This isn’t really the perfect time of year to be down here – sure, it’s usually reasonably warm by our standards, but what you really want is a sweltering hot day, a bucket of Abita Amber ales, that squishy white sand and a cheap condo (I like the ones out on the quieter Fort Morgan Road, past the Bon Secour refuge) to crawl back to at the end of the day when you’re beat. But any time of year is a good time. Right now, here’s a few things to keep you busy.
Rob Mangione

1) Chill out at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear – Hammered by Katrina (six-foot storm surge!) and only recently reopened (as good as new), this treasured haunt of many a New Orleans vacationer has a wonderful national park lodge vibe. Everyone lines up for free afternoon tea in the lobby, though it’s warm enough to have a drink out on the lawn, which has great bay views. The place is gated – just say you’re headed for the bar and they’ll wave you through. Definitely the nicest coastal hotel between Galveston and the Florida Panhandle.
Rob Mangione

2) Drive old Highway 98 from Daphne to Point Clear – Make sure you follow the signs and stay away from the newer, less pretty highway. The old route takes you through tiny downtown Daphne, through old Montrose and in to the bustling town of Fairhope, which has a lot of great shops and is nice for a stroll. Make sure you turn right to head down to Point Clear, for the nicest stretch of the drive, past a lot of pretty homes, many of them new. You’ll get serious house envy. This has to be some of the priciest real estate in Alabama, with many properties in the multi-million range.
Rob Mangione

4) Eat Royal Red Shrimp with The King – There are many places to eat seafood down here, but I’m partial to the laid-back atmosphere at King Neptune, located on Highway 98 in Gulf Shores. You can get stir-fried grouper and steamed Dungeness crab, but don’t pass up the Royal Red platter, a pound for $18.99, steamed and with just a little Old Bay. Royal Reds are from the deepest gulf waters, and are sweet – I think they taste a little like lobster.
Rob Mangione

5) Have a drink in Florida – On Perdido Key, which geographically belongs to Florida but politically is partially in Alabama, stop at the Flora-Bama, a true road house-style pile of a bar that’s long been a treasured destination for many a roadtripping southerner. Never mind that Ivan laid waste to the main building that used to sit near the highway – there’s still cheap beer, a laid-back vibe and a great roof deck for gulf views. The bar is home to the annual Mullet Toss, which is exactly what it sounds like.