One of the most compelling things about the Gulf Coast is the many personalities of its shores. Every region couldn’t be more unique from the other, and one of the most compelling – and least talked about – stretches is Alabama’s.

courtesy of Magnolia Springs B&B

Forget about Alabama for a minute. This isn’t the Deep South your mother warned you away from. Like Mississippi and Louisiana, this is a region with a long (we’re talking first explorers in the 1500’s) and colorful past, far more curious than you might expect. It’s Spanish, it’s French, and later it was just plain old America, but more importantly, today it’s a mostly well-kept, pretty, and very popular vacation area for folks from around the region. Bonus: This is an excellent place to get your fill of fresh seafood.

What’s here? Endless water (Mobile Bay is enormous), old neighborhoods in Mobile that echo those in New Orleans, charming villages like Fairhope and Magnolia Springs, plus the raucous but never scuzzy, Jersey Shore-with-better-sand/weather atmosphere down in Gulf Shores.

Bottom line: If you’re anywhere near here, definitely book some time in for a day, if not a weekend. The last major hit was Hurricane Ivan (Katrina damage was minimal compared to that in MS), and everything’s looking pretty good. If you’re thinking of spending some time, the most hassle-free entry point from New York would be dreary Pensacola (drive faster, dear!), just about 20 minutes over the Florida state line. Numerous airlines offer one-stop, daily service.

NEXT: 5 Alabama coast must-do’s