B Beachwear in storefront displays is an early harbinger of sum-mer. Hopefully your beach vacation plans–and your beach body–are taking shape. But whether you’re looking for an extended stay or a quick getaway, the Gulf Coast offers a variety of options when it comes to summertime vacations. Here’s a look at three of our favorite Southern beach towns.

ART AND MORE IN OCEAN SPRINGS An artsy little community on the eastern shore of the Biloxi Bay, Ocean Springs, Miss., is a charming destination complete with a superb beach, abundant outdoor recreational activities, art gal-leries, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and great dining. What it lacks in size, Ocean Spring’s Front Beach more than makes up for in qual-ity. Beach lovers will be thrilled by the powder-soft white sand and beautiful seascape. Beach bonfire pits are available for rental, which extends your beach stay into the night. The Gulf Islands National Seashore Mississippi District is head-quartered in Ocean Springs in the Davis Bayou Area. With 400 acres, this area offers camping, hiking, birding, fishing, bicycling, and boating. The park’s barrier islands can only be reached by boat, but the park operates a passenger ferry from Gulfport, Miss., to the pristine beaches of West Ship Island. Cyclists can ride the 15.5-mile round-trip Live Oak Bicycle Route from the Bayou Davis Area to downtown Ocean Springs. Another exercise option is the three-mile path on the Biloxi Bay Bridge, which easily accommodates joggers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Other outdoor activities include golfing at any number of regional courses, such as the Gulf Hills Golf Club in Ocean Springs. Several charter boats are available for deep-sea fish-ing excursions. There also are fishing

opportunities for those who want to stay closer to shore or who want to get on the water in kayaks. One of the biggest draws to Ocean Springs is the boutique shops and art galleries. Home to a number of nationally recognized

Beloved Beaches

18 AAA Southern Traveler | May/June 2014 AAA.com

These three Southern beach towns are ideal for summer escapes with sun, surf, and plenty of activities away from the sand.

BY DON REDMAN

Top: Splashing in the waves is one of the main reasons for visiting these towns. VisitFlorida photo

Right: With its sug-ar-white beaches, San-ta Rosa Beach is one of 16 beach communities in Florida’s South Walton area. Visit South

Walton photo

May/June 2014 | AAA Southern Traveler 19AAA.com

artists, potters, and craftsmen, Ocean Springs offers a distinctive shopping experience whether you’re looking for pottery, fine art, or one-of-a-kind hand-woven rugs, blankets, and handbags. Nationally renowned Shearwater Pottery was established by the late Peter Anderson, but the city is perhaps best known be-cause of another famous Anderson–Peter’s brother, Walter–an American master artist of incalculable talent who struggled very publicly with mental illness. Any trip to Ocean Springs must in-clude a tour of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. At the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, the architecture is as beau-tiful as the art exhibited inside. Dining options are varied in Ocean Springs. Feast on fall-off-the-bone barbecued ribs at The Shed (AAA One Diamond), a colorful and casual rib joint, or dine on an exquisite rack of lamb at the Phoenician Gourmet Restaurant (AAA Three Diamonds).

ALL IS WELL IN FAIRHOPE Located on the eastern shore of the Mobile Bay, Fairhope, Ala., is a picturesque family-friendly community rich in history, art, and culture surrounded by rolling hills and a beautiful shoreline. The Fairhope Municipal Pier and Park is the ideal starting point for the beach recreation. Destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the 1,448-foot pier was rebuilt and reopened in November 2006. As the city’s unofficial town square, the park features beaches, a pub-lic pier, restrooms, and walking trails. Kayak and paddleboard rent-

als also are available. Bicycles are a favor-ite mode of transporta-tion for vacationers to the Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore National Recreational Trail links together both sides of the Mobile Bay, but the 36-mile trail is quite an un-dertaking. A less intimidating but equal-ly satisfying ride can be had on the Fairhope South Beach Trail. Bicycle rental shops dot the area and a number of restaurants cater to the many bicyclists cruising the area. As with any resort community, there are ample golfing oppor-tunities in and around the area, including Fairhope’s Quail Creek, a

Fairhope on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay offers an eclectic collection of boutiques, galleries, mar-kets, and restaurants. Mobile Bay Convention and

Visitors Bureau photo

20 AAA Southern Traveler | May/June 2014 AAA.com

city-owned golf course, and the Lakewood Golf Club that features two Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail courses. Lakewood is part of the AAA Four Diamond Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, Ala. The ecosystem of the Mobile Bay area is on full display at the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center located in nearby Spanish Fort. Boat tours take guests through the Lower Delta, promising sight-ings of alligators, blue herons, various shore birds, and Civil War batteries. Shopping is another favorite recreational activity in Fairhope. The quaint shopping district offers an eclectic assortment of boutiques, art galleries, markets, bookstores, and restaurants. Pedestrian friendly, downtown Fairhope practi-cally begs shoppers to stroll through town. Be sure to visit the Fairhope Museum of History; Theatre 98, Fairhope’s community theatre; the Page and Palette bookstore; and the Eastern Shore Art Center. Any shopping excursion downtown should begin with a good breakfast from the AAA Two Diamond Julwin’s Southern Country Restaurant. Other good choices are Panini Pete’s Café and Bakeshoppe on South Section Street, and Wintzell’s Oyster House on South Mobile Street.

TREASURED SANTA ROSA The turquoise waters and miles of sugar-white beaches, inter-esting neighborhoods, a vibrant arts community, and ample out-door activities make Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., one of the nation’s top beach destinations. Santa Rosa Beach is one of 16 communities that comprise the South Walton region. Whether you practice your golf swing, kayak rare dune lakes, or soar across the bay on a zip line, outdoor fun is diverse here. Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A is the thread that stitches these communities of South Walton together. Dotted with artsy villages, golf courses, luxury resorts, and funky shops, “the 30A” will intro-duce you to captivating people and places. Incredible state parks are here. The Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, a favorite among campers, is the gateway to the Topsail Hill

State Preserve, a se-cluded area, spanning three miles of pristine

beaches. Other area parks of note are Deer Lake State Park, Point Washington State

Forest, Grayton Beach State Park, and Eden Gardens State Park. Florida and showers go hand-in-hand, but a great place to spend a rainy day is at Fired Up Paint-Your-Own Pottery in Seaside, Fla. Plan to spend a few hours painting your creation and expect heavy crowds when the weather turns wet. The region’s dining is as varied and eclectic as each individual community. Stinky’s Fish Camp in Santa Rosa Beach on Highway 30A is a seafood and wine bar with a kid-friendly menu. The Lazy Gecko in the Sandestin resort area is known for good fish tacos. Barefoot Barbeque in Seaside is one of several food vendors that comprise the Airstream District along Highway 30A. The vendors sell casual and organic fare out of vintage campers. A magnet for summertime vacationers, the Santa Rosa Beach area offers a number of accommodations, ranging from the intimate Lisbeth’s Bed and Breakfast in Santa Rosa Beach on Highway 30A to the AAA Three Diamond Courtyard Sandestin at Grand Boulevard. Though each has its own vibe, these beach towns have a uniting theme: charm and oodles of character. Get ready for some summer fun in the sun. • Don Redman is associate editor of AAA Southern Traveler.

BEFORE YOU GO

For more information, contact: •Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, www.oceanspringschamber.com,(228) 875-4424 •Fairhope,http://visiteasternshorealabama.com,(251)928-6387 •MobileBayConventionandVisitorsBureau,www.mobile.org,(800)566-2453 •SantaRosa/SouthWalton,www.visitsouthwalton.com,(800)822-6877 Tovisit thesebeachtowns,firststopbyyournearestAAAserviceofficeformaps, reservations, TripTiks® and TourBook®guides.Alistofofficestoserveyouisonpage7inthisissueorvisitAAA.com. OrderfreeinformationaboutMississippithroughtheFreeTravelInformationCardfoundinthisissueatpage40oronlineatAAA.com/Traveler.

Above: The 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center offers insight into the ecosystem of Alabama’s Mobile Bay area. Debbie

Denson/MyShotz.comphoto

Left: Jim Anderson working with clay at Shearwater Pottery in Ocean Springs, home to a variety of other artists and craftspeople. Mississippi Tourism photo

A family enjoying the beach on Ship Island, which is part of Gulf Islands

National Seashore. Mississippi Gulf Coast

Convention and Visitors Bureau photo