Fairhope, Alabama

Point Clear and the Grand Hotel Marriott are on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay about half way between the top and the bottom of the bay. About 3 miles north of the hotel, is the picturesque town of Fairhope (http://www.cofairhope.com/). Fairhope is nominated as on of the 10 best places to retire and also has the distinction of being a “Single Tax Community”.

12,000 people live in Fairhope, and from our brief experience, it appears that most of them are either retired or are working hard to make money from the few tourists that pass through the town. The town is off the beaten track. The only hotel of any consequence nearby is the Marriott resort and most people come to the Marriott for the amenities offered by the hotel –golf on two golf courses, the spa, cycling, horseback riding, the beach, the indoor and outdoor pools-. A few people arrive to the hotel in boats and dock at the hotel’s marina.

The location of the town therefore is not conducive to a large influx of tourists and this seems in many ways to have helped the town preserve its character and quaintness. The “single tax community” status appears to have resulted in a budget surplus and this additional funds have been ploughed back to improve Fairhope. Prime example is the Municipal Pier and Rose Park. Even though it is not the right time of the year to see roses blooming, the fountains in front of the pier and the gardens were all very pretty and well maintained.
Patricia and I spent several hours wandering around looking for a painting that would remind us of our visit to Fairhope. We had a picture taken by the town clock which apperars to be one of the most famous architectural features of the town. We visited a co-op gallery in which several local artists are collaborating to display and sell their paintings. Though there were a large number of paintings on display, none of the originals represented a unique view of the area. We also visited a frame shop and gallery, a gift store that was in the process of moving, the maritime gift shop, and then finally a large gallery containing many prints but no originals from the same artist.


So we decided to rest our weary feet at Andre’s Wine Cheese and Things and enjoyed and afternoon snack of wine (for me), tea (for Patricia) and a very nice cheese and fruit platter. Refreshed and nourished we continued our quest and stopped by a news-stand that announced having paintings by locals artists on display. And voila! We found our painting, a watercolor by a local artist, Connie Brandt, of the boat piers that jut out into the bay from the houses that line the beach just south of the hotel. We were attracted to that painting because it reminded us or our morning walks along the seafront.

To end our last day in the area we looked for a restaurant in Fairhope and found The Old Bay Steamer. Though we had no reservation, we were seated promptly in what appeared to be an overflow dining room. The menu was extensive with a nice range of seafood, steak and pasta and a selection of sandwiches and burgers and a small selection of wine and bear by the glass and the bottle. We started with Onion Spirals as an appetizer. Sofia enjoyed Grilled Chicken Alfredo and commented that it was all right, not the best one that she has ever had. Patricia had a Mushroom; Bacon and Cheeseburger served with frozen French fries and said that it was good for a burger. I had a Grilled Garlic Shrimp Kebab served on a bed of yellow rice and it was ok. We drank Abita Turbo Dog beer while we waited for the appetizer and I drank a glass of white Chardonnay with my main course. Total bill was $65 including tip.