Give your kids a lesson in sustainable travel and eco-tourism when you visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach this spring. It’s simple and fun to do by including a few key stops on your vacation agenda.

First, visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo on Highway 59 in the heart of Gulf Shores. The zoo is an entertaining place to spend a morning and gives visitors up-close views of more than 500 animals, including lions, tigers, bears, primates, leopards, wolves and more. There’s also a reptile house, petting zoo and aviary. The zoo offers seasonal animal encounters as well as animal shows and keeper talks where you can learn even more about wildlife and conservation.

Next stop is the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge on Fort Morgan Road. The refuge is home to a variety of wildlife, including alligators. Enjoy a scenic hike through a coastal ecosystem to the sand dunes of the Gulf of Mexico. Wildlife observers are encouraged to travel quietly so as to listen and look for signs of wildlife.

Last up: Take the children to the Gulf State Park Nature Center, a living museum of plants and animals that are native to the Gulf Coast region. The center’s goal is to inspire people to care for the environment by expanding their knowledge of the state’s natural resources. The more you know, the more you will want to protect our environment.

Attractions and natural resources along the Alabama coast provide the opportunity to foster a love of nature and a desire to protect it – all while having a good time. Just don’t use the word “education.” Your kids will be having so much fun, they’ll never notice they are learning.