A Byers’ Guide to the Alabama Coast

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Over the weekend I escaped to the coast of Alabama to meet my parents while Jake had two 24 hour shifts this weekend (Friday and Sunday). We had just been to 30A (Destin, FL area) in June and I was excited to experience the Alabama beaches this time.  It was only a 4 hour drive from Birmingham, so it worked perfectly that this was the weekend my parents were flying down. Although I do wish Jake got to go. I got a lot of pictures at the beach, so I wanted to share them and also what we did. This post isn’t so much a guide as it is more of about what we did and enjoyed. We really enjoyed the gorgeous scenery and time together as a family. I didn’t do any planning for this trip and it was so refreshing to really have no plans for once on a trip.

Where We Stayed:

The Grand Hotel in Clear Point: This is just outside of Fairhope, AL and is a beautiful hotel that has a lot of history. The property is where the Battle of Mobile Bay’s hospital was during the American Civil War. Marriott bought the property and turned it into a resort. The grounds and decor are just immaculate; however, the beach isn’t turquoise blue like Orange Beach, since it’s technically a bay. Gulf Shores and other gorgeous beaches are just an hour drive away, so we ended up driving for better views. We did enjoy checking out their marina on the property and finding cats that are apparently descendants of the historic property’s original cats. This hotel would be perfect for kids because the pool is incredible and there are a lot of activities cornhole, miniature golf, roasting s’mores at night and more.

What We Did:

Check Out The Beaches:Of course we had to check out the beaches. Although the best ones were an hour away from Fairhope, it was well worth the drive. The Alabama public beaches are free, so that was always nice because a lot of the Florida ones you have to be staying in a property in the area to get access. Our favorite beaches:

• Perdido Key: This was the most gorgeous view in our opinion. It’s between Pensacola, Florida and Orange Beach, Alabama. It features the most gorgeous turquoise waters. This is the area I would want to stay at next time.
• Orange Beach
• Gulf Shores
• Caribe Marina: This has the most turquoise waters and gorgeous boats on the marina. Definitely worth driving by.

Shop: Since we went during the hottest season, there is only so much of the heat we could take. We went to a few little shops to escape the heat. We went to the Beach House Boutique to check out their Lilly Pulitzer selection and SanRoc Cay Marina.

Drive Around To See The Gorgeous Beach Houses: One thing we really enjoyed was seeing all of the gorgeous beach houses. I especially love the bright ones. My dream beach house would be all white and have turquoise front door and shutters. We saw many like this.

Check out Downtown Fairhope: Our hotel is just outside of Fairhope, AL and this area is gorgeous. I read on someone’s Instagram caption that Fairhope has more writers per captia than any other town in the U.S., which I thought was interesting. We loved checking out the downtown; every corner is perfectly manicured with stunning flower pots. There are so many cute boutiques that I wish we had time to check out.

 Where We Ate:

The Grand Hotel: We started the days by eating a late breakfast at The Grand Hotel. Their breakfast buffet was great. They have a really nice Sunday brunch too, but we needed to leave before it started.

Fishers at Orange Beach Marina: We heard this restaurant was great, so we had to try it. I really loved their shrimp tacos, but the oysters were very small.

Cobalt, The Restaurant: We picked this spot based on the gorgeous view. The food was also great. I ordered the Blackened Ahi Tuna salad and it was excellent. I’m not usually one to order a salad on vacation, but I wanted something light and refreshing,  and this exceeded my expectations. I’ve heard one of their sister restaurants, Cosmo’s, is also supposed to be a fun atmosphere with great food.

Next Time:

 The Gulf Restaurant: We drove by this fun spot several times and finally stopped by to check it out. It has one of the best beach views in the area. It is all outdoors though, so we decided it would be too hot. The restaurant is made from old shipping containers and had a fun atmosphere. This would be a perfect spot once it cools down.

Flora-Bama : This is a very famous spot that we briefly checked out, but didn’t eat at. Apparently their oysters are amazing and it’s a fun spot to grab some drinks. Of course, as the name states, it is on the Alabama/Florida border.

About This Outfit: This Chicwish dress might be my favorite that I own. I got so many compliments when I wore it and tons of messages on Instagram when I posted it on my stories. The bright colors and white are so fresh for the summer. The quality is also amazing and it’s lined, which is a must for a white dress. It runs true to size and is very flattering. The best part is you don’t have to wear a bra because of the ruffle.

Have you ever been to the Alabama coast? If so, what are your favorite spots?  I am dying to take Jake to visit now.

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