes. At first, when I heard that it was impersonators singing the famed artists’ hits, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, it was one of those events that completely exceeded my expectations.
The venue itself is a state-of-the-art theater complete with a spacious lobby and proscenium stage. The lighting and accompaniment matched the performance, giving a fun concert atmosphere. The size of the theater is not so big however that you don’t feel a connection with the performer.
Speaking of connections, the performers I saw included Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, and Tina Turner. Each performer embodied her celebrity look alike. These ladies sang, danced, and entertained from the bottom of their gut. You easily forget these are tribute artists.
I thoroughly enjoyed the concert and only wish I could return to experience the variations they offer throughout the year such as the upcoming holiday performances.
Outdoor Amphitheater just off the main part of downtown has a free Live Music Series every Saturday all summer. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy rock, jazz, country, an more music.
Where to Stay
Between the entertainment and amusement park and water park at OWA, you can easily make a whole day or two-day event here. Of course, that means you need a place to stay.
Fortunately, the Towne Place Suites by Marriott are conveniently located steps from the entertainment district.
The Towne Place Suites offer rooms with full kitchens if you’d like to stay longer and take some of your meals at the hotel. In the lobby, you’ll find comfy chairs and lots of meeting spaces. Find a full breakfast included for free in the mornings in the lobby area as well.
The room was super comfortable and I appreciated just how close it was to the park as well as having a full-size fridge to stash my leftovers for the following day.
Book your stay at The Towne Place Suites by Marriott in OWA here.
You could easily plan a few days at the beach before or after your trip to the Park at OWA. The Beach Club by Spectrum Resorts is only about 30 minutes away.
Because OWA is in Foley, Alabama, one of best small towns in the south, you’ll have plenty of options for things to do and places to stay outside of the park as well.
OWA also offers a campground fairly nearby. You can walk from the campground, but you may want to take your golf cart or car to the parking lot to be a bit closer in the warm weather.
Search other Gulf Shores Orange Beach places to stay:
Amusement Park in Gulf Shores at OWA Review
Overall, I was impressed with the cleanliness and designs of The Park at OWA and the entertainment district. The staff cares about their surroundings as well as the patrons. Everyone I encountered had a smile on their face and enjoyed talking about what they do at the park, from the waitstaff to the marketing team.
I can see that a trip to OWA Alabama will be a destination vacation in the years to come, beyond being just an amusement park close to Gulf Shores.
Where is OWA located
OWA is about 20 minutes north of Gulf Shores, Alabama, in Foley.
What does OWA mean
OWA is a word and not an abbreviation. It is a Poarch Creek Tribe word for Big Water.
Alabama
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