Celebrate the Holidays - Coastal Style

Feel Very Merry with a Coastal Christmas

A Coastal Alabama December is the perfect way to get in the holly jolly mood. Celebrate the holiday season with parades, plays, parties, and plenty of opportunities to meet with Santa himself. READ MORE

Shopping Spree: Check Your List in Foley

Once you’ve made your list and checked it twice, the real fun begins: shopping. Thanks to boutiques, antique stores and outlet stores, getting your holiday shopping done is easy in Foley.

Foley, Christmas display — Find your Christmas spirit in Foley.

In its 51^st year, Trim-A-Tree features local artists and craftsmen who have created quality, unique one-of-a-kind ornaments, decorations, floral, pottery, jewelry and fine artwork. This annual event in Foley brings together our local artists in one convenient place – the Tanger Outlet. Shop Trim-A-Tree through December 21, 2018.

If you’re in the market for name brands and upscale labels at affordable prices, then Tanger Outlets is where you need to do your holiday shopping. With brands like Coach, Kate Spade, Vera Bradley, and Michael Kors, all of your upscale needs can be met at affordable prices. Other names will help you find something for everyone on your list such as TJ Maxx, GAP, H&M, Bath & Body Works, White House Black Market, Tommy Bahama, J Crew, Nike and Under Armor plus local boutiques like Coral. There’s something for everyone at Tanger Outlets.

For an even more local flair, travel north on Highway 59 to Downtown Foley. A true antique-lover’s paradise, Foley’s shops include furniture, antiques, consignment stores and gift shops. Finding a one-of-a-kind gift in Foley is easy at Jan’s Art Studio, Manning Jewelry, Orange Blossom Square and more.

For shopping itineraries, bargains and more, Visit Foley has plenty of resources.

Ring in the New Year: Mobile’s MoonPie Drop

In a city that was Born to Celebrate, kicking off the year with a little family-friendly revelry is a given in Mobile. The only thing better than eating MoonPies during Mardi Gras is watching the giant, lighted MoonPie drop on New Years Eve. READ MORE

Christmas, Mobile — Mobile welcomes 2019 with their signature MoonPie Drop.

Fairhope’s Arts and Crafts Festival

The 67th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival returns to Fairhope March 15-17. Shop from more than 230 exhibitors from all over the country, indulge your taste buds at the food court and explore the beautiful downtown Fairhope area.

holidays — A sure sign of spring, the Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival.

Every year, the streets of ever-adorable downtown Fairhope turn into a bustling arts and crafts festival on par with some of the best events in the country. Festival cuisine like funnel cakes, kettle corn and freshly squeezed lemonade share food court space with the local favorites like barbecue, street tacos and all-things-fried. The artists are the real stars of the show selling their creations in categories such as pottery, paintings, woodworking, jewelry, photography and more. The shops of downtown are open during the festival adding an extra layer of charm to this spring must-attend event.

Mardi Gras Along the Coast

The good times will roll in Coastal Alabama from February 2-March 5, 2019. Brightly colored floats will take to the streets for an elaborate celebration the whole family will enjoy, and the fun kicks off with Dauphin Island’s Krewe De La Dauphine.

The signal to the start of the Mardi Gras season along Coastal Alabama, Dauphin Island’s Krewe De La Dauphine takes to the streets on February 2, 2019. A family-friendly event through and through, tailgating is allowed and shopping, dining and site seeing at attractions such as Fort Gaines and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab are encouraged before and after the parade rolls. Grab your whole family and get ready to laissez les bons temps rouler.

For more information about Mardi Gras on Dauphin Island, check out DauphinIslandTourism.com. For a full list of parades along Coastal Alabama, visit MobileMask.com

Annual Chili Cook Off

Mark your calendars & get your taste buds ready. The Heritage Junior Women’s Club Annual Chili Cook Off & Rotary 5k Fun Run takes place February 23^rd in Bay Minette.

Get your taste buds read for a treat. Whether you like it mild or spicy, with or without beans, filled with chicken or beef, the Heritage Junior Women’s Club Annual Chili Cook Off is a treat for your palate. Not into sitting on the sidelines? Find out if your family’s recipe is up to snuff by entering your own team. Whether attending or competing, you can get all the details at NorthBaldwinChamber.com/event.

Plan Your Beach Vacation

Have you started planning your next beach vacation? If you’re thinking of heading to our sugar-white sands for the holidays or you’re making plans for your family’s spring break, discover everything from where to stay to what to do and where to eat.

Winter, spring, summer or fall, there’s nothing like a Coastal Alabama beach vacation. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism has everything you need to make your itinerary, find your dream home away from home, plus learn about the best places to eat, shop and play during your visit. To start your planning, order a Vacation Guide, check out their blog or visit the calendar of events to see what’s going on during your stay.

Natural Beauty in Foley

Mild winters and gorgeous springs make for year-round beauty in Coastal Alabama. Foley’s parks provide hiking paths, pavilions and even an Antique Rose Trail. Explore the scenic beauty.

What do you get when you combine a historic downtown with outdoor fun? A visit to Foley, of course. In the delightful downtown area of Foley, you’ll find Heritage Park near the intersection of Highway 59 and E. Violet Avenue. Not only is this the start of the Wilbourne Antique Rose Trail, but also serves as home to a raised pavilion and many of the city’s finest events that take place throughout the year. Other parks in the area include the following:

Melvin Roberts Cedar Street Park and Nature Trail
Wolf Creek Park
Max Griffin Park
Foley Skate Park
Foley Kids Park
Graham Creek Nature Preserve

For more attractions and outdoor fun in Foley, head to VisitFoley.com.

Downtown Shopping

Whether holiday shopping, scouring for souvenirs or looking for a good city stroll, Downtown Mobile is abounding with boutiques, antiques and anything else on your list.

Bring your shopping list to Downtown Mobile for unique finds.

Shopping in downtown Mobile isn’t any typical Metropolitan shopping extravaganza. Steeped in history and rooted in Southern charm, the city offers colorful shops with merchants ready to help you find what you need. Clothing, home and crafty wares ranging from upscale to adorably artsy fill the shops Lower Dauphin Street (LoDa). LoDa is your first stop to find the vintage books of your dreams, a high-end piece of furniture you’ve been craving plus something to wear to tonight’s night on the town.

To find the best places to shop in Mobile’s downtown, visit Mobile.org.