Alabama’s Eastern Shore
Posted on July 9, 2010 by bob in Features
Fairhope Pier
By Kathie Farnell
Photos courtesy AL Tourism Dept., Alabama Gulf Coast CVB, Jesse’s Restaurant, Orange Beach Art Center
(Editor’s Note) — This month’s feature on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay was in the works prior to the oil spill. It was delayed once in hopes that the leak would be plugged and the oil contained. At this point – late June – who knows when that might happen.
What does seem obvious is that a positive outcome from this disaster is only possible if individuals, government and industry work together. While the two latter groups may be beyond our direct control, what can we, as citizens, do?
Stay in touch with news reports on what’s happening, what to expect, and how to help. Lack of knowledge keeps us all victimized, shocked, and scared.
Consider paying a visit to the coast. These are tough economic times, and times just got a whole lot tougher for those who live, and make their living, near the waters of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. As individuals we can do little to hold the oil at bay or protect our sensitive coastline. But, we CAN head south for a visit, just as many of us have done since we were children. Not everything coast-related revolves around the oceanfront. There is still lots to do in many of the areas that have grown up around our beaches.
A couple of caveats: Don’t jeopardize your health by trying to clean up areas and wildlife that have been affected by the oil spill without proper instruction from professionals. Leave that to individuals who have been trained in that effort. And don’t head down to areas that are known to have air quality issues. Monitor these conditions at EPA’s site (http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/air.html) and stay abreast of the Alabama Department of Public Health’s precautions and advisories related to the oil spill at http://www.adph.org/.
Anyone who has ever lived in this part of the country shares the sense that this beautiful strip of coastline is ours, regardless of whether we actually own a piece of it or have visited on any number of happy, holiday respites. As good stewards, let’s not add neglect to the potential dangers threatening our beautiful beaches and bays. — Ed.
The Eastern Shore, that quasi-mythic terrain that borders Mobile Bay from Fort Morgan on the Gulf to Spanish Fort, is home to quaint villages, peaceful wildlife refuges, and more good food than you can shake a crab at. Here are some of our favorite Eastern Shore things.
Where to eat:
Think globally, dine quirkily. Manci’s Antique Club is not an antique club but an historic restaurant and bar located at 1715 Main Street in Old Town Daphne. The former gas station now serves up lunch and dinner daily in an ambiance best described as eclectic – the décor features one of the biggest collections of Jim Beam containers in the U.S. The seafood po’boy is justly famous.
Jesse's
Down Highway 98 on the way to the beach, the little village of Magnolia Springs is home to Jesse’s Restaurant.
Located in the building which once housed Moore Brothers Grocery and the village post office, Jesse’s is named for shopkeeper Jesse King and serves up seafood and other fresh local fare at lunch and dinner. The same building houses the Cold Hole, a bar named for the chilliest part of the springs, and a bakery/coffee shop.
Where to stay:
The Bay Breeze Guest House, on the shores of Mobile Bay at 742 South Mobile Street in Fairhope, nestles amid three shady, flower-filled acres under towering trees. This bed and breakfast, originally built as a family home in the 1930s, has been completely restored to offer a peaceful getaway minutes from Fairhope‘s bustling downtown. Guests here enjoy the spectacular view over the bay as well as the sumptuous breakfasts which feature owner Bill Jones’ grits. The biggest draw, however, may be the 462 foot pier which features five separate decks for fishing, watching the sunset or just hanging out. Contacted at press time Becky Jones said, “We have no oil. We have a huge boom stretching all the way to the Yacht Club, we’re catching fish off the pier, and we’re eating them, too.”
The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa in Point Clear, Alabama, on Highway 98 near the scenic little resort town of Fairhope, nestles amid 550 scenic acres on the shores of Mobile Bay.
Guests have been coming here since pre-Civil War days for the graceful ambiance, which today includes a 20,000 square foot spa, 36 holes of championship golf and activities ranging from elegant afternoon tea to kayaking. Swimming, sailing, fishing off the pier, croquet on the lawn and a “fun camp” for kids round out the range of possibilities, though guests sometimes prefer watching the sun set over the bay from a rocking chair.
What to do:
July: Fourth of July Fireworks and Baldwin Pops Concert, Fairhope Pier
Fairhope, right across the bay from Mobile, welcomes a crowd to its quarter-mile-long pier each Fourth of July for fireworks and music. The fireworks display, sponsored by the local Volunteer Fire Department, accompanies a concert of patriotic music from the Baldwin Pops Concert Band, whose more than one hundred volunteer members include professional musicians as well as music teachers.
August: Fort Morgan State Historic Site, Reenactment of the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Fort Morgan
Fort Morgan
Located at the end of State Highway 180, 22 miles west of Gulf Shores, this historic fort was the headquarters of the Confederate defenders during the Battle of Mobile Bay. The siege is re-enacted each August. Civil War re-enactors from all over the region show up authentically dressed for the event. Yes, somebody has to play the Yankees.
Anytime:
Shop. Tanger Outlets, Foley. Located on Highway 59 south of Foley, this whopping collection of shops offers more than 120 brands at direct-from-the-manufacturer prices. After shopping, collapse in their Food Court, or, if you’re still standing, ride the carousel.
Bon Secour Dunes
Explore. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, 12295 State Highway 180, between Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan includes more than 6500 acres; everything from beach to piney woodlands to marshes. Options include fishing, hiking and exploring the dunes.
Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Native Pitcher Plant Bog, located on Highway 98 West between Foley and Fairhope features a boardwalk through the woods to the bay. The site includes nature trails, picnic tables, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, and a Pitcher Plant Bog with hundreds of these insect-eating plants.
Five Rivers: Alabama’s Delta Resource Center, on the Mobile Bay Causeway in Spanish Fort, gives visitors a chance to learn more about the wildlife-rich Mobile Bay Delta. Attend an educational program, hike, take a pontoon boat tour, or rent a kayak and see alligators up close. Too close.
Art Festival in Fairhope
Admire.
The Eastern Shore Art Center, located at 401 Oak Street in downtown Fairhope, houses art exhibits which change monthly. The First Friday Artwalk each month offers visitors a chance to see what’s new at the Center and at a number of downtown art galleries.
Chill.
Watch the sunset over Mobile Bay from any one of dozens of vantage points. Relaxation; it’s what the Eastern Shore is all about. For More Information on visiting the Eastern Shore: Alabama Tourism Department, www.800alabama.com, 1-800-ALABAMA.
The Hot Shop
Looking for something really different to do during your vacation?
Check out Alabama’s only public-access glass blowing studio. Located at the Orange Beach Art Center at 26389 Canal Road, east of Gulf Shores, The Hot Shop is the brainchild of Joe and Debbie Thompson of Bear Creek Glass.
Joe Hobbs and Sam Cornman teach classes in glass blowing at the Center; Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Hot Shop is open to the public — for a fee, visitors can blow a glass ornament or paperweight under a teacher’s supervision.
The Center is also hosting occasional evening events called Hot Glass/Cold Drinks; learn more about glassblowing while sipping your favorite beverage.
Oil Spill Update
Efforts are underway to protect Mobile Bay from the on-going effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Some rental accommodations have adopted incentives and guarantees designed to reassure uncertain vacationers. Find more information and the latest oil spill updates by checking the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau site at www.gulfshores.com/packages-deals and www.gulfshores.com/issues.
Want to help? A number of organizations are involved in responding to the oil spill. Find out about volunteering by contacting them: Alabama Coastal Foundation, 251-990-6002 or info@joinacf.org; Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, 251-431-6409 or mbnep@mobilebay-nep.com; Mobile Baykeeper, 251-433-4229 or info@mobilebaykeeper.org.
