Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, located at 423 Canal Street in the heart of New Orleans, features 23,000 square feet of insect-related fun, including a chance to see thousands of everybody’s favorite bug, the butterfly. Housed in the historic old Customs House, the attraction has been voted “a top museum for you and your kids” by CNN.com. Visitors should note that since the Customs House is a federal building, anyone entering must pass through Security. Yes, like the airport.
Bellingrath Gardens Makes Christmas Magic
Bellingrath Gardens and Home, a 65-acre estate located near Mobile in Theodore, Alabama, is currently presenting its 24th annual Magic […]
See Red at Seaside!
November 7—10 brings the 29th annual Seeing Red Wine Festival to Seaside, Florida—the thriving beachfront village familiar as the setting […]
Gulf Shores’ National Shrimp Festival—Shrimply Fun!
On October 10-13, the Alabama coastal town of Gulf Shores celebrates the 48th annual National Shrimp Festival, four days of peace, love and shrimp on the white Gulf beaches. The Festival began in 1971 as a way to keep tourists on the beach after Labor Day. That first Festival was more like a shrimp boil on the beach, with star power provided by a couple who had won a trip to Gulf Shores on the television show “The Dating Game.” All 1500 attendees were reported to have had a good time.
Eastern Shore Art Center—Fairhope’s Link with the Art World
The little resort town of Fairhope, Alabama, set picturesquely on the shores of Mobile Bay, has long had an intimate […]
Sand Castle University Sculpts the Beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Visitors to Gulf Shores. Alabama, who want to take playing in the sand to the next level now have the option of learning how to construct an awesome sand castle under the tutelage of Janel Hawkins, young owner of Sand Castle University.
Alabama’s Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge Provides Haven
Just east of the beachfront town of Gulf Shores, Alabama, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge offers a safe home to some of the area’s most threatened species. The last large undeveloped parcel of land along the Alabama Gulf Coast, the 7,000-acre refuge was created in 1980 to protect the habitats of migratory songbirds and those of threatened and endangered species. The Refuge, which has been named as one of Alabama’s Ten Natural Wonders, also offers humans a chance to commune with nature along one of its scenic hiking trails.
Asheville’s Antique Car Museum Rolls
The grounds of Asheville, North Carolina’s elegant old Grove Park Inn holds a surprise—a museum which showcases vintage cars in an historic building. Originally built in 1923, the headquarters of the Antique Car Museum was home to Biltmore Industries’ weaving shop, where forty looms turned out high-quality homespun cloth. In 1953, Biltmore Industries was purchased by Harry Blomberg, owner of one of the first Cadillac dealerships in North Carolina. Harry was an antique car aficionado and in 1966 he converted the old weaving shop to house his collection of vintage autos.
Balloons Soar over Baldwin County, Alabama
Baldwin County, Alabama, is pretty scenic from the ground, but for visitors who want to literally take their experience up to the next level, there’s nothing like floating over the Gulf Coast in a hot air balloon. Tommy Rachel of Taking Off Hot Air Balloon Company has been taking passengers aloft for eighteen years now, though his interest in ballooning started more than thirty years ago when he went to help a friend in Orange Beach set up a balloon.
Punta Clara Kitchen—The Sweet Life
Scenic Point Clear, Alabama, is home to an iconic business, born as a backyard hobby, which has been dishing out sweet and savory treats for more than 65 years. Punta Clara Kitchen, located in the circa-1897 Brodbeck family home, welcomes visitors to enjoy a step back in time.
Genghis Khan Invades Mobile
Through April 28, 2019, Mobile, Alabama’s Gulf Coast Science Center is host to a spectacular exhibit spotlighting the world of […]
Cruising Alabama’s Coastal Backwaters
Tommy Rachel’s boat tours are headquartered in Magnolia Springs, Alabama, near the Alabama Gulf Coast. In addition to fishing trips, he offers nature cruises ranging from two hours to all day.
The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, AL Shines Anew
Since 1847, The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa has welcomed travelers to the shores of Mobile Bay. Recently, the Queen of Southern Resorts completed a three-year transformation and has now joined the Autograph Collection, Marriott’s portfolio of more than 150 distinctive properties.
Big Beach Brewing Company Quenches Beachgoers’ Thirst
The coastal town of Gulf Shores is now home to the southernmost brewery in Alabama. Big Beach Brewing Company, the […]
Yard Sale Covers Lookout Mountain
Every August, the World’s Longest Yard Sale snakes its way 690 miles from Gadsden, Alabama to Hudson, Michigan. With such an embarrassment of riches, the shopper may not know where to start. (The stopping part is easy: you run out of money and/or room in the car). Here’s a suggestion: the southernmost part of the route follows the scenic Lookout Mountain Parkway 93 miles from Gadsden through a corner of Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Since the Alabama portion of the route alone boasts some 1000 vendors, you will probably be throughly over the whole experience by the time you hit Chattanooga. If not, no problem. Just keep following the U.S. Highway 127 Corridor from Chattanooga for another 600 miles.