The best mother-daughter trips are those that do not have a frenetic pace — no need to set an alarm, catch a tour bus, or take the perfect Instagram photo. Instead, the point of traveling with Mom is to simply be together and savor an itinerary that unfolds naturally. Fairhope, Alabama lends itself to this easy-does-it vacation mindset.
Located along the Eastern coastline of Mobile Bay, this over-a-century-old city is bound to charm you with its quaint shops, delicious fare, and striking views.
Get to Know the Eastern Shore
Your first morning in Fairhope is a good time to get your bearings. Drive along S. Mobile Street to the top of the bluff overlooking the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay and take in the view. Settlers chose the bluff as the site of their utopian single-tax colony, founded in 1894 by followers of economist Henry George. The land that comprised the settlement was owned by all, with leaseholders paying a tax that funded parks and government services. (Though the town has outgrown these original boundaries, the Fairhope Single-Tax Corporation is still in operation, and you can see its offices downtown.)
Head downhill to the Fairhope Municipal Pier and Park, where you’ll find scenic trails, a botanical garden, and prime bird-watching opportunities. Stroll the quarter-mile-long pier and watch anglers cast their lines in hopes of reeling in a speckled trout or redfish. For breakfast, drive five minutes to Warehouse Bakery & Donuts. Known for handcrafted donuts, fluffy biscuits and sausage gravy, shrimp beignets, and a full spread of Southern favorites served with locally roasted coffee from Fairhope Roasting Company.
Shop and Stroll
Another short drive will put you in the heart of downtown, where free parking is plentiful along the flower-lined streets, with additional public parking available north of the Fairhope Public Library and adjacent to the Fairhope Museum of History. Housed in the 1928 former city hall building, this small museum is worth a stop to learn more about the region’s past.
Spend the rest of your day on a leisurely exploration of quaint boutiques, local art galleries, and specialty shops, including Crown and Colony Antiques for European antiques and Persian rugs. Stylish fashion lines with a Southern flair can be found at The Colony Shop. Visit Fairhope Soap Company for artisanal soaps and skincare products, most of them made in-house. The Eastern Shore Art Center features a rotating exhibit of regional artists, a gift shop, and a First Friday Art Walk. Visit in March for the Outdoor Art Show, which attracts more than 250,000 visitors each year.
A Writers’ Haven
From its beginning, Fairhope has been a magnet for creatives, especially writers, including Upton Sinclair, Winston Groom (author of the novel Forrest Gump), and Fannie Flagg, who wrote the screenplay for the movie Fried Green Tomatoes while living here. The Fairhope Center for the Writing Arts continues this legacy, hosting a writer-in-residence each year in a cottage tucked behind the public library.
If Mom is a reader, she’ll enjoy perusing the shelves of Page & Palette, a family-run independent bookstore operating for over five decades. With its insightful, handwritten recommendations and an excellent selection of Alabama authors and book titles, it’s easy to while away the time here, espresso drink in hand from the bookstore’s Latte Da coffee shop. If you’re in the mood for something stronger, step into The Book Cellar, the cozy bar in the back of the store that hosts live music and author readings.
Coastal Bounty
You’ll find familiar Gulf Coast favorites on most restaurant menus in Fairhope, but be sure to search out the specialties of the southwest Alabama Gulf Coast. A fine rendition of West Indies salad, a regional dish made with marinated crab, is on the menu at Southern Roots in the historic Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa. Fried grouper sandwiches are another local favorite, and the crispy grouper po-boy at Tamara’s Downtown is a must-try. If you and your mom are oyster lovers, you’ve hit the jackpot: The Alabama Gulf Coast is home to some of the most pristine and flavorful bivalves in the country. Sample a dozen (or two) as a starter during dinner at Pearl Seafood + Raw Bar, where the menu of updated Southern classics includes an award-winning gumbo of chicken, shrimp, and Alabama-made Conecuh sausage, as well as a deftly prepared redfish on the half shell.
A Dauphin Island Day Trip
It’s about an hour’s scenic drive to historic Fort Morgan, where you can board the Mobile Bay Ferry with your car. Look for pelicans and bottlenosed dolphins along the route to Dauphin Island, a 17-mile-long barrier island just off the mainland. Enjoy the quiet beaches there and visit Fort Gaines or the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, home to the Alabama Aquarium. Stop in for a bite to eat and an impressive selection of wines by the bottle at The Carriage Wine & Market. Enjoy a custom charcuterie board and a platter of Isle Dauphine oysters, one of several Alabama oyster companies with farms in the area. These small, plump, bivalves have a clean, sweet taste and creamy texture that are the result of decades of perfecting the art of off-bottom oyster farming along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Southern Comforts
Accommodations are a crucial component of a languorous stay. If you and your mom feel like staying in one day, these are great places to do so:
· Emma’s Bay House is a charming B&B just steps from Fairhope Municipal Park and Pier.
· Jubilee Suites, set in a historic waterfront home, offers one and two-bedroom suites.
· Known as “the Queen of Southern Resorts,” the bayfront Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa was originally built in 1847 and is surrounded by a canopy of twisted, moss-covered oaks. It offers a spa, two golf courses, and several restaurants. Spend the final evening of your perfect getaway with Mom around one of the patio firepits as you sip cocktails from Bucky’s Lounge, named one of the South’s best hotel bars.
The best mother-daughter trips are those that do not have a frenetic pace.
From its beginning, Fairhope has been a magnet for creatives.