South Baldwin

SOUTH

BALDWIN

Whether you visit once a year or live in on or near the beach, South Baldwin County is a destination for all. From shopping at small surf shops and The Wharf to parasailing or ziplining, or just relaxing in your chair listening to the waves crash into the shore, each day is different.

ELBERTA

Home to the German Sausage Festival, Elberta was founded by German immigrants and celebrates this bi-annual fundraising event with more than 30,000 visitors and 7,000 pounds of sausage served at each occasion. Proceeds go to the volunteer fire department and town. This picturesque little town is also home to Baldwin County’s own “Bamahenge” and four dinosaurs that roam the woods along Fish Trap Road leading to Barber Marina.

FOLEY

As Foley turned 100 in 2015, city leaders completed the Centennial Plaza and clock tower in Heritage Park and the Pedestrian Bridge. OWA allows guests to experience its Downtown District with shops and restaurants, an amphitheater overlooking the 14-acre lake, and a theme park complete with roller coasters and an indoor water park. Adjacent to OWA, the city of Foley will host sports activities from gymnastics to basketball in its 90,000-square-foot indoor Events Center, or lacrosse, disc golf and soccer on one of its 16 state-of-the-art fields.

Tanger Outlets in Foley offer shoppers an array of stores at outlet prices. In addition to the outlets, Ross Dress for Less and PetSmart have made their appearance, with more bigbox stores on the way. Commercial and local restaurants dot Highway 59, offering commuters and visitors plenty of options.

Events throughout the year include the colorful Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, BBQ & Blues Cook-Off, Art in the Park and the Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation Professional Rodeo.

MAGNOLIA SPRINGS

Nestled along the Magnolia Springs River, the deep-rooted oak trees shelter the historic homes lined with azaleas. Incorporated in 2006, Magnolia Springs is home to the only year-round water postal route in the United States.

Foley Elberta

Magnolia Springs

Gulf Shores Orange Beach

GULF SHORES

Gulf Shores is home to many specialty boutiques and surf shops. There is also a wide variety of restaurant fare to choose from with seafood as the focus, but cuisine varies and has tastes for any palate. Many eateries often have live music. The Waterway Village District along the Intracoastal Waterway is home to the Gulf Coast Arts Alliance Art Market and Gallery. This and surrounding areas host a staggering number of tourists while maintaining its hometown, sweet Southern spirit.

ORANGE BEACH

Listen to some of the world’s famed musicians as they take the stage at The Amphitheater at The Wharf. Walk the streets on Main Street before the concert to take in some local grub, and be sure to stop at some of the retailers nearby. Karaoke, dancing and games can be found at sports bars, eateries and nightlife locations. Orange Beach is also home to the Coastal Arts Center with a glass-blowing hot shop, clay studio and outdoor stage. Wanting a day of relaxation? No need for a spa; plant your chair on the beach, grab a cool drink and sink your toes into the white sand. Delicious dining and drinks are always nearby.

HISTORY

Baldwin County was created as part of the Mississippi Territory on Dec. 21, 1809, a decade before Alabama became a state. The region’s history, however, stretches back centuries before that. Native tribes were building the mounds still seen at Bottle Creek in the 1200s. Spanish explorers sailed into Mobile Bay in the 1500s. The French and English settled the Eastern Shore in the 1700s

The people who have lived in Baldwin over the centuries have left a rich heritage, and the tales of their doings have become our legacy.

From the American Revolution to the Civil War, famous battles have been fought within its borders at Fort Mims, Fort Bowyer, Mobile Bay, Spanish Fort and Blakeley. McIntosh Bluff, Blakeley and Daphne all served as the seat of government before Bay Minette became the county seat in 1901 after the records were spirited away from Daphne in the middle of the night. A variety of festivals, reenactments and other events celebrate elements of this history and heritage. Reminders of this history might be as massive as the fortifications at Fort Morgan or as modest as a sign marking a 19th-century sawmill in Stockton. It can be as unexpected as seeing a 1930s mural of the moving of the courthouse on the wall of the Bay Minette post office. On display around Baldwin County are Native American sites and artifacts, Civil War battlefields, Spanish names, German cuisine, Scandinavian flags, antebellum homes, Depression-era tools, farms and other remnants of the past that can be found throughout Alabama’s largest county. This heritage can still be found in the people who and places throughout Baldwin County that reflect its rich and unique history.