‘Going Coastal’: Lots of hidden treasures in Mobile Bay, Ala.

Alligator Alley is one of the hidden jewels that will delight children and adults alike. Visitors walk deep into the swamp on a wooden boardwalk. Along the water bed hundreds of alligators of all shapes and sizes can be spotted soaking up the sun. It’s a nature wonderland in the swamp with all sorts of wildlife and plants to be found.

Owner Wes Moore is a wealth of information on alligators. He has been fascinated with the gators since he was a young boy and obviously loves sharing his knowledge with visitors. While the alligators may look alike to the visitors, he says they all look different to him and he has a name for most of them. Walking along the boardwalk, he calls out greetings to some of the alligators and they react to his voice.

Three times each day, Wes feeds the alligators and this is a popular time for visitors who gather near the feeding area to watch. Another favorite spot is the area where the babies are kept. Wes often brings out a baby alligators for visitors to get a close up look at and even hold if they want to.
Another nature spot in the Mobile Bay area is 5 Rivers Delta Center which is a “gateway to outdoor recreation, conservation education and land stewardship.” Picnic areas, hiking trails, boat tours and canoe and kayak rentals are among the offerings.

If you’re looking for more nature, head to Bellingrath Gardens which provides a bright spot to enjoy whatever flowers are in season. A cell phone audio tour provides interesting facts about the gardens. It’s a very peaceful, tranquil place to visit and you will find yourself wanting to relax and enjoy the countryside for a few hours. A tour of the Bellingrath home is also offered and it is filled with original furnishings and collectible from the family.

If you are visiting during the spring, be sure to catch the Festival of Flowers which is held every year in March. It is the most amazing flower show I have ever attended with floral couture, floral artwork and floral cuisine all brilliantly displayed. A very creative display tying together literature with flowers is also on display. The Festival of Flowers is a treat for all of your senses.

If you want to get a glimpse of Mardi Gras, you don’t have to wait until the yearly celebration is held. The Mobile Carnival Museum is open year round and it provides a great overview of the costumes and traditions of this grand event. Afterwards go by Toomey’s and take home a little of Mardi Gras with you. Beads, miniature moonpies and other items thrown from floats are offered individually or by the box at this family business.

Make sure to spend some time during your visit at the Museum of Mobile which provides a comprehensive historic overview of the area. The focal point of the first floor is a 700-year-old boat found in a nearby lake by a father and son who were fishing in 1976. It’s rare to find a boat such as this intact and it gives visitors a great display of transportation in the early days of the settlement. Other exhibits are on cotton, education and early lifestyles. A traveling exhibit on George Carver will be at the museum through July. Just outside the museum is a replica of an 18th century fort where guided tours are offered.

Another fun stop in the downtown area is the Exploreum, a science museum that people of all ages will enjoy. A new exhibit, My Body Works, opened this year and it is the most technologically advanced health exhibit in the United States. We also saw an IMAX film, “Dinosaurs Alive,” and wandered around outside the museum at the “Dinosaur Downtown” exhibit, a traveling exhibit that will be at the museum through April 25.

WHERE TO EAT

When it comes to dining, some of the best spots are those off the beaten path where the regulars eat. One of those is Callaghan’s Irish Social Club which is known for its hamburger, a mixture of sausage and ground beef. Callaghan’s is a small restaurant located in a residential area of town. Live music is featured on the weekend and it’s a fun spot to hang out with friends and get a great meal.
The Shed BBQ and Blues is another fun spot for friends to hang out and get a great meal, as well as hear some local music. We tried a little bit of all of the barbecue options on the menu but my favorite was the ribs. The meat literally does fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. Also great were the pulled pork, beef brisket, sausage and chicken wings. A great end to the barbecue meal is some of the delightful banana pudding on the menu.

You can’t visit a coastal area without trying some fresh seafood and Bimini Bob’s is the place to do so. Be sure to dine outside so that you can enjoy the view of the sun setting over Mobile. In the addition to the regular seafood items, fresh fish is featured each night and you have three options to how it is cooked. I opted for the swordfish with jerk style asparagus and loved it. For appetizers, conch fritters, smoked tuna dip and straw market fries are good choices.

For a bountiful breakfast, Spot of Tea in downtown Mobile has some wonderful selections, as well as a large selection of hot tea options. Their featured dish, which I really loved, was eggs cathedral, a grilled English muffin topped with crab cake, scrambled eggs and homemade seafood sauce made with blackened Mexican grouper and crawfish and served with hash browns. Another delightful option is Bananas Foster French Toast. The restaurant is one of several businesses that owner Ruby Moore has located in the 174-year-old building that houses a department store for 62 years.

Dinner at Wintzell’s Oyster House, a Mobile landmark since 1938, is a real treat for oyster lovers. Oysters are served “fried, stewed or nude” and I tried them all. They were all wonderful and made for a great meal. My favorites were the grilled oysters, a dozen oysters on the half shell chargrilled over an open flame and smothered with peppery butter, parmesan and romano cheese. For the non-oyster eaters the menu provides plenty of other options. Be sure to read the “sayings” posted on the walls and in the menu. All of the phrases came from Mr. Wintzell and provide insight and laughter, including “Those who think they know everything are especially annoying to those of us who do.”

After dinner, stop by Cream & Sugar in the Oakleigh Garden District. Gourmet desserts and drinks are offered in this cozy neighborhood restaurant.

Island Thyme has some wonderful Caribbean dishes in a warm, beach atmosphere. During our lunch, Tony Bowers played the steel drums which really gave our meal a feel of being in the islands. Local art adorns the walls and light salads and fish are among the items on the menu. The island salad, with mandarin oranges, greens, almonds and cranberries with raspberry vinaigrette dressing was a great start to my meal. Next up I had tilapia with light seasoning and then a chocolate cake for dessert.

WHERE TO STAY

The Battle House is centrally located in downtown and provides a historic and elegant place to make your headquarters during your visit to the Mobile area. The lobby is gorgeous with its intricately detailed ceilings and lavish furnishings. The rooms are very spacious and the beds feature the most wonderfully soft bedding. It was a great place to relax after a fun day of sightseeing.

The hotel has a spa that offers wonderful service. I had a massage during our stay and therapist, Farrah, did a great job of finding my tense spots and leaving me refreshed and relaxed. My treatment started with hot towels on my back which left me relaxed and soothed. Make sure to spend some time after your treatment in the Quiet Room, which has a fire pit in the center of the dark room. It is such a cozy, relaxing room that you will want to spend hours there.

Other accommodation options in the Mobile Bay area include The Grand Resort and Spa and the Renaissance Riverview Plaza. We had one of our favorite meals of the trip at The Grand which has a scrumptious lunch buffet. The Grand has a private beach, as well as a spa, and offers plenty of activities for youngsters. It’s a great choice for a family vacation.

The Grand is located near Fairhope, Ala., which has plenty of unique shops and boutiques, as well as the new Windmill Market, open-air booths featuring arts, crafts and local produce. It makes for a fun day of shopping in a quaint Alabama town.
At the Renaissance Riverview Plaza, we stopped by for the breakfast buffet one morning and found it to be wonderful. Lots of Southern favorites are offered, as well as pastries and fruits. The Renaissance is located in the historic downtown Mobile area and is within walking distance of many attractions.

For more information on visiting Mobile Bay, go to www.mobilebay.org or call 1-800-5-MOBILE.