Exploring Alabama: Relax on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay

A trip to southern Alabama is not complete without visiting quaint Fairhope and The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa in Point Clear. Known as the “city of flowers,” Fairhope is located high on the bluffs of the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and has long been known for its lovely parks with immense live oaks draped with Spanish moss.

The charming southern city began more than a century ago when an adventuresome group of people sought their personal utopia. Many visitors say that they instantly fall in love with this town of 12,000 residents where friendships are easily formed. Whether you go for a day or stay a lifetime, you will be welcomed by the amiable town folk.

A stay at the beautiful, historic Grand Hotel Marriot Resort, Golf Club and Spa is the highlight of visiting the area, with its 405 large guest rooms (including 36 suites with lovely views) located in five distinctly different building on more than 550 acres. There are various fine and casual dining venues and lounges, a luxurious 20,000-square-foot European spa, eight Rubico tennis courts, and a magnificent golf club on the Robert Trent Jones golf trail featuring two 18-hole, 72-par courses.

The AAA Four Diamond Award family-friendly hotel has a stunning 500,000-gallon feature pool with a waterfall, two whirlpools and a slide, and is considered the most spectacular on the Gulf Coast. There is a fine view of the bay from the pool, and walking paths meander throughout the property. After taking a dip in the evening, you can walk to the beach and watch the sun set, or take in the view from several lovely vantage points throughout the verdant property. A croquet lawn, a craft patio, ping pong, and horseshoe pits are among the many attractions. A child-friendly hotel, the concierge will give children corn to feed the ducks swimming in the bay, there are fishing poles set up with bait on the pier, and they can borrow bikes, canoes, and kayaks. There is a teen room as well.

The marvelous southern hospitality extended by the staff at The Grand is quite memorable, and after a pampered stay there you will be tempted to remain forever. In fact, so many guests have felt that way that the $17 million Colony condominiums were created, located adjacent to the golf course and featuring a pool, 10 tennis courts, and a fitness center overlooking a 22-acre lake. You can now extend your stay forever by becoming a resident of Colony at The Grand.

The Tom Sawyer playground and the Kids Camp are wonderful attractions for the little ones. Parents can luxuriate in the spa, work on a tan by the pool, or get a game going on the golf course. The Grand Hotel is the home port of the Joshua, a majestic sailing schooner. Boat charters are available for those who want to fish, sail, or cruise, and there are 37 slips for sailboats, yachts, and fishing vessels.

Home to many artists and writers, nearby Fairhope has several art galleries featuring work by local and regional artists in addition to antique shops with a wide variety of antiques and gifts for sale. If you don’t feel like driving, daily shuttles are provided from The Grand to Fairhope at 11 am and 1 pm, returning at 3 pm.

“This is a kind of artist colony here,” says Betty Haynie, owner of Betty G. Haynie Antiques & Fine Art in downtown Fairhope on North Section Street. “Shopping in Fairhope is so convenient. All the shops are within a two to three block concentrated area downtown, and the quality is good.” Haynie offers English, French, and American antiques in addition to 19th-century fine art and paintings by local artists.

Jewelry and clothing stores, books, specialty stores, wine bars, and quaint shops featuring gifts and collectibles are all within walking distance. You will find toys and a year-round Christmas shop, stores specializing in slip covers, pets, rugs, a cook’s store with cooking classes, and a “sew unique” shop offering custom same-day monograms in downtown Fairhope.

For lunch, stop in at Panini Pete’s on South Section Street (featured on the Food Network) and get a seared tuna panini or a spicy jalapeno burger. The restaurant and bake shop has outdoor seating and serves hot beignets every morning. For a country cooking-style experience, try the breakfast buffet at Julwin’s restaurant on Fairhope Avenue. At Sandra’s Place on the same street, you will find good homemade soups (try the shrimp bisque on Friday) and a great chicken salad sandwich. An added perk is the outdoor seating on the patio. Andrea’s is another popular spot on Fairhope Avenue, a combination retail store and lunch spot offering European cheese, fine wines, jellies, coffees and teas, gift baskets and a bakery (try the fresh summer salads).

The Colony Inn, a long-popular dining venue on North Section Street, recently closed and has reopened as Tamara’s, an upscale steakhouse and bar that is attracting a local following. Another hot new place worth trying on North Section Street is Joe’s Sushi and Asian Cuisine. For a sweet treat, check out the nearby Fairhope Fudge Emporium, where you can pick up some wonderful candy as gifts. Fairhope also boasts museums and a welcome center.

An attraction in Point Clear not far from The Grand Hotel worth visiting is Miss Colleen’s House, a late Victorian home built in 1897 that is listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places and is still furnished as it was at the turn of the century. Located on Scenic U.S. Highway 98, part of Miss Colleen’s houses Punta Clara Kitchen. You can watch as the candies are being made and sample some of the treats. Also offered are watermelon rind pickles, fig preserves, jams and jellies. From the Attic Antiques is also housed on the property.

Next door is the Wash House Restaurant, situated in a sprawling house that sits beneath large oak trees with Spanish moss. The iron wash pot, wood-burning fireplace, and large wood beams are original to the building. Try the duck crepes or shrimp stack as an appetizer, then order the Wash House salad with a soft shell crab, and entrées such as jumbo shrimp and scallops, or chateaubriand.

The finest dining venue in the area is The Grand Hotel’s elegant Grand Dining Room (which received the AAA Four Diamond Award for 2009). Located adjacent to the chef’s garden, it has a lovely view on starlit evenings and live music on the grand piano. For starters, try the trilogy of fois gras, the Asian-style Ming Dynasty Febergé egg, or caviar for two. Veal porterhouse, Dover sole prepared tableside, grilled prime filet of beef, blackened lamb, and jumbo scallops are among the main course highlights. The desserts are stunning, especially the triple chocolate decadence, and bananas Foster for two prepared tableside.

The Grand Hotel offers seven restaurants and lounges ranging from casual (the Pelican’s Nest, Bucky’s, and the Blue Marlin Bar) to formal. Named as Travel & Leisure’s Top Family Resorts, The Grand has a Fun Camp for children that provides activities and games (10 am-2 pm and 6-10 pm) and children love the daily 3:45 pm procession leading up to the patriotic firing of the military canon on the lawn at 4 pm. Afternoon tea and cookies are served in the main lobby at 4 pm. A splendid summer destination and a family tradition for many, The Grand Hotel is located on Scenic U.S. 98, 23 miles southeast of Mobile and 49 miles west of Pensacola (One Grand Boulevard, Point Clear, Alabama; main number: (251) 928-9201; reservations: (800) 544-9933; www.marriottgrand.com. ✦