Alabama

[shoei]

Hi Guys,
We are looking and taking a trip to Alabama next year. Fly in to atlanta and then drive down to the Mobile Bay/ Gulf shores area.

I'm struggling to find much advice and no trip reports! So I thought I would ask you lovely lot 😊
Thanks in advance

[cornishfrogboy]

We may be able to help you a little.

In the Easter school hols of 2017 we flew into Atlanta and then on to Pensacola for our first nights (2) at the really nice, awesomely located Margaritaville Hotel.

The next day, we went to Mobile Alabama in order to see the Alabama memorial park, which was about an hours drive away. Mobile appeared a rather built up industrial type area, but the park was awesome with USS Alabama , historic aircraft and tanks, loads of stuff.

From Mobile it is a further 2.5 hr drive to New Orleans. Having been there before, we gave this a miss.

Day 2 was the US Naval Aviation museum (I was an Army aircraft technician and spent 3 years with the R Marines whilst the other family have a 37 yr career Fleet Air Arm Aircrew member ). This was a really worthwhile visit and would appeal to most.

Day 3 we moved 60 miles further East to Destin. At Destin we stayed 3 nights at a Hotel immediately behind the Henderson State Park which had a really good Beach. Destin is impressive and a major attraction is to hire out a boat (you will have to look it up to see what the boats are like) and cruise around Crab Island.

We then drove on for the rest of the vacation in Tampa, then Orlando, then Daytona Beach.

Overall, the area between Mobile and Destin (and beyond) has some of the finest, longest and uninterrupted beaches that I have ever seen. Absolutely on a par with the best of the beaches further south and below Clearwater to Naples. The area seemed unhurried and the road largely ran very close to the water indeed, with numerous holiday homes on stilts in one long, long row. I have no doubts that we will return at a later date, start at Destin and this time move West through Mobile and beyond to Texas and even further.

I do not feel that this area is particularly well known to the average British tourist, but that they are most definitely missing out! Imho you will not be disappointed.

If you have any questions, then I am more than happy to help. Just ask, either on the thread or by PM.

[Lola]

We’ve been down that way twice. Once from Memphis via New orleans than Pensacola beach. Another like for the Aviation Museum. The other time we drove along the Panhandle from Orlando via Appalachacola, Seaside and Destin. The Hampton inn at Pensacola Beach has a great beach location. The Floribama bar on the Florida/Alabama border is worth a quick visit.

[shoei]

That is great, thanks.

We are looking at staying at one of the cute houses on stilts on the Mobile Bay.

It looks a lot less commercial. After decades of visiting Sarasota, where I have family, I have found it getting more and more commercialised and I yearn for the years that were... I remember when there was only a couple of bars in Siesta Key Village and they were more like huts!

I'm hoping this area will give be the best of both worlds, with the restaurants and beaches being close at Gulf Shores and the pan handle and lots of history and pretty architecture... maybe I should do a trip report!

[cornishfrogboy]

You won't regret it. It is a lovely area.

[janey2000]

Hi 👋We are currently in Atlanta Georgia having just come from Nashville to Birmingham Alabama. We were only in AL for a night but went to the civil rights museum and saw the Baptist church and Kelly Ingram park which is just outside. Then headed to Vulcan park. Unfortunately there has been a rainstorm this week here which dampened our plans a little, for that reason I haven’t thought anyone would want to see a trip report!

[janey2000]

Ps. People were so friendly!

[Libby29]

Does anyone know of any trippie reports from Atlanta to Nashville please. I'm going this year and trying to work where the best places to stay are. I have been reading allsorts about Nashville being unsafe. 🙈😒

[shoei]

Originally Posted by Libby29

Does anyone know of any trippie reports from Atlanta to Nashville please. I'm going this year and trying to work where the best places to stay are. I have been reading allsorts about Nashville being unsafe. 🙈😒

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We went to Nashville in 2015. But we flew from Orlando.

To be honest we didn't feel unsafe at all, however, it is a big city and there were people begging and a lot of stag/hen do's when we visited at the weekend. I believe the week is quieter and we do plan to go back.

We stopped out of town, but would probably stop near opry land if we were stopping in Nashville. There are lots of great restaurants and an amazing mall.

It depends what you like. If you are big drinkers and like a party atmosphere you will love it. We live on a farm and city life always comes as a bit of a shock to our system.

We loved Franklin, a small town just outside of Nashville. It has beautiful architecture and lots of civil war history. It's a lovely day trip to wander around.

Eat at Puckets, either in Nashville or Franklin. They have great food and music in the eve and it was the highlight of my 3 week holiday and we ate there twice.

If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them.

Everyone we met in Tennessee was super nice!