Thread: Off the beaten path...

You guys and gals have been such a great source of info about your state so I figured I ask another question...

Are there any cool places to see near Gulf Shores that are off the beaten path? I'm talking historic buildings (maybe a plantation tour), sites, attraction etc... (the non mainstream tourist ones) that we might be able to see (my wife and I dig these kind of places).

Thanks guys!

See you next Sunday AM (I'll be the northerner following around Viking Guy) or Monday AM (Following around Pier#er)

If your a history buff the forts are a cool place to check out.

Cruise through old Fairhope, or Bon Secour ( home of Bubba Gump Shrimp ). Lot of beautiful period homes and buildings. My sweet and lovely wife takes me antiquing there.

+1 on the drive up the East Bay through Daphne and Fairhope

Originally Posted by Nimakdm

You guys and gals have been such a great source of info about your state so I figured I ask another question...

Are there any cool places to see near Gulf Shores that are off the beaten path? I'm talking historic buildings (maybe a plantation tour), sites, attraction etc... (the non mainstream tourist ones) that we might be able to see (my wife and I dig these kind of places).

Thanks guys!

See you next Sunday AM (I'll be the northerner following around Viking Guy) or Monday AM (Following around Pier#er)

Not exactly off the beaten track, but you have to go out of you way to get to most of 'em. Don't forget the camera!

Fairhope, Montrose and Dapne via Senic 98. From GS take 59 N to 98W and when 98 splits into 98 W and Senic 98, go straight following Senic 98. All kinds of little shops in downtown Fairhope.

Fort Morgan at end of Fort Morgan Rd. and ride the ferry to Dauphin Island and see Fort Gaines and the land locked fishing pier. Bellingrath Gardens north of Dauphin Island on Bellingrath Rd, Also Bayou LaBatre is over that way.

If you have a rainy day, go the Pensacola NAS Avaiation Museum. TheBlue Angels practice on Tue and Wed mornings about 11:30.

The Battleship Alabama is located just east of Mobile on the Causeway (HWYs 98 & 90). If you go see the ship, eat at Felix's Fish Camp just across the Tensaw River Bridge about 2 miles east of the Alabama.
Hope this helps.

Forgot about P'cola NAS - def worth a visit.

+1 on Felixes, they have a almond grouper entree that is pretty darn good.

The Spear Museum (on Hwy 59 near Summerdale) is a 'must see'!
Spear Hunting Museum to remain open after death of founder | al.com

Also Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog at the Reserve (on Hwy 98 between Foley and Fairhope)
Weeks Bay Foundation

Nearby is the Inspiration Oak Park (on Fish River Rd off Hwy 98)
Inspiration Oak may be gone but park and tree's soured history live on in Baldwin County (photos) | AL.com

Then there's 'The Big Mouth' (mouth of Weeks Bay @ the south end of County Rd 2) and Mullet Point park near the north end @ Scenic Hwy 98
In fact taking the 'Eastern Shore Scenic 98 Tour' is a great day trip IMHO.
Magnolia Beach and Fairhope Pier, and Yacht Club (take Sea Cliff Dr) in Fairhope,
MayDay Park (on College Ave) and Bayfront Park (on Bayfront Dr) in Daphne, and
'Eastern Shore Trail and Gator Alley (@ I-10 and Hwy 98) in Spanish Fort.
Also (in west Spanish Fort on the Why 90/98 Causeway) there is Five Rivers and Meaher Park (right across the highway), ending at Battleship USS Alabama (in Mobile).
An alternate ending would be to take Hwy 31 east in Spanish Fort then north on 225 (about 10 miles) to Blakeley State Park.
You can also do delta and gator tours by slow boat or air boat from "The Causeway" (Hwy 90/98 "Battleship Parkway").
There's a pretty good string of restaurants and 'waterin holes' there too:
Seafood Row: Go for the Food On Alabama's Gulf Coast | TheLedger.com

Hope this helps!

Wow! Pier#r, that's a tremendous list of places---there are places that are new to me and I've lived here for over 40 years.

I thought I was one of the few to go to the Spear Hunting Museum---and enjoy it. Don't go unless you are an experienced participant in the blood sports. It's pretty graphic in places.

I enjoyed talking with Morris, but I don't think he appreciated it when I pointed out to him that his "trophy turkey gobbler" was a hen with the beard epoxied on. True story.

Not too much to see on this and I'm not exactly sure its still there but there was an old 17th century ship hull washed up on fort morgan off of one of the small roads. It might have been tripletail road, someone else could probably tell you better...