Alabama vacations offer a variety of experiences, from culinary delights to outdoor adventure and city elation. The state’s tourism economy rebounded significantly in 2021, with over 28 million visitors vacationing and spending nearly $20 billion on tourism activities. Alabama is a Gulf Coast state rich in history, culture, music, and adventure, with landscapes ranging from beaches to mountains.
The Alabama Welcome Center Retreat Dates and Locations for 2021 and 2022 are announced by the Tourism Department. The people in Alabama are friendly and helpful to tourists, with some violent and property crime being less than excessive compared to other states. Alabama is a land of history, culture, music, and adventure on landscapes ranging from beaches to mountains. Locally owned restaurants serve mouth-watering barbecue and fresh seafood from fishing villages. Most Alabama entertainment venues, including tourist attractions, are open.
Alabama vacations have so much to offer, including the great outdoors, white sandy beaches, music legends, rich history, scientific dreams, and more. Motorists planning to travel in Alabama can find traffic and road condition information at www.ALGOtraffic.com or visit the Alabama Welcome Center’s annual Tourism Day.
North Alabama offers hotels, resorts, and cabins, as well as outdoor activities like hiking trails and fishing on lakes. Memorial Day marks the start of the summer tourism season, but the state’s visitor industry continues to grow.
Alabama’s annual tourism statistics continue to illustrate the popularity of the beaches four years after the pandemic.
📹 Exploring Wealthy Alabama 🇺🇸
▻ 🎞️ Video Edited By: Natalia Santenello MUSIC USED IN THE VIDEO ▻ Headlund – Small Mirage ▻ Peter Crosby …
Why is everybody moving to Alabama?
Alabama, a Southern state, experienced a significant population growth in 2023, accounting for 87 of the nation’s growth. The South has maintained population growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with a total population of 130, 125, 290. However, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and California experienced the most residents moving to the Yellowhammer State. According to a report by data analysis company Stacker, 23, 155 people moved to Alabama from Georgia in 2022, while 18, 236 additional residents from Florida moved to the Yellowhammer State. Additionally, 10, 102 people moved to Alabama from Texas in 2022, and 8, 012 California residents migrated to the state.
What is the most visited city in Alabama?
Birmingham, Alabama’s largest city, is known for its diverse attractions like the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Birmingham Museum of Art, and McWane Science Center. March Madness, the national college basketball event, attracts millions of fans each spring. BestOdds has identified 10 of the biggest and most unlikely underdog wins in March Madness history using Associated Press data.
What is the number 1 tourist attraction in Alabama?
The United States Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is the most prominent tourist destination in the state and a constituent of NASA. NASA was established in 1950 with the objective of developing the first satellites and rockets capable of orbiting Earth.
Is Alabama good for tourists?
The state of Alabama offers a plethora of opportunities for tourists seeking a vacation that combines the excitement of Southern hospitality with a variety of other attractions. These include the great outdoors, the legacy of musical legends, the civil rights movement, scientific endeavors, and opportunities for discovery.
Is Alabama a good place to live?
Alabama offers a blend of Southern hospitality and low cost of living, making it an ideal destination for families. The state is known for its mountains, pine trees, and white sandy beaches. Huntsville, located in northern Alabama near the Tennessee River, is often ranked as one of the top 10 best places to live in the country. Its rich mix of Southern hospitality and high-tech industries makes it a popular choice for those seeking a comfortable and affordable lifestyle.
Can you walk around Alabama campus?
Discover the University’s rich history by visiting notable locations like Malone-Hood Plaza, Autherine Lucy Hall, Manderson Landing, Denny Chimes, Bryant Museum, the Walk of Champions, and Bryant-Denny Stadium. Explore contemporary facilities like Drummond Lyon Hall, Julia Tutwiler Hall, Hewson Hall, and Stran-Hardin Arena. Tuscaloosa, a city of about 100, 000 people, hosts the Crimson Tide on fall Saturdays when the population doubles.
Situated along the Black Warrior River, Tuscaloosa is an hour southwest of Birmingham and is within a few hours’ drive of Gulf Coast beaches and major cities like Nashville, New Orleans, Memphis, and Atlanta. The area offers a variety of outdoor spaces showcasing Alabama’s natural beauty, offering opportunities for anglers, climbers, hikers, and water enthusiasts to enjoy their interests and hobbies.
Why do people like to go to Alabama?
Alabama is a stunning state with beautiful beaches, mountains, and a diverse population. It has produced notable figures such as George Washington Carver, Tim Cook, Harper Lee, Helen Keller, and others. Alabama is known for its soft Southern accents and its rich history. Despite its challenges, Alabama is known for its kindness, generosity, and deep spirituality. People show care for one another, as seen in the way they greet each other on the street and in everyday interactions. Alabama’s rich history and diverse population make it a fascinating place to visit.
Can I sleep at the Alabama Welcome Center?
Alabama Rest Areas are designed to provide a safe and convenient facility for highway travelers to rest before continuing their journey. These facilities, typically roadside, offer parking at a minimum and may have picnic areas. They are mainly maintained by the Alabama Department of Transportation and may be closed due to maintenance issues. To access amenities such as restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, exit images, maps, directions, local weather, and RV dump stations, tap or click on the ‘MAP’ links below. It is recommended to have an alternate rest stop in case of maintenance issues.
How many tourists visit Alabama?
Alabama’s tourism industry experienced a record spending high of $23. 5 billion in 2023, with over 28. 8 million guests visiting the state, a 200, 000 increase from the previous year. This spending contributed to the creation of 245, 500 jobs, with every $140, 279 expenditure in the travel industry creating one new direct job. The state’s travel industry expenditures represented 8. 3% of the state’s overall production in 2023, generating total impact earnings exceeding $7.
7 billion, including $4. 3 billion in direct earnings. Governor Key Ivey praised Alabama’s success in the industry, stating that the industry remained strong, with a notable increase in tourism-related benefits across the state. The state’s tourism industry continues to thrive despite economic fluctuations.
What is the mission statement of the Alabama Tourism Department?
The objective of this undertaking is to furnish comprehensive data regarding Alabama’s diverse travel offerings, with the aim of enhancing and potentially extending the duration of visitors’ stays.
Does Alabama have a welcome center?
The Welcome Center is located in close proximity to Interstate 10, situated approximately east of the Mississippi border.
📹 Alabama : 10 Best Places to Visit in 2024 | Tourist Attractions
Prepare to be enchanted by the southern charm and diverse landscapes of Alabama in our latest video: Alabama: 10 Best Places …
Thanks for perusal! It’s part of the Deep South series that you can watch here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEyPgwIPkHo5c-iYpXFfGH1qKJHseirMu ► For more behind-the-scenes articles: petersantenello.com/ ► Doug’s social media: facebook.com/doug.kilborn.1 instagram.com/dougkilborn/ ► Michelle’s social media: facebook.com/people/Michelle-Bigler-Associate-Broker-Wise-Living-Real-Estate/100064207773945/ instagram.com/michelledbigler/ michellebigler.wiselivingrealestate.com/staff/Michelle-Bigler zillow.com/profile/michelledbigler accessthebay.com/mad-about-michelle
I just want to take a moment to thank @PeterSantenello for taking time to visit the Fairhope Alabama area. Like us all, it’s easy to talk about where we are from, but Peter takes it as personal as we would like, and it is appreciated. Thank all of you for taking time out of your day to explore a place I’m obviously fond of. All of you rock!!!
Raised in Lake Tahoe California I was stationed at Fort Mcclean Alabama. I remember my first trip into the local town off base I was a bit freaked out. People would come up out of the blue and just start a conversation. I got invited to 2 different family’s homes for dinner. Yes, I was in Uniform, but I have never been treated so nice by people ever in my life. Also, I stopped at a rundown looking breakfast place a mom-and-POP business. Best breakfast i have ever had. The wife kept coming out adding more hash browns and gravy saying I was a growing boy and needed a full breakfast.
True story.. My parents bought a lake house in northeastern Alabama. On the first day they stayed there a close neighbor down the street came over and introduced himself and told my parents if they ever needed a ride that they could take his. Car doors are always unlocked and keys are in the ignition. 😂. Also, neighbors would bring us fresh fruit, fish, etc. neighbors would randomly mow our lawn on occasions if we haven’t been to the property in awhile. Another neighbor had a key to the house to check up on it when we were gone, etc.
2 Million views and counting, so big Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to watch a little bit about life in coastal Alabama. Big thanks @PeterSantenello for making room in his busy schedule for a trip down South. It was a pleasure to work with Peter and I hope to have him back down to see the incredible beaches along the gulf and yet another different side of Alabama.
I’m from Chicago area and made my first trip to Alabama about 15 years ago. I tell a lot of people about how beautiful it is, unfortunately most of the time it just goes in one ear and out the other, need to go there for yourself and experience it. It’s the people that make or break a place. Roll TIDE!
Alabama is hugely diverse! From the mountains and rivers to the north, to the farmland blackbelt, to the gorgeous coast. There’s about a 5-10 degree difference due to elevation difference. The whole state has unparalleled beauty with people so nice, it will throw you off for a minute. Born raised and a permanent resident for 53 years now
I’m born and raised in California. In the late 80’s when I was 15-16 I got to go spend the summer with my aunt and uncle who lived there, my uncle his whole life except his time in the service. We fished almost every day and took fish to someone different everyday. He knew no strangers. By far the best and most memorable summer of my life. Thank you uncle Lester!
I am canadian and I remember back in ’99, I was in Orlando Florida for an international rugby tournament and myself and a few of the boys on the team were at a bar one night and we met this group of guys and gals that were chattin us up, real friendly. We asked “where are they from? and they mentioned L.A. and we all looked at each other perplexed because they definitely sounded “southern”, then one of the guys said “Lower Alabama” ..lol. It was a good night of partying.
I think I can clear up a few things. I’m an actual resident of Fairhope and have lived here for the past 14 years of my life. I grew up across the bay in Mobile, AL and have been coming to Fairhope since the 1970’s.After high school, I moved away and lived in North Alabama, Florida and North Carolina, I have been to California, New York etc. Ok, first things first, Doug did a great job and its pretty much exactly the way he represents it. However, to me there are TWO Fairhope s emerging and they are more or less divided by the highway that runs through the east part of town called Greeno rd. You could think of the western part of that divide as the nice bay houses on the shore,older quaint neighborhoods and the “downtown” part that everyone loves and hears about. The eastern part is more shopping centers, apt complexes, and subdivisions with MANY more being planned everyday. This part used to be mainly farm lands and forest, but we are losing more of that everyday because so many are moving here. Now it wasn’t always this way back in the 80s the bay side neighborhoods were mostly 2 bedroom cottages that people would come over from Mobile to stay in Doug mentions this in the article and I can vouch for the fact that back in the 90’s,in Baldwin county there was no places to take a girl on a date. There were no Movie theaters, No Bowling alleys,not many restaurants nothing really. You had to cross the bay and go to Mobile. That did keep home prices WAY down on this side of the bay.
I don’t know whether to thank or curse you Peter for painting a true picture of the deep south. I grew up in the North and heard all the prejudice viewpoints of the South but didn’t realize how skewed those viewpoints were until at the age of 13 my father was transferred south. You did a beautiful job of capturing the true spirit of the South, thanks. On the negative side, after your wonderful exposé, everyone will want to move to this wonderful area we call the Deep South!😊
Per usual, Peter… GOLD…I can’t believe you stumbled upon this GEM of a slice of America… Myself, wife and child stumbled upon this place some years back and simply could NOT believe just how special Fairhope, AL is….. To this day, recalling my son run around the halls of The Grande are treasures I’ll take to the grave. He LOVED it there, even as just more than a toddler at the time.
Worked producing convention shows nationwide for 20 years, did over 3,000 TV & Radio shows, worked ten years to get through college many degrees, working as a meat cutter for Kroger, (thank God for Kroger, getting me through all that college), went to Alabama as a kid and even many decades ago it was then and now “Alabama The Beautiful.” Was a professor in Conn., Pa. & New Jersey, and still enjoyed going to Alabama, Birmingham Metro, is rolling hills, mountains, deep valley’s, Huntsville in Rocket City, love every part of this state and traveled to most the world and have enough money to live where my wife and I want, but there is something about Alabama that is special. The Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area of Alabama is to die for with white powder beaches and most friendly people in the world. The state is also over 78% tree cover, hardwoods from Montgomery north to the mountains and below that area is the Pine Level. Trees everywhere! Alabama is also growing and the new car industry is now in the top three nationwide in total new car production. Alabama is also one of the most biodiverse state in the nation. The state has over 132,000 miles of inland waterways, which is number one in the nation. Something most people don’t understand is that Alabama is for sure one of the most biologically diverse states too, as I lived in Missouri for 26 years and been married now 55 years, but even Missouri does not come close in this either, as Alabama is one of the most diverse in species, with 6,350 and counting.
Alabama resident here, our state is probably one of the most underrated in my opinion! Lots of people like to point out the negative, but there are plenty of places in Alabama that are just SO nice and relaxing. We have (small) mountains, tons of rivers, beaches, lakes, and mild winters. Plus tons of industry in north Alabama
i’m a truck driver ive driven all over the south, there’s roughly a dozen places like/similar to fairhope, & each is there own thing. that being said fairhope, foley, gulf shores is an excellent area to live in. if anyone perusal this hasn’t travels to the area yet one GREAT place to eat is lamberts cafe.
This tour of Fairhope HAS to be one of the BEST tour articles I’ve seen!!! BRAVO to DOUG, MICHELLE and BRUCE. I mean, hearing Michelle discuss her son, Daniel, was worth the price of admission!!! I truly enjoyed this article!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peter, THANK you for bringing this delightful town to our attention!!!!!! And these delightful PEOPLE!!! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
Hi Peter, I am from the UK and next February I’ll be doing a 5 month road trip round the USA with my wife. I watch a lot of your articles for ideas for places to visit, and I can tell you Fairhope will definitely be on the list! We did a 5 month trip in 2017 covering a lot of the USA and I can say that American people were almost exclusively lovely to us, but in the South it was next level, people were so kind and welcoming regardless of colour or creed. I love you articles, keep up the good work!
We moved from Arizona to Spanish Fort five years ago, which is just north of Fairhope. This man is spot on, everybody here is friendly and more than willing to help you out . The stigma about Alabama being a racist state is overblown, everybody treats, everybody down here with respect. My wife and I have a saying ” we thought we were a nice people when we moved here, we actually have to be nicer”
That house being built at 2:50 is in my family. I’m 30, my mother is in her 60s, my grandfather is in his 80s. My great grandparents bought that property when Fairhope wasn’t discovered. It used to be a tiny little home with two bedrooms. Finally, my grandfather decided to redo the place, as our family is growing. Turns out, and I had local tell me this in that Grand Hotel Bar, that my family has a lot more history there than most. However, I guess we are just are just the wealthy people from out of state. All that said, Fairhope is beautiful. I hope you enjoyed your time down there.
Ending the article with Roll Tide is the most AL thing ever LOL I grew up in Mobile & Mobile is home. Thank you so much for this incredible article! I have so many fond memories of going over the bay with friends growing up here, sleeping on the porch bc there was no AC during the summer…that really brought the memories flooding back!
Love your content. I’m from Cape Town, South Africa. I’ve been on vacations to the US and I’ve also worked and stayed in the US for two years. I’ve been to several states from the big ones to the more quiet ones. I enjoy hearing all the stories form your guests. It gives me a greater appreciated for the different areas. Great work!
I was born and raised in Fairhope my entire life. Went to Fairhope middle and high school. The place is a nice place for retirement I would say. I on the other hand did not enjoy living here when I was growing up because most of the kids here are spoiled and entitled. If the parents aren’t bringing in a lot of money yearly and the kid is placed in these public schools, good luck is all I can say. Cross your fingers that the kid doesn’t get shunned or bullied by all of the rich kids because there’s a lot of them. This place runs on old money and everyone knows your business. Rumors spread like wildfire so just be careful what you do/ say here. I will never live here again and I’m so much happier being out of this town and the state of Alabama.
We discovered Biloxi Mississippi in the early ’80s and we and my young son started taking a trip there every year, rented the same house on the beach and loved the serenity and water for about 4 years. Then the first casino appeared and it was all over. Prostitutes walked the road along the beach. One even tried to solicit my 10 year old son. We love the south. My granddaughter loves the people, mostly the extremely polite men with Yes Sir and Yes Mam. Last year I learned the other meaning of Bless Your Heart! and love saying it to myself when I see or hear something annoying. Calms me right down!
This guy is highly intelligent you can tell. Good choice in a town to explore and the tour guide you picked for it! ❤(or should I say he picked you lol)…. and I just wanna say the woman at the end of this article .. in the pink dress is just absolutely beautiful & such a delightful person! What a beautiful home she has & life. And how accepting and loving she is of her son just melted my heart. Thank you for sharing these wonderful individuals- one of your best articles Peter!
Peter, I super enjoyed this article, My wife and I previously owned a home on the beach at Ft Morgan AL, better known as LA, Lower Alabama when we lived in Memphis. That is a special place that is often underrated and often criticized. Your work highlighted the true essence of the area, that so many folks don’t understand. In addition, thank you for your work with the Glendale AZ PD. We are currently in Southern AZ and understand Glendale AZ and our state and it’s current issues. Your article was spot on and shed much needed light on the effort, commitment and caring of our proud men and women in Blue in AZ
I live in Gulf Shores, thank you for sharing Sweet Home Alabama in such a way!! I loved every part of the article until the end!! I mean the Iron bowl is the biggest college football rivalry for a reason & there are just as many Auburn Tiger fans as Crimson Tide!! So to be fair to all Alabamians after hearing the “Roll Tide”…WAR EAGLE!!! 🧡💙
It’s interesting when they spoke about the generational difference and how the girl from Alabama said she was from Florida to avoid being stereotyped. As someone from the South who has lived abroad for many years, I have dealt with similar situations both when saying I’m from the South and also when saying I’m from the United States. I have rarely been around other Americans in the past 7-8 years and have been the only American in my groups of friends.. so I have heard a lot of what people from other countries think/say about where I come from. The amount of resentment I have experienced because of my nationality is something I would have never expected and something I still don’t know how to deal with. I have also met other Americans who felt confused about how it seemed that everyone hated them. I really appreciate these articles that show the nuances of the US and the beauty of less frequently explored areas of the country. I hope it helps to change some minds and to show people that the best way to understand a place or a group of people is through first-hand experience.
Peter you rocked it again! I’m from Northern California Bay Area, so happy to hear a Chinese immigrant successfully dug deep roots in the south! Independently without a Chinese community to land into is heartwarming! The “tour” and people we met seemed so easy going, friendly and at ease!!! Happy they found their paradise.
Since Peter was approached by Doug, and there is a link to his real estate company in the first comment, it seems to confirm my feeling that this was all just a sales pitch. I’ve lived in Alabama for 50 years – since Junior High – and my wife has lived here all of her life. We both felt like this wasn’t a genuine representation with “real” people but a sales pitch. We would like to have seen Peter just spontaneously find some locals to talk with instead of the “character” Doug. (I say “character” based on the two ladies outside of the apartment building who said he plays many different characters.)
I was born and raised in California. Spent the first 48 years of my life there. The wife and I moved to Alabama 2 years ago and we absolutely love it. We are in a small town between Tuscaloosa and Birmingham and have no plans of leaving. We are having fun exploring and learning about our new home. I would love to experience the things in this article and more. It’s a different world that what we knew in the West.
As a black man who went to college in AL but now resides on the east coast, I would say AL is way more welcoming. There’s racism and discrimination, but it’s worse on the east coast. In AL you know where to go and ppl have general respect and let you know, on the east coast they’ll smile and act like they aren’t racist and will be the biggest bigot. I love the South!
‘Porch wine’ killed me. 😂 Another great article. I think over the last year this has become my favorite YouTube website. I am from Germany and have been in the US for about 2 years over the course of my life. The ignorance about how the USA is like is strong over here, but knowing the Midwest, New York and Los Angeles has thaught me that there is so much more the the portrait the media is painting. I love your content and every time you show us a different community I instantly want to live there ❤. I just love the USA and its people, every aspect of it. Thanks for giving me Fernweh. Keep on doing what you are doing. Love from Berlin.
I still find it hard to comprehend how so very different each state and county can be from each other and how huge the US is I love these insights you provide, I work for a US company and speaking with my colleagues I find it surprising how little most people have travelled and explored their own country, you would never need a European vacation in your lifetime if you chose to explore what the US has to offer, keep up the great work Peter absolutely brilliant.
My friend Bama in high school, was always so proud of where he was from we didn’t even know his real name for the longest! 😂 We lived in Oregon, and he was one of the first people from Alabama I’ve met, such a sweet and funny soul. He passed away back in his home state in 2019, I will always think of him. Roll Tide!
I drove through rural Alabama once on the big rig with my truck driver partner. It was so green and lush, I didn’t expect it to be so beautiful. Away from the rural places, it was kinda terrifying. But out in the country, there was a church on every corner, people lived in trailers but the trailer was on a sizable property, sometimes with horses. The accents were intense. It was a real trip.
As someone who’s from rural Montana where Californians have over run us…most of them are ok. They stick out like dogs balls, but most are ok. Some of them move to rural places and they want to change the political setting which isn’t my favorite. There are a reasons they moved and some seem to forget that. Thanks for the epic content Peter
I’ve have heard from many people around the state, the country, and the world and the feedback has been fantastic. For whatever reason, it’s opened up a lot of conversations and gotten people talking from different backgrounds & cultures.Whether we agree or not, dialog is a good thing, and I hope it continues. Peter is doing more for mankind than I think he even realizes. It’s all highly entertaining content, but man, it has a lot of SOUL to it! @PeterSantenello Thanks Peter! Hope to see you again soon brother!
Thank you Peter! What a beautiful place. Us West Coasters need education on the South. We moved from Lake Tahoe to Corpus Christi Texas when I was in 3rd grade for one year. I stubbornly refused to sing “Dixie ” on the stage at a school pageant. I was in so much trouble with my teacher. There are so many interesting & truly nice people scattered around the United States. I will never forget “Joe” from North Carolina and would of loved to have conversations with him. Thank you again for enriching our lives by introducing us to these communities & people. It’s “the little people” who make an impression on me & earn my respect.❤
Great stuff as usual Peter. Alabama is a beautiful place and Fairhope is a gem. It feels like it’s harder and harder to keep places like this as nice as they are. Once the “secret” gets out we almost always get a rush of people wanting to move there. Then, too many of the people that move there end up bringing their failed policies and ways from their old locations and start changing their new location. People need to understand that when you “choose” to move to a new place, you should adapt to the new place, don’t expect the new place to adapt or change for the newcomer.
I visited years ago ( from Australia) Nothing in the world like Southen hospitality..I have such fond memories Such slower way of life, taking the time to enjoy life, kind hearts Shared many stories, I have come back home with some great family recipes from ppl that were strangers to begin with.. such charm and pp, loving to talk to each other, such good conversations What a nice way of life there Loved the article thank you
Great article. My husband and I moved to Alabama almost a year ago and it has been the best decision we’ve ever made. This was a great look into what we’ve also been discovering about this state. Another view would be to interview the less flashy and economically diverse residents. The humbleness is admirable. The original southerners that still put God first in everything and live by the morals and values that come from that. It’s amazing to be welcomed from every person that we meet.
This is such an underrated website on YouTube. I am from the UK and have visited many states in the US however never Alabama. I love America and its people, their always warm and give you the greatest of welcomes. As a Brit traveling around you especially feel welcome, which is a rare thing as a Brit abroad. The people from Alabama in this article seem educated, polite, and all-around just good people. Thats not to mention the lifestyle and beautiful scenery . Next time I’m lucky enough to take my young family to the states, Alabama will be top of the list in states to visit.
Lived in alabama my whole life. like every state, it comes with an ugly side but southern hospitality is a very real thing and people take it seriously here. yes ma’am, no ma’am, please and thank you, loving your neighbors. Lots of great people here just spreading love. you’ll find plenty of doug’s too, they’re all great
I live here. Thanks for this nice article. Alabama does have a lot of problems. There are many places with extreme poverty and other places with lots of wealth and beauty. Our politicians are on a power trip of pure craziness, but overall it’s a decent place to live depending on your personal situation and preferences. I don’t live in the expensive part of Fairhope or the rest of the Eastern Shore, I live in the middle class area, but we enjoy it. And the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are just 40 minutes away.
Native Alabamian here. I was born and raised, and currently still live in the state. I was surprised you came here, but I’m glad you did. My state often gets a bad rep for being backwards and “redneck” with endless jokes dealing with marrying cousins, but every U.S state has its negatives and positives. We have our poorer and richer areas just like any other, beautiful scenery, friendly people, and really good food (not all of it is fried 😂). The only thing I want to correct is the part where Doug said there was no racism or discrimination. That is everywhere. It may not be as widespread in other areas, but we are not without that blight. I’ve seen it and experienced it being in an interracial marriage. Nevertheless, great article as always and can’t wait to see where you get to next!
A view from the UK. I have just discovered your website and this article was the first i’ve watched. What a find!. A truly interesting way of doing travelogues. Who else would of thought of going to towns of interest that reflect the State without an agenda, interviewing local people of interest and sampling the way of life. It is true that we “foreigners” do get a slanted view of parts of the USofA through either Hollywood, murders, riots or racism. I like the objective way you cover both the positive AND the negative sides of a place. I’ve subscribed and look forward to viewing more but…i’m trying not to binge watch. Great work. (Food looked appetizing too).
What a nice surprise! Thanks, Peter! We have lived here for sixteen years and we raised our daughter here; it is a very sweet community. Overall, I would say that the article is an accurate depiction of the area. Airbus, Austal + other companies, the port of Mobile, local universities, etc. have also brought people here from all over the world. The areas (Old Towne Daphne + Fairhope + Point Clear) shown in this article are “across the bay” from the city of Mobile and are collectively known as “the Eastern Shore”. The vibe here is laid back, artsy, family-oriented, Christian-minded, outdoorsy and with a lot of festivals/Mardi Gras. Compared to when we lived in the mid-Atlantic US, it is much more affordable to live here – lower taxes, etc. Right now (late February) the weather is perfection but summers are hot/humid, and hurricane season is real. I agree with others in the article that I often feel a need to qualify that I live “on the gulf coast, in Alabama, and near the panhandle of Florida” in an attempt to translate for others the sense of the place. It’s a gem!
This is pretty cool to see! I was born and raised in Fairhope. I moved away for a short while for work, but I have since come back! It’s a wonderful place. I will say, those of us who grew up here do sometimes lament how much our little town has grown in a relatively short time. However, that feeling stems solely from how crowded it can be at times now. We’re blessed to be a great enough little town that a lot of people want to live here. That comes with plenty of positives, too!
We went to Fairhope 5 years ago for our anniversary. It is very beautiful food was excellent and the people were friendly. We stayed at the Grand Hotel which was very lovely. I was a little annoyed hearing black people were not allowed there just 50 years ago. It was well documented in the many photos around the property. But I honestly didn’t feel anything like that as far as racism goes. So the article is 100 percent accurate. When my husband told me about it, ( was just like most uninformed people ) I didn’t like the choice but it was already booked. However, once we got there it was so chill and so welcoming. I’d recommend it to people but I like it being a little secret! We’ve been back twice. It’s truly a hidden gem.
I live near Pensacola Florida…the people in the “Redneck Riviera” of the Alabama and Florida Panhandles are not racist, anti-gay, or judgmental of people from other parts…we welcome everyone, so long as they are good people…they are not judged on these things, but only by the content of their character (paraphrasing the Great Dr. King)…My wife is from Panama, and I have a daughter who is gay…they are both accepted…
I live near here. 20-25 yrs ago it was nice and quiet, more calm. It’s still nice but a lot busier now. A lot of people have moved here from everywhere, not always for the better. And even 20 yrs ago, everyone did not know everyone. Nowhere close to the small town Mayberry he’s trying to depict. It’s nice, just a lot bigger and busier now. They are in the more quiet area of Pointe Clear, mostly near the water. Probably on a Sunday morning. The rest of Fairhope is not a quiet resort on the water. Again, still nice, but what you’re seeing is not normal everyday life Fairhope. If you come back more through the middle of Fairhope there is a 4 lane highway going through it with a lot of traffic for its size.
Thank you for this great article. I am from The Netherlands and havent had much interest to visit the U.S. for cities such as NYC but after seeing this article, travelling to less known areas such as Fairhope looks so chill and amazing. I’m aware this is the wealthier part so not everything will look like this, but the calm vibes are just relaxing
I completely understand why those girls tell Londoners that they are from Florida and it’s not because they’re ashamed of Alabama…. They’re just tired of having to constantly explain it. I am from Delaware and when I lived in Oklahoma for a while, everyone knew I wasn’t from there THE MINUTE I opened my mouth but every time I said Delaware, almost no one even knew where that was! Now, I am hella proud to be from Delaware, but people either have no clue it’s even a state OR they think I’m from southern DE down on the farm or something. I’m from Northern DE, which is pretty much just a Philadelphia suburb anyway, so that’s just what I started saying. “Where are you from?” “Oh just outside of Philadelphia.” It just got my point across so much more efficiently and without a 10 minute long explanation that I didn’t always have the time for. I’m just saying that I totally got it when I heard that. It’s not so much HER, but the stereotypes that other people have and it’s not even the Londoners’ fault either since that’s all they were ever shown of Alabama. Surely if that girl got to know someone well enough, she would explain herself and tell them she is really from ALabama.
As an Afro-Caribbean from Jersey who is very aware, educated, and well-traveled……. I have to say, some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life were from the summers I spent in Dothan and Cottonwood, AL. All the people I’ve ever encountered, “black” and “white”, were always good, respectful, helpful, hard-working, and the definition of laid back. lol The only thing I ever miss when I go to AL is the diversity in cuisine. There’s only so much Soul Food, American food, and Mexican food one girl can eat lol (I’ve got plenty of experiences with racism, ignorance, and hatred in the Carolinas and good ol Jersey though)
Fairhope is such a beautiful place,wow love the people,and the vibe. No rat race,no chaotic city life,people are calm,and friendly..real community,and best way for family,and raise kids.. Moms’n ‘Papas stores,and the family small community vibes,everyone helping each other out ..like in good old times.. Greetings from europe.
Everyone gets upset when people post articles like this but being from Alabama I love it when people share about our state yes people come and ruin things but the good ones don’t the good ones are just here for the history and experience keep these kids vid up man love it much love from north Alabama 💯💯
The only really bad part about living in Alabama (basically the lower Southeast) is that July and August can be extremely hot and humid. If you are thinking of moving down here just make sure you visit during those months to see if you can deal with it. To get an idea just take the hottest shower ever and put your clothes on straight out of the shower, it’s the same concept.
My brother moved to Alabama because retirees don’t pay taxes on government pensions or 401Ks. Fairhope is wealthy white Alabama and isn’t indicative of the rest of the state (AL is 25% black- where are all the black people in this article besides Bucky, the bartender🙄). Alabama still ranks high in poverty and low in education and healthcare. That isn’t a stereotype. Everyone needs to live somewhere but before waxing poetic about Alabama look up the behavior of their two US Senators, Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt.
This is a great article. So positive and a real vibe from the people who live there. It’s nice to see a community that’s not been ruined, that’s patriotic, conservative and extremely friendly and polite. There are a number of aspects of the culture that remind me of Norfolk UK. There’s a sense of innocence, down to earth say what you mean mentality that’s quite English. The story of the soldiers taking their boots off is endearing and reminds me of good old fashioned working class values that are so meaningful, that they’re not only remembered but spoken of with pride. This area of Alabama is definitely somewhere I would visit, maybe even move to.
Born and raised in San Francisco and have been living in AL for over 10 years now. My friends in the city thought I was crazy, “They don’t have any teeth in AL” they said. I honestly just wished I moved here earlier. It is incredible. I live and work among brilliant people, strong character, strong manners. Our area is a republican city, county and state which means almost zero crime, no bums, no drugs, no graffiti (thank GOD, S.F. is a cesspool of trash and vandalism) it is just wholesome quality people. I coach multiple sports for my kids and interact with all kinds of families. These kids and teens look you in the eyes, no piercings or tattoos, and it’s Sir and Maam. I cannot say enough. I just wished I moved to AL after I got out of the military instead of working in CA for 10 years.
I’m part Muscogee creek Indian and our tribe was originally from Alabama. Some of them broke off and became Poarch creek Indians and then some went to Mississippi and then on to Oklahoma like my ancestor grandmother did. I had two uncles from the 1800s that owned land where the Poarch creek Indian tribe is now in Alabama
I really like your articles @PeterSantenello and this area has greatly intrigued me. This article was disappointing as it seemed like a sales pitch from two realtors. Hard to trust that a realtor is giving an unbiased view of their market with potential big money if they can sell it to viewers. Love it when you engage with regular folks. We watch from Vanderhoof BC!
I’m more interested in what the Original Community thinks of the Transplants. (I’m only 10 minutes in the article) The reason I say this is because typically you see a perfect small town that everyone loves and a lot of people from bigger cities start to take notice and move in. They are always welcomed because that is the south, despite what you may read. Then the property prices start to go up and basically prices out the generations that have lived there for hundreds of years. Also, a lot of times the new people bring the same failed politics with them. I talked to a guy that his family had been in West Palm beach FL, for hundreds of years and own a restaurant there. His kids can’t even continue the tradition of living there due to the inflated Housing market. They had to buy a house 1hr away. Just a thought
Let’s not whitewash Alabama’s past. I personally know people who the sheriffs escorted to the edge of their towns and told them they weren’t welcome around these parts. One of them was a kid whose dad was in the military and married a Filipino women when he was in. They had a little girl when they were stationed overseas, and came back over to Alabama after his contract was up. The townspeople called the wife and girl racial slurs which I won’t repeat here and the sheriff told the family to pack up and followed them to the county border. This was in the 70’s.
@ 30:55 WOW!!!!! so pretty…. I know alot of people in the comments are saying to stop telling people about Alabama but I found Alabama 10 or 12 years ago and I was blown away how nice the coast and bay area of Mobile are…I stayed I Springhill and it was such a nice affordable place to visit. If I was famous or wanted an affordable oceanfront view …..away from tons of people and jacked up real estate prices…Alabama was and is a hidden paradise
I was in Fairhope, AL. In 2009 for Mardiagra and the town appeared to be racist BIG TIME. I was young and cute, Hispanic with 2 other above average attractive women also Hispanic and people purposely ignored us. Mobile, AL. Where the airport is, they were super friendly. Spanish Fort was a racist, a little rude. I am positive things have changed for the better. I would not mind going back.
When I travelled through the deep south back in the early 90’s the thing I noticed (as an Englishman who had travelled across the world as a soldier) was the glaring differences between poor and rich. The only thing that they seemingly had in common, was their ability for intersectional kindness. I love your article’s Peter, you have a very great ability to listen.
I moved to gulf shores from New York to be with my son And his boys to help out my veteran. Son Unfortunately. I had to move back. And. Fair hope. Gulf shores was such a home town. Welcoming kinda of place that I miss everyday. Have a blessed day was such a comfort. And I will always thank you for that. And I will visit again.
Here’s the problem though. Many (not all) but many of these California and other transplants have fled CA and other blue states because of the awful high costs of living, over taxation, soft on crime and out of control spending policies. They then come to these red Conservative states which are waaay more wholesome, friendly, family oriented, clean, fiscally responsible, affordable and have a deep faith in GOD and they’re blown away by how nice it is so they take up residency. BUT, they still bring with them their prog ideals and continue to vote liberal. Over time, with enough transplants, these states too will succumb to the same liberal policies that have destroyed the states in which they came from, and then they’ll all wonder what happened after they’ve wrecked these states, too.
Fairhope was founded as semi-utopian experiment, as a “single-tax colony” attempting to follow the economic ideology of Georgism. The idea being that the value of land, but not improvements on property, would be the only thing taxed, to induced more economic activity while taking away the profits of simply owning land. So much of the downtown area is “owned” by a non-profit corporation that “rents” it out. It never quite worked in full, the whole place/population didn’t commit all the way, but I think it contributed to the prosperity. Unfortunately, I caught one true lie from Doug in this article: they don’t do a damn thing to protect the water in Alabama. Environmental regulation enforcement is a joke. There’s a giant coal plant north of Mobile, right next to the middle of the delta, with an enormous dump of toxic, radioactive coal ash leaching into the ground water and threatening to breach and poison the whole bay. Alabama Power has refused to do anything about it, and they essentially own the regulatory body
Dammit Peter! You’re ruining our reputation, which we have carefully cultivated over the years, by telling the TRUTH about Alabama! Surprised the history of the founding of Fairhope was not discussed. It was founded as a bit of an “Utopian Community” and has retained much of that vibe. So much to do and see in Alabama! I’ve tromped around this state for all of my 68 years and still find unknown “gems” all the time! I look forward to the rest of this series! If you want to see “Fairhope in the mountains”, on a smaller scale, you must visit Mentone on Lookout Mountain, near Ft. Payne. Same vibe, lesser scale, lower humidity! 😂 I’m a native of Selma and that would be an interesting visit for you! Doug is right, we worked things out long ago and have ALWAYS (in my lifetime) gotten along better with each other than the public has been lead to believe!
As a lifelong Alabama resident, ever since Huntsville, AL was voted the number 1 city to live in the whole country, North Alabama has become miserable thanks to Californians and Northerners migrating here to “escape” their politics. What really sucks is they bring the same damn politics here while also buying up all the land and houses because it’s much more affordable for them after selling their million dollar home in the blue states. It’s driving the real estate prices through the roof now. The lifelong blue collar residents of this state don’t have much of a chance for affordable housing anymore since it’s being bought for double the price or turned into “rental” properties. I love this state but at this pace, it will deteriorate in a hurry. Local realtor has told me that he’s moving in on average 10 families a week from different areas of the country.
While I have truely enjoyed Peter’s content thus far, I’m sorry to say that this is the least interesting of the many Santenello articles that I have watched. Uber wealthy, liberal seaside community with a narcissistic, self promoting real estate salesman as a tour guide spewing mostly BS. FYI Monoco has never had a King. Well, the title is honest.
😇💜 I was born in Albuquerque New Mexico and my Dad was in the Air Force and when I was five and a half years old. My family moved to Japan and I remember turning six years old in Japan and I felt very welcomed in Japan and the Japanese people are so humble and kind and always bowing with a smile on their faces. I LOVED the 4 years that I lived in Japan and as a young girl our childhood was AMAZING full of adventures riding bicycles and always playing out side. My family then moved to Charleston SC and I lived there for two years, and I LOVED living in the south and talk about hospitality from the neighbors when we first moved in our house. I remember our neighbors across the way bringing our family a casserole dish and welcoming our family in to the neighborhood. I at a young age could feel the love. I have a little bit of a southern drawl and yes I say Y’all LOL 🤭 After living in Charleston SC for two years my family moved to CA but my parents were getting a divorce so we drove all the way to CA in a moving truck and a car going through all of the middle states. MISS living in the south ( except for the humidity LOL 🤭 ) THANK YOU Peter for sharing this adventure with us.🤗💜 Take Care My friend and MUCH LOVE TO YOU.🤗💜 P.S. I’m now 63 years old.🤗💜
Alabama girl here. Raised and lived in selma al for 30 years. No prejuduce cells in my body (against any race-I am caucasian). My husband and i have lived in 7 different states but now we are back in Alabama for rest if our lives. I am 70 now and we are getting ready to move from wetumpka al (lovely town) to clanton (lovely and friendly area). I’ve never known a “stranger.”
I was only in Fairhope for one day. It is such a magical place. I didn’t meat 1 unhappy person there. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly.. i was ataken back bcs I wasn’t used to friendly people. I really did not want to leave. This is a very family orientated town. There’s no curfew at the big fishing pier and it was so wonderful to see all the families with all their little one’s coming to fish and gather with friends. I asked a family if there was something special going on bcs it was 12am and the park and pier was packed full of ppl loving life. They said no.. this is the norm here! I felt a sense of freedom & contentment we don’t have where I live. Hi Annie if your reading.. I miss you ..thankyou for your kindness when I was there!
I moved to Fairhope 20 years ago when growth was just starting to take off. It was easy to get to know people you would see around town. It is not the same place today because of the huge development projects and the influx of new people. Baldwin Co. is in the top 2% in population and economic growth. I lived in the Atlanta area for 17 years and thought it had everything, It was a great place to work and had lots of things to do, but my social life has never been better than here in Fairhope. I have met so many great people.
I love your articles, especially the waterman on Smith island! I’m going to poke holes in the driver’s theory of southern Alabama being tolerant. I live close to Fairhope but in FL. His comment regarding Fairhope and southern AL being “conservative fiscally, and they don’t like to waste money,” is kinda strange considering Alabama’s sales tax in $.10 on the dollar for everything, including food! Also, it was the Meaher family’s (Mobile) ancestors that made a bet and brought the last slave ship to America, after slavery had been abolished, and hid the ship in Mobile Bay. The ship’s name was The Clothilde. Peter, if you really want to learn more about southern Alabama, go to Africatown in Mobile and interview the descendants from the slaves brought over on the Clothilde. This would make a very interesting article! I realize there’s already a documentary on Netflix about it, but your articles get a lot of views, and it would get the word out to more people about what really happened to the people on the Clothilde. The Meaher family never came forward to make any kind of apology or announcement when they discovered the burned remains of the Clothilde in Mobile Bay a couple years ago. Thank you for making great articles!
I’m so glad I found this article. I’m a native Alabamian and I’ve lived here for most of my 35 years. Despite this and the fact that my family owns a property in Orange Beach, I’ve never actually visited Fairhope. I’m planning a trip to the Gulf Coast this weekend with my wife and family, and I think we’ll try to make a day trip over there and check it out.
I live not far from Fairhope. It’s a lovely little town but unfortunately it’s growing too fast, they are having issues with the surge of population in the area. I miss older Fairhope truth be told, before it was ‘discovered’. It was more quirky and interesting, it’s becoming a playground for the rich.
this guide is Coooool! he used to live in Santa Monica and called Fairhope the California of the South but conservative….man he had me sold …I immediately looked up fairhope on Wikipedia My mother was stationed with her husband in Daphne for the Navy….WOW! If I would have only known… dude, Such a GREAT article!
My family originated from WV (Putnam County) and was part of the very rare educated and wealthy class. It’s really a trip to see the drastic difference. My Grandparents were a rare anomaly, and they loved and embraced ethnic diversity. I believe that’s one of the main reasons why they moved to New Mexico in the 50s. my grandfather in 1964 started the very first private teen driver education in the country and it still going to this day three generations later. I was very blessed to have my ancestors traced back to the 16th century and every single one of them has been educated and extraordinary. And we’re talking about people in West Virginia, like judges and lawyers and senators, teachers and back in the day more, mercantile owners, you name it they were part of it.
Yo right away Doug hit it right on the head. The entire gulf coastal area of Alabama is chill af. Yes you can find bad areas here no matter the race but most people are chill af no matter the race. Its kinda almost unbelievable. You hit the beach in the morning, go to the gocarts in the afternoon, stop at a dope seafood restaurant, then end the night at a bar next to the beach. Its chill and dope. Its similar to cali without the destructive policies and rampant homelessness.
I’m from North Alabama and started coming to Fairhope when I was in my early twenties. It was still very much a hidden jewel then. It’s become much less of a secret now, but it somehow retains the feel of a small warm and fuzzy bit of country comes to the coast. Back in the early eighties we could still get a very affordable modified American plan rate at The Grand Hotel that included the finest breakfast I ever experienced. Over time The Marriott Corporation, who purchased The Grand Hotel, continued to tastefully upgrade it to magnificent dual uses of a resort and conference center property. Of course the prices at The Grand Hotel went as you’d imagine making it much less affordable than in my youth. There is undeniably a great deeply rooted vibe to Fairhope that not even escalating wealth can dampen. It remains a jewel that is more relaxed and far less formal than, say, Sea Island and St. Simon’s GA. Unlike those much more pretentious, yet utterly fantastic coastal places, this one is on The Gulf which I personally find hugely more inviting than darker waters and less appealing beaches of The Atlantic Coast. To be clear, Fairhope is in Mobile Bay and not the open ocean. That in itself gives it immense flavor. I love Fairhope.
I think the series on the south is fantastic. I’ve got one gripe, though. I’ve never seen you do a article on the western side of Tennessee. You’ve done Appalachia, and parts of eastern tennessee are considered appalachia, but southwest TN is considered the “deep south.” I was born and raised in southwest TN and it’s an awesome place.
Fairhope is beautiful however what most people don’t know is that Fairhope county is a leasehold county and that means you will not own the land under which your property is situated on. A leasehold is otherwise known as ground rent that you’ll pay monthly generally for 99 years, yet terms differ. I would not invest in Fair-hope real estate for that very reason.
I lived in a rural part of GA that had a good population of wealthy people. Lots of local political influence. There is definitely racism in the South, but it is often very subtle. I’ve experienced it, but I’dcall them out right away. Surprisingly, I faced more racism in the South from black people than whites. Overall, people were super friendly. I faced more racism in CA than i did in the south. A lot of the wealth in the area i lived in had large properties, so it wasn’t as noticeable unless you drove by the high school. I saw a high school kid driving a hellcat, and many of the kids drove brand new jeep gladiators, SUVs, and luxury cars.
I’m getting behind on your articles Peter. Just now perusal the Deep South series, and was super surprised that you were in Fairhope. My middle brother has lived in Fairhope for a few decades now. He was a transplant from Ohio. He’s an artist and a child of the 60s. He fell in love with the eclectic style of Fairhope and never looked back. I love your work Peter, you’re a good man. 😎✌🏻
Hi. I grew up in California. I’ve lived in the SF East Bay Area, Palm Springs, and Coronado/San Diego. My husband was born and raised in Mobile, AL. I met him while he was in the Navy stationed in San Diego. I agree with you that people should not insult a state when they have never even visited it. I absolutely hate when people say Alabamians are stupid and other negative things about Alabama. I also hate when people think negatively about people in CA. Both states have positives and negatives. I often say that if you could take the best things from each state and mash them together, you’d have the perfect state. I was surprised that, by your experience, you said that Alabama was the original melting pot. My early experiences here told a different story. I heard some very weird (to me) ideas expressed. Fortunately, I don’t hear as much of that kind of ignorance here anymore. Yes, there was ignorance and prejudices in CA, too. CA was not, and is not, perfect by any stretch of the imagination.