Alabama's
Gulf Coast
by Colette Boehm
The diversity of Alabama’s landscape
and attractions is nowhere more evident than in its Gulf Coast region.
And the voices of this region ring out that diversity.
They beckon visitors to join in
today’s excitement: You’ll hear “Bingo!” at the Creek Palace on the reservation
in Atmore. Or to learn of yesterday’s struggles: “Damn the torpedoes!
Full speed ahead!” is the battle cry chronicled at historic Fort Morgan
on Mobile Bay. And “Throw me something, mister!” is the annual anthem
of Mardi Gras revelers in Mobile.
As you wind your way through the
old oaks and tall pines of Alabama’s vast woodlands, you’ll hear echoes
of the past. They linger in the small town charm and in the variety of
museums and attractions dedicated to the settlement, industry and lifestyle
of the region.
In Monroeville, literary voices
speak volumes at the Old Courthouse Museum, which was used as the model
for the famous trial scene in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, based on
the novel written by Monroeville native, Nelle Harper Lee. These voices
are revived each year with the annual spring performance of the play.
As you wind your way through the
old oaks and tall pines of Alabama’s vast woodlands, you’ll hear echoes
of the past. They linger in the small town charm and in the variety of
museums and attractions dedicated to the settlement, industry and lifestyle
of the region.
As you reach the coast, the past
meets the present in Mobile. The voices of its 300-year history are clear
at such attractions as the newly renovated Museum of Mobile (opening June
2001), the Battleship USS Alabama, and Fort Gaines. The music of the present
can be heard in the city’s downtown. Clubs and fine restaurants have revitalized
downtown and made it, once again, the center of activity for those visiting
the Port City.
The waterways have a story of their
own. These stories of past and present can be heard from experienced guides
on wildlife expeditions in the delta and paddlewheel jaunts on the river.
And don’t forget to listen for
the call of the songbirds along the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. It’s
a collection of prime spots around Mobile Bay for watching indigenous
shore and wading birds all year, as well as neo-tropical migrants in spring
and fall.
As the trail takes you around the
bay, you can visualize the images Southern writers through the years have
described: Moss-draped oaks, quaint townships and true Southern hospitality.
All of which are so alive on the Eastern Shore.
The most familiar voice of the
region is the lapping of the Gulf of Mexico on the sparkling sands of
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. In summer, it serves as background noise
for excited children running in the surf, and for the conversations of
family members, reuniting for a visit. All year long, it is the soundtrack
for watersports, deep sea fishing trips, inland excursions and long walks
into the sunset. Off the beach, you’ll hear the screams of delight from
those enjoying the area’s attractions, such as water slides, bungee towers
and go-cart tracks.
And when that voice inside you
says, “shop,” “golf,” or “eat,” you’ve got plenty of options throughout
the Gulf Coast region. Specialty boutiques and outlet shops, such as the
outlet stores and antique galleries to be found in Foley, say, “It’s you!”
Championship golf courses, all around the bay, beckon, “Stay and play.”
And the variety of fine seafood restaurants asks the burning question:
“Fried, grilled, baked or blackened?”
Listen to the voices of the Gulf
Coast region. They’ll make you feel at home. And they’ll call you back
again and again.
The area code for Southwest Alabama
is expected to change to 251, which will affect dialing in some areas.
Colette Boehm is a Gulf Coast
native and freelance writer who lives in Orange Beach Alabama.
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