It's not as well known as its neighbour on the west side of the Florida peninsula but it does have its rival's main attractions: Miles and miles of beautiful beaches.
And it has something Florida's western seashore doesn't have: A feast for the history buff, for one of the pivotal battles of the U.S. Civil War was fought here.
Alabama's Gulf coast used to be called the Redneck Riviera, harking back to a time when it was the getaway for budget-conscious -- and, dare we say it , less-sophisticated -- vacationers from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas. But in recent years it has gone upscale, and posh hotels and condo developments are setting new standards.
The past isn't completely forgotten, though, and those who want it can still find the honky-tonk saloons, plastic sharks and T-shirt emporiums.
This Gulf coast can't, of course, compete in visitor numbers with its neighbour to the east. But remember that Alabama has just 50 km of coast (much of it beach), compared with Florida's gulf frontage of something like 1,100 km.
Still, Alabama's coast welcomes about 5 million visitors a year, about 50,000 of them from Canada, according to Kimberly Chapman of the convention and visitors bureau.
Visitors used to the gulf experience of Clearwater or Sarasota or Fort Myers will detect a different ambience. You're reminded everywhere that you're in the Old South: Trees dripping with Spanish moss, locals drawls as thick as tupelo honey, zydeco music, grits for breakfast ...
And the climate is different. It's cooler (but not cold) in the winter, and a more comfortable high-summer destination than, say, Tampa Bay. Winter temperatures run between 15C and 20C during the day.
"There are maybe 15 days a year when you'd need a jacket,'' says one resident.
Now, a look at some things to see and do:
- Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines, on either side of the narrow strait that leads to Mobile Bay, saw action in the Civil War. Mines (then called torpedoes) were a hazard but Union Admiral David Farragut exclaimed, "Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead,'' and led his fleet to victory. Markers in both forts tell the story.
- You can drive or sail into the marina at LuLu's Homeport, a restaurant owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lucy. A signature dish is fried green tomatoes and L.A. caviar. The L.A. stands for Lower Alabama and the "caviar'' is black-eyed peas in vinaigrette. LuLus serves 3,000 entrees a day.
- One of the last vestiges of the old Redneck Riviera is the Floribama Lounge, right on the state line with Florida, which calls itself "the last great American roadhouse.'' It's a warren of shacks and bars, one of which is "decorated'' with hundreds of women's bras and panties. That gives you an idea of its degree of sophistication.
- Hurricanes are a fact of life in this area and visitors to the Gulf Shores Museum learn about how they form and the devastation they can cause. Hurricane Ivan did a lot of damage in 2004, but that has been cleaned up.
And there's golf (nine courses), scenic cruises and fishing charters, dolphin watching trips, and hiking and bird-watching.
For kids, there are such things as Waterville, an amusement park in Gulf Shores (summer only), and the 34-metre-tall Ferris wheel in adjoining Orange Beach, the tallest Ferris wheel in the southeast.
MORE INFORMATION
The Alabama Gulf Coast is about 2,000 km by road from Toronto. There are some 15,000 lodging units, in motels, hotels, beach houses and rental condos. The closest major airport is Mobile, about 100 km to the north. For further information, check the website gulfshores.com.
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