When I was a young child I had a fascination with Hot Wheels cars. In my mind I had a collection of the fastest cars on the planet which rocketed down a long sloping track in in my bedroom. When my friends came over to my house they would bring their own car collections and we would race across the kitchen and around the dining room giving life to the race with our own engine sounds, tire sequels and crash noises. I can imagine what my parents witnessed as two or three little boys crawled around on the floor living out their racing fantasies. I could not get enough car racing when I was younger and always wanted an experience beyond racing toys in my bedroom – I wanted to drive the real thing, a formula one race car!
Earlier this summer, during our visit to Gulf Shores, Alabama, I finally had the opportunity to make my fantasy of driving a race car reality. Well almost, it was not a race car but a few go karts on a crazy multi-level track. For an evening I was transformed into the race car driver I always wanted to be at The Track – Family Recreation Center.
My wife and I decided to visit The Track as soon as we arrived in Gulf Shores. As we drove into town the race tracks, Sykcoaster and thrill rides rose above the flat level terrain of coastal Alabama. The siren song from my youth was sounded and our activity plans were cemented for at least one evening of our stay. The Track offers five different racing tracks, bumper boats, mini-golf, game room, and thrill rides. Everyone who shared the evening with us had a great time. Smiles and joy were evident throughout. It’s easy to see why this destination is so popular with both locals and out of town visitors.
Since our visit was about go kart indulgence we drove three of the five circuits – The Track, Super Track, and Wild Woody. Each circuit was great fun with tight corners, reasonably fast go karts, and well moderated racing. An ample number of single and tandem cars were available on each track. This is a great feature for families and allows younger children to experience the thrill of the race. It was tough to decide which was our favorite as each track offered a different experience, but we spent the most time on the three level Wild Woody – a wooden roller coaster you experience by driving a go kart. We had a blast and will undoubtedly go back the next time we’re in Gulf Shores.
