Pure Aloha Adventures is a 100% woman-owned paddling outfit that has been teaching paddle board lessons and guiding tours since 2014, working the calm water on the Gulf Shores side — Little Lagoon, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, and the Gulf State Park area — with a second operation over in Pensacola. The Gulf Shores address is out on the Fort Morgan road west of town, so from Orange Beach or Perdido Key this is a planned outing rather than a spur-of-the-moment stop. The point of the place is flat, protected water and instruction, which is precisely what most first-time paddlers need and most beachfront rental huts do not provide.
What you get
Stand-up paddleboard lessons, guided tours, and rentals; kayak rentals and guided tours; and the fitness side — SUP yoga and paddle pilates — for people who want the workout on the water instead of in a gym. Rentals come with help launching your boards, instructions on where to go in the lagoon, and oversight from the beach or the water, so you are not just handed a board and waved off. Trips are billed as family-friendly from age three and beginner-friendly with expert instruction, though experienced paddlers are accommodated too.
Before you book
Reservations are required — the company is explicit that they do not take walk-ups — and in peak season the good slots go early, so book ahead. Mornings are typically the calmest wind on the lagoon; afternoons can chop up. Bring water, sun protection, and something you do not mind getting wet. Check their site for current rates and the class calendar. For the rest of the day, see Gulf Shores and more ways onto the water.
