The community of Gulf Shores offers a gracious, small-town environment where recreational amenities and attractions are first-rate and abundant.  Gulf State Park provides 6,000 lush acres with an 18-hole golf course, shimmering Lake Shelby, an 825-foot fishing pier, a nature center, cabins and campsites, and a major motel and convention center.  Activities include fishing, swimming, biking, playing tennis, and canoeing.  Even in the city, the 12-acre city facility of Meyer Park features picnic shelters and tables, playground equipment, a softball field, horseshoe pits, and shuffleboard court.  Tennis courts, additional sports fields, and Wade Ward Nature Park add to the amenities.  Newcomers to Gulf Shores will discover all the pleasures and relaxed pace of rural life within easy access to major metropolitan amenities.  Those who appreciate the intimacy of a small town and premier water-sport activities will discover a paradise in the Gulf Shores area.