Alabama Coasting stories - Life is Easy on the Eastern Shore

The Eastern Shore

Photo Credit: Denise Curtis, Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce

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ife is easy on the Eastern Shore! This sportsman’s paradise is bustling with vibrant communities, opportunities to flourish and a shared appreciation for the natural beauty found along Mobile Bay. There’s southern charm, blooming magnolias and fresh Gulf seafood to tempt every palette.

Take a ride from the Delta in Spanish Fort, along Mobile Bay in Daphne to Fairhope and Point Clear. The Eastern Shore has it all. It’s not hard to see why the Eastern Shore is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Eastern Shore is its sprawl-

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ing coastal views; the perfect setting for some of the most magnificent and colorful sunsets you’ll ever find. Locals spend lazy Sunday afternoons propped up in an Adirondack chair soaking in the scenery or strolling down one of the Eastern Shore’s many public piers nestled right on Mobile Bay. Bring along your fishing pole and you might even catch supper or attract a friendly pelican or two.

Lace up your walking shoes or grab your bike because you’ll want to enjoy the Eastern Shore Trail as it winds along Mobile Bay from Interstate 10 to Weeks Bay. The path showcases a number of stunning views including the Fairhope Municipal Pier with its rose garden and giant fountain.

Nature lovers will also want to check out the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog, visible from an easy walk along the boardwalk. Watch closely and you may see one of the bog’s many carnivorous plants capture insects within its leaves.

Feeling a little more adventurous? Go on a gator hunt along Daphne’s Gator Boardwalk. This free and accessible attraction is a favorite for children looking to spot some big teeth.

Hop on a boat tour at Blakely State Park or 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center and explore the area’s diverse wildlife in America’s Amazon, the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. The Delta is Alabama’s largest wetland ecosystem and the nation’s second largest river delta.

While you’re at Blakeley State Park, get a history lesson as you explore the battlegrounds for the last major battle of the Civil War. It includes several miles of unspoiled Confederate and Union fortifications associated with the Battle of Fort Blakeley in 1865.

The beauty of the Eastern Shore has become a haven for artists. You can explore beautiful works of art at several galleries dotted along Fairhope’s downtown streets. Be sure to stop in at the Eastern Shore Art Center where they have exhibits changing out each month in their five galleries. Try to plan your visit during the first of the month as Fairhope’s downtown streets come alive for First Friday Art Walk. The American Sports Art Museum and Archives in Daphne is dedicated to sports art, history and literature and includes more than 1,800 pieces, the largest collection of sports art in the world.

Visitors and residents are often spotted strolling from boutique to boutique in downtown Fairhope with shopping bags in tow. The small town’s flower-lined streets allow you to pop in a shop to buy a dress for the weekend, pick up a gift at the jewelry store, get lost in an antique shop and finish off your day with an ice cream cone. Downtown Daphne also offers

great shopping opportunities as you head north on Scenic 98. Near the interstate in Daphne and Spanish Fort, several shopping centers offer some of your favorite national brands as well as local shops.

The Eastern Shore adventure isn’t complete without enjoying fresh Gulf seafood. The Causeway between Mobile and Spanish Fort offers a variety of wonderful seafood restaurants right on

the water. More tasty stops can be found throughout Daphne and Fairhope, often attracting national television attention.

The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay leaves a lasting impression on visitors and a feeling of small-town warmth for those who call it home. The Eastern Shore welcome visitors to stop and visit a while. I’m sure one of the locals would be happy to share their favorite sunset spot with you.

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Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog: A Scavenger Hunt for Nature Lovers

Hawks and butterflies and carnivorous plants, oh my!

The Kurt G. Wintermeyer Nature Trail at the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog offers an easy stroll along a boardwalk, perfect for snapping photos as you check out this rare habitat.

Thanks to an unusual combination of water, soil and environmental conditions, the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog is home to fascinating plants and animals you can’t find anywhere else outside of the Gulf Coast.

The Weeks Bay Reserve has made it part of their mission to preserve this increasingly rare habitat as more than 90% of bog acreage along the Gulf Coast has already been destroyed Written by: Denise Curtis 4 DISCOVER COASTAL ALABAMA -SPRING 2020

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WHAT WILL YOU FIND ALONG YOUR WALK? One plant that will stand out is the White-topped Pitcher Plant with white-colored tubular pitchers and large crimson flowers.

You could call the tubular leaves a death trap for insects and other small creatures. Inside the hollow tubes are stiff hairs pointing downward, which make it easy for insects to crawl down, but hard to crawl back up. Bugs eventually die and fall into a pool of liquid that contains enzymes that digest the insects, absorbing minerals and nutrients from its prey.

You’ll also find the Purple Pitcher Plant, locally known as “frog britches” and the Gulf Coast Sundew near the boardwalk.

The Gulf Coast Sundew has tall, slender, pale-green leaves and a lovely pink flower in the spring. A sticky substance on their leaves capture gnats, midges and other small insects which land on them.

In August and September, look for Pine Lillies, with their large, brilliant red flowers.

In the spring and summer, you could find any of six native orchid species. Be on the lookout for the rose pogonia, grass-pink orchid and the yellow-fringed orchid.

While you stroll the boardwalk, don’t keep your eyes pointed toward the ground. You may spot a red-tailed hawk among the branches of the pines or butterflies during the warm months.

It’s incredible that such an incredibly diverse habitat exists right here in Baldwin County. It’s located on County Road 17, a quarter mile north of Highway 98 near the Fish River Bridge.

VI S I T CO A S TA L AL A B A M A . O R G

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