2023 Sep 15-18, Trip to Gulf Shores, Fairhope, Daphne, AL. and Pensacola, FL. (4 days)

Day 1:

I had planned a trip to Canton, MS, the day before. The next morning, I asked my Hubby if he wanted to spend a few days in Gulf Shores, Alabama, after we left Canton. He said yes.

He had been discussing going all summer, so we packed our bags for three days and decided to go alone. 

After spending all morning visiting museums and walking around the town, we began our journey to Gulf Shores. 

Shady Acres Village 

We stopped at Shady Acres Village Restaurant, Seminary, MS, for a late lunch. I had a shrimp basket with fries, and Hubby had a 49'er Hamburger with onion rings. 

We also bought several items at their general store. 

It was a four-and-a-half-hour drive to Gulf Shores. 

The sun was setting as we drove through Mobile. We checked into the Staybridge Hotel, and it was dark when we were settled in.

Sunset in Mobile, AL 

We both were too tired for further adventures, so we went to bed. 

Day 2:

The following day, we rushed to the beach to watch the sunrise, but it was cloudy, and a storm was brewing, so we didn't see the sunrise. 

We returned to the hotel for breakfast, and then our adventures began.

Cloudy Sunrise 

We rode to the Outlet Mall to shop. I bought a top and pants at Columbia, spices at TJ Maxx, and a set of Halloween hand towels at TJ Maxx.

Our next stop was OWA Park in Foley. They were having a car show throughout the park, and it was very hot by this time. After I finished taking pictures of most of the cars, we left. 

This was my favorite Car!

We headed down the coastline towards Pensacola, Florida. 

When we arrived downtown, the Arts and Crafts Sales were winding down. 

We had enough time to walk through to see their wear. 

We ate lunch at The Fish House Restaurant on Barracks St., where we enjoyed fried Cod served with creamed potatoes, collard greens, and a salad. 

Fried Cod with Collard Greens, Creamed Potatoes 

It was getting late, so we began our journey back to the hotel. 

Day 3:

Once again, we were up early and heading to the beach for an early morning sunrise, but it was cloudy. Sunrise was at 6:35 A.M.

 Came back to the hotel for breakfast, which included scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit, a bagel, and juice.

We began our journey up the coast in the opposite direction to Fairhope. 

We stopped at the Municipal Park, where they had an Arts and Crafts Tent Sale.  

We stopped to talk to a couple selling spices. (I bought one for my son.)

They saw the camera I was carrying, and we talked about cameras and taking pictures.

The woman was telling me about the brown pelicans at the beach.

Brown Pelicans 

We walked down the long pier, and several Brown Pelicans and various Gulls were present. I took several pictures. 

We rode to Daphne, stopping to eat lunch at Longhorn Steakhouse.

We enjoyed steak with grilled shrimp, creamed potatoes, and Caesar salad. 

We stopped at the Halloween Store in Daphne, where I bought a dress for Halloween. 

We returned to the hotel but stopped at the Story Walk in Loxley. 

Another long day.

Day 4: 

We headed to the beach (6:35 A.M.) to see the sunrise. Today it was beautiful, so I got several pictures.

Sunrise 

Rode back to the hotel, ate breakfast, packed our bags, and began our journey home.

The sun shone on my face, so I napped the first part of the trip home. 

Hubby wanted to stop at Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama, and when I woke up, he said, "I think I have passed Peach Park," and we had.

We did not turn around. We just kept going. 

We eat lunch at Oh Bryan's in Hartselle, AL (his favorite place)

He always orders a steak or baked potato and gets their salad bar.

I ordered grilled chicken and a sweet potato.

We were home way before sunset. 

Another great trip is in the books. 

2019 Jan 16-18, 🚙Trip to Gulf Shores , Fairhope, Orange Beach & Foley, Alabama ( 3days)

Jan 16, 2019, Wednesday,

Hubby and I traveled to Gulf Shores, stopping at Jack's Restaurant(1360 Hwy 43 West, bypass Russellville) for breakfast. 

We both ordered a sausage and biscuits with strawberry jelly at 8:56 A.M. and spent $7.06.

We ate lunch at KFC Thomasville at @1:17 p.m.

My Hubby ordered a box meal, and I ordered a three-piece wings meal with biscuits (that I saved for the birds); we spent $13.46.

We stopped for gas at Marathon at Rams Food Mart, 19039 43 hwy, Northport, and spent $22.08

Arrived at Gulf Shores just before sunset, 4:45–5:14 P.M.

We rode to the beach before checking in at the hotel to see the sunset. 

The moon rose before the sun set and appeared as a ball in the red sky.

Gulf Shores Sunset 

After the sun went down, we rode to Staybridge Suites, 3947 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores, AL 36542. 

We booked for two nights, which cost $170,84 for room 114. 

Their computers were down, and the night manager said we could join everyone in the dining room for grill night.

In the food bar were grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, Cole slaw, baked beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. 

I fixed a plate with ham, potato salad, chips, and a glass of wine.

Dinner: hamburger, potato salad, chips, and a glass of wine.

There were fountain drinks, tea, and a variety of wines and beers.

We checked into room 114, which is on the ground level, and myHubby took a long, relaxing tub bath.

I stretched out on the bed and turned on the Television. My eyes were giving me a fit, so I put in eye drops. My eyes felt like something was in them; they hurt all night.

I must have gotten sand in them, it was very windy when we went to the beach the night before.

Jan 17, Thursday, 

Hubby and I dressed and went to breakfast. I ate oatmeal with nuts, & cranberries, and drank orange juice.

After breakfast, Hubby and I rode along hwy 98 Scenic Highway to Fairhope.

We stopped at Valence & Fairhope Municipal Parks, located along the Coastal Highway.

We saw a statue of Maria Johnson, ducks & geese swimming, boats along the pier, blooming flowers, and lots of old trees.

Fairhope's Municipal Pier, Fairhope's Pepper Nelson Volunteer Fireman's Hall, flower gardens, and yellow and white buttercups blooming.

Fairhope's Pepper Nelson Volunteer Firetruck at Fairhope Museum 

We toured the Fairhope History Museum outside, where we saw the People's Railroad train car, roses in bloom, and a statue of Craig Turner Shelton, the first public state artist in Alabama's history. 

Fairhope's Museum of History is located at 24 N. Section St, Fairhope, Alabama 36532

Inside, we saw permanent exhibits, including Fairhope's founders, the single tax theory, the town jail built in 1868, the old fire department, a fire truck, a fire hydrant, and fire hats & coats.

Fairhope's historic jail inside the museum 

We saw a miniature replica of Middle Bay Lighthouse, John Bowen, Maria Howard, Della Nichols, Shuah S. Mann, Clarence Mershon, and James Bellanger, the people of Fairhope.

We saw old push-mowers hanging from the ceiling.

We picked up some pamphlets from the Welcome Center next door.

We ate lunch at Greers in Fairhope.

We ordered three chicken fingers, corn fritters, green beans, and cornbread.

Our next stop was Daphne at the Little Bethel Baptist Church, built in 1867. We took a few pictures of the church and a Historic marker nearby.

Our next stop was at the US Sports Academy Walk of Fame in Daphne, where we sat in the midst of runners, baseball players, football players, basketball players, Swimmers, Weight lifters, Gymnasts, bikers, and golfers.

 US Sports Academy Walk of Fame Daphne  Baseball Player Statue 

We stopped at Daphne's Gator Walk, where we saw a nice wooden boardwalk lined with a marker that said: 

Where are you in the Watershed?

Exploration of Ecosystem

Slowing the flow of Storm Water

The Big Picture of the Ecosystem

It is all about the Alligator 

What is this building for?

Along the Eastern Shore Trail

We did not see any gators along the trail, but we did see a few shorebirds.

After that long, hot walk, we needed something to cool us down, so we stopped at Jubilee Square at Krazy Frozen Treats for a waffle bowl of creamy-flavored yogurt around noon.

We chose cheesecake, cookies, and cream.

Krazy Frozen Treats  scoop of Cookies & Cream and Cheesecake

We stopped at the Foley Train Depot to watch men run the miniature trains. (They only run at certain times during the week)

Included in the collection were a Ringling Bros & Barnum Big Top Circus, a mini train carrying circus items, a Ferris wheel (that worked), clowns with balloons, a lion cage, Roadside USA, a man shot out of a cannon, a tattooed lady, Lulu the farebeater, which cost fifty cents, and elephants.

Ringling Bros & Barnum Big Top Circus

The miniature town consisted of an Aqua Blue Drive-in diner that served fries and hamburgers, shakes, and soft drinks.

Advertisement on the windows that said Speeds Car Wash, green & white car sat next to Car Town (new, used, lease) Dealership. 

A tow truck sat in front, and next to the railroad tracks (Consoled gas and power), 76 Union Gas Station, two-story homes, dogs, people walking, riding scooters, mail carriers, a lineman working on the power lines, 

There were bridges, factories, train stations, firehouses, and trains traveling in all directions on the many tracks.

We watched the trains until they closed.

We ate dinner at 5:00 P.M. at Bubba's Seafood House in Orange Beach.

My Hubby and I split one Captain's combo platter, which consisted of Crab legs, grilled shrimp, chargrilled Mahi, and Mahi served with corn on the cob, new potatoes, and garlic butter. 

We stopped at Rouses Market, where we bought a Coke, a Strawberry cream coffee cake, & three large cannolis.

Sitting in a Large Blue Chair outside Bubba's Seafood House, Orange Beach

Jan 19, Friday

The next morning, we met Hannah at the Ruby Red Slipper in Orange Beach before he headed home.

I ordered a stack of cinnamon toast.

Hubby ordered sausage, eggs, potatoes, link sausage, and pancakes.

Hannah ordered bacon, eggs, gravy, pancakes & coffee.

We finished breakfast around 8:30 A.M. and began our long ride home. $44.52

We filled up with gas at Love's $29.78 in Loxley, AL 

We stopped at CVS to get some eyewash. My eyes were red, running, and burning.

I washed both eyes out with the eyewash and slept most of the way home.

Stack of cinnamon toast

We stopped at Firehouse Subs in Athens and bought a large and medium steak sandwich with mushrooms on wheat bread. $18.42

We stopped at Aldie in Athens to pick up  a few groceries, and spent @20.77

We had a great trip, ate breakfast with my granddaughter, and saw many sites.

Got sand in my eyes, which burned every time I closed them.