It’s the holidays! Throw on some jingle bells, hop on the family sleigh and ride like the gulf breeze to Coastal Alabama for Christmas magic that will bring the holiday twinkle to your eyes. Fun, festive and colorful activities in our coastal communities are guaranteed to make even a Grinch’s heart grow!
Lit up Like a Christmas Tree
The holiday season is all about the lights! Bellingrath Gardens is celebrating the annual Magic Christmas in Lights as it illuminates 65 acres with trees, candy canes, and beloved Christmas characters. The dazzling display treats guests to more than 1,100 set pieces, three million lights and 15 scenes. USA Today listed Bellingrath’s Magic Christmas in Lights as one of the top 10 best public light displays in America. Don’t forget to get your photo made with Santa and shop at the popular Bellingrath Gift Shop.
The stately Bellingrath Home is dressed in the finest holiday decorations featuring a vast array of colorful poinsettias. The halls and grounds are decked out in holiday splendor through December 31. (Closed December 25)
Everyone loves a parade!
Santa, Mrs. Claus and their reindeer stay busy parading around the coast to usher in the Christmas season. Gulf Shores lights up the streets on December 2 and the water on December 9. The 32nd annual boat parade starts at Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s and ends at Cobalt.
Dauphin Island displays its seasonal finery during their parade December 2, followed by the lighting of the tree and water tower, December 9. Other parades throughout the area generally occur the first weekend of December. And for family fun, Bay Minette’s 35th Annual Christmas Festival is December 8-9.
Dressed in Style for the Holidays
In downtown Mobile several homes are dressed in their holiday best for the season. The Richards-DAR House Museum’s tours are December 2-3. Enjoy beautiful Victorian decorations and live music. Christmas open house at the 1833 antebellum mansion, Oakleigh, is December 7-9.
Christmas begins at the stately Bragg-Mitchell Mansion begins December 1, Tuesdays-Fridays, and ends December 22. Enjoy the elegant decorations and holiday southern hospitality in one of Mobile’s most popular attractions.
Celebrate the Season with Live Theater
From traditional and funny to whimsical and musical, live holiday productions along the coast are a family favorite. The beloved Nutcracker dances its way into Mobile December 9-10 with the highly acclaimed Mobile Ballet at the Mobile Civic Center Theater.
For lighter theater fare, check out Christmas Story at the South Baldwin Community Theater starting December 1 and A Christmas Carol at Mobile’s historic Saenger Theatre December 6.
Music to your Ears
Mobile’s Magical Christmas with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra (MSO), December 9-10, will glam up your holidays for “the” experience of the holiday season. Mobile’s Singing Children and soloist Diane Penning will join your MSO to perform all your holiday favorites. Prepare for glamour that will rival the golden age of Hollywood!
The Baldwin Pops Christmas Concert is December 1 at the Daphne Civic Center and admission is free.
Shop till you Drop
Alabama’s Gulf Coast features festive holiday shopping for gifts that are classy, sassy, frilly and silly at charming boutiques or major retailers. Foley is home to the Tanger Outlet Center where there are designer gifts galore at big discounts. And don’t miss the 50th Annual Foley Art Center Trim-A-Tree and the 6th Annual Merry Market- Unique Gifts & Arts and Crafts Expo in Orange Beach for holiday shopping.
Fairhope, Mobile and Daphne are filled with stores that have the unique, one-of-a-kind gifts that inspire your gift giving soul. For your beach loving friends and family Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are filled with perfect beachy gifts, including the always popular pink flamingo holiday ornaments. Numerous souvenir shops have a wide variety of fun merchandise and are just steps away from the waves of the Gulf.
For more on our coastal region, check out our Day Trips and visit our partners’ websites.