Eastern Shore: Girlfriends Getaway by the Bay

Experience a girlfriends getaway on Alabama’s Eastern Shore where the charming small town of Fairhope offers boutiques, bistros, art and one of the top-rated Marriott spas in the world just down the road. As you cruise along Scenic Highway 98 to Fairhope, you’ll drive under canopies of oak trees draped with Spanish moss. The picturesque views are breathtaking and the beautiful buildings include the modern Daphne City Hall, built in 2008 and inspired by Italian architecture. A statue of the Greek mythological Daphne sits atop a water fountain surrounded by palm trees.

The waterfront village of Fairhope on Mobile Bay includes residences of writers Winston Groom and Fannie Flagg and the gallery of artist Nall, who lives in Fairhope when not in France. The downtown streets are lined with flowers and dress shops, antique stores, cafes, B & Bs, a bookstore and shops where you’ll find that unique gift to take home. It has been named “Best Small Southern Town” by Southern Living and a Top 25 Place to Retire by CNN Money(link is external). Coastal Living magazine wrote, “this charming village nestles on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay like an idealized, movie-set small town.”

Getaway, relax and unwind as you take in the breathtaking beauty of Fairhope at the Fairhope Pier and Park(link is external) on the bay located at the west end of Fairhope Avenue. The park is half a mile from downtown and has a fantastic display of flowers. The pier is a quarter-mile long with restrooms and a covered area. It’s a great place to watch birds and spectacular sunsets over Mobile Bay.

On a still night along the Eastern Shore, you might also be lucky enough to witness a Jubilee(link is external), a phenomenon that occurs in only two places around the world – Alabama’s Eastern Shore and Tokyo. Nobody knows when a Jubilee will happen, but some locals say it has to do with tides and the pull of the moon.

Spend your getaway in a room at the Four-Diamond Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear(link is external) a bedroom community next to Fairhope. This hotel, once referred to as the “queen of Southern resorts,” was named a top resort by Travel + Leisure magazine. The Grand is a luxurious resort offering 405 guest rooms right on Mobile Bay. Plenty of activities will keep you busy like relaxing on the white sand beach, bicycling, golfing, playing tennis on one of 10 courts, kayaking or relaxing at two pools where a poolside bar offers food and drinks. The hotel has bicycles for rent, so you can bike along the boardwalk or Scenic Hwy. 98 to take in the sights.

You may want to make your first stop at the Fairhope Museum of History(link is external) to learn about this small town from its early beginnings. The museum features changing exhibits and is also the place to get information on Fairhope’s history such as the origin of its utopian single tax. Next door to the museum is the Fairhope Welcome Center(link is external). It’s a great place to pick up brochures, coupons and a layout of the shops. Take home a work of art from the Eastern Shore Art Center(link is external). You can purchase works by local painters, sculptors and woodworkers.

You’ll find books by Winston Groom, Fannie Flagg, Rick Bragg and more Alabama authors at the quaint bookstore on the corner in downtown Fairhope, Page & Palette(link is external). Enjoy a cup of coffee or a latte at the Latte Da coffee shop(link is external) while you’re there.

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