I just returned from speaking about Rage and the Republic at the Gulf Shores in Alabama. This was a return trip to the area just across the border from Florida. I was able to show my wife some of my favorite haunts as well as explore some new spots. I wanted to share some photos and experiences as part of our travel blog and encourage readers to consider coming to this spectacular place.  I was also able to witness one of the most extraordinary moments in outdoor sports, but more of that later.

I again stayed at the Lodge at the Gulf Shores, which is a wonderful hotel built across from the Gulf Shores Park with money from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, which devastated the area. It was the first hotel to receive a “Cat 5” designation, built to withstand a direct hit from a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 160 mph.

It is a great spot right on the beach and near the pier. You will never find a friendlier or more eager staff. They are all very proud of this unique hotel that is designed to not only withstand hurricanes but to minimize the impact on the area.

Leslie and I walked around the park, which has a mix of marshland and beach terrain. You can hike, as we did, or bike.

The white sand beaches are lovely and there is a pier that was rebuilt after my prior visits. At the time, a section of the pier had been destroyed by a hurricane. The pier is teeming with fishermen and it is fun to talk to them about their catches.

However, the highlight of the trip proved to be our witnessing the greatest catch in recent memory. As we talked to fishermen, each expressed frustration that no one had caught a thing all day. Then a five-year-old Harper pulled out a beautiful white fish to the amazement (and perhaps a bit of bemusement) of all the seasoned fishermen. Harper, who hails from Texas with her family, took the prize in stride:

Harper made our trip and will go down as the Gulf Shore legend who pulled in the great white from the Gulf. I hope that the legend only grows with time as a true fish story should.

On our first night, I took Leslie to The Gulf, which is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Well, “restaurant” may not capture the place. It is a collection of shipping containers on the beach.  There is a bar (a tad pricey) and a great kitchen. I had the shrimp tacos, which were awesome, and Leslie loved the Mahi Mahi bowl. The place is full of kids running in every direction and dancing to the music on the beach.

After my speech, we decided to venture inland and see some Alabama small towns. Alabama’s countryside is gorgeous and these towns are fun to simply drive through and chat with the locals.

Driving through the countryside, we suddenly came upon a bizarre collection of land lifeboats along a sleepy country road:

At the suggestion of our new Alabama friends, we visited Fairhope, a lovely small town of 22,000 with great shops and restaurants down the main street. There is a great museum and a pier to visit.

We then went to Magnolia Springs, Alabama and had lunch at Jesse’s. This is a true gem and worth the drive.  It is housed in historic buildings, including the Moore Bros Store built in 1922 and the old post office building. It is named after Jesse King, who was the popular shopkeeper at Moore Bros for over sixty years.

The food and ambiance is a delight. It is located on a street lined with giant live oaks and near the river. We had Jesse’s fried green tomatoes, which were out of this world, as well as Jesse’s barbecue shrimp as appetizers. I had the Shrimp and Grits, which were out of this world. The restaurant is known for its steaks, so Leslie ordered the steak salad and loved it.

It is impossible not to love this quaint, quintessential Southern restaurant. Trust me, it is worth the drive if you are in Gulf Shores (it is about a 50-minute drive through the countryside).

We walked around Magnolia Springs and took in the grand homes and tree-lined streets (this is rumored to be one of the only postal zones where mail is delivered entirely by boat).

On our last night, I took Leslie to my favorite local bar, the famous Flora-Bama. It is a must if you are anywhere near the Gulf Shores. You start by being checked by a guy with a magnetic wand to relieve you of knives and guns. Inside, if you have a death wish, you can order “The Bushwhacker,” a frozen drink with three shots including ice, rum, spiced rum, Kahlúa, amaretto, crème de cacao, vanilla ice cream, and milk.

The bar is a labyrinth of stages covered in the flotsam and jetsam not just from the coast but the wild beach music scene.  This includes ceilings decorated with hundreds of bras.

The music on the various stages are locals who play for tips and Bushwhackers. It is not to be missed.

Once a year, they hold the mullet toss. The name brings out images of the famed haircut, but it is also a fish. Contestants on the beach throw a mullet from a 10-foot circle in Florida across the state line into Alabama. The winner throws the fish the farthest into Alabama.

As you can probably tell, we had a ball on the Gulf Shore. This is a unique part of our country that has to be experienced firsthand. So get yourself to the Gulf Shore. You can get bronzed on the beach and bushwhacked at the Flora-Bama. Or you can simply enjoy the Gulf breezes, fresh seafood, and good country music.