Fairhope, Alabama, Makes The Most Charming Mother-Daughter Getaway

Sometimes you visit a destination, and it immediately makes you think of someone you love. That’s the feeling I got the first time I visited Fairhope, Alabama. I hadn’t been in the tiny coastal town for more than five minutes before I began plotting a return trip with my mom. I got the opportunity to turn my daydreaming into reality a couple years later, and the destination proved every bit as lovely for a mother-daughter weekend as I had anticipated.                                                                     

A longtime favorite of our columnist Rick Bragg, Fairhope has grown considerably since the author first bought a second home there some 20 years ago. Once a best-kept secret, the cat’s fully out of the bag on this formerly quiet village on Mobile Bay’s Eastern Shore. But that doesn’t make it any less wonderful to visit. None of its most compelling characteristics have dulled in the least as a result of its increased popularity.

Where To Stay In Fairhope

Fairhope is known for its Southern hospitality as much as anything else, and its accommodation really drive home that assertion. A smattering of quaint bed and breakfasts and inns feel like extensions of their owners’ personal homes rather than commercial establishments. If you plan to go that route, consider spots like the The Fairhope Inn, with its renovated suites and award-winning restaurant, or Emma’s Bayhouse, a B&B that directly overlooks Mobile Bay. The other option is to book a room at The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, a sprawling property which has long been considered Fairhope’s crowned jewel. Lounge (with tropical drink in hand) at the resort-style pool, snag a couple chairs and an umbrella on the private beach, or treat mom to a massage at the 20,000-square-foot spa. Sleep in, but be sure to squeak into The Grand Hall before the legendary breakfast buffet wraps up at 10:30 a.m.

What To Do In Fairhope

Unlike other trips where the goal may be to pack in as much activity as possible, the main objective of a mother-daughter trip is to maximize meaningful quality time together. Fairhope’s lowkey vibes and easy pace are the ideal backdrop for that. Stroll the walkable flower-lined downtown streets, taking time to stop into as many shops as suit your fancy. If you’re anything like my mom and I, that’ll be every few steps and usually accompanied by an exclamation of “Look how cute!”. Favorite boutiques include Fairhope Soap Company for at-home spa essentials; Page & Palette, a bookstore with an in-house coffee shop and cocktail bar; and The Copper Column, which fills its expansive indoor-outdoor space with antiques, art, home goods, and apparel. Don’t miss the French Quarter, a collection of wrought-iron balconied shops surrounding a lush courtyard.

Wrap up your downtown wanderings by late afternoon, so you can make it over to the Fairhope Municipal Pier in time for sunset. Go early to explore the area’s amenities, which include a rose garden, duck pond, tree trail, and fountain. As the sun starts to dip, start your walk along the 1,448-foot pier. You may get a preview of your dinner from the many anglers who populate the pier hoping to reel in supper.

Where To Eat In Fairhope

Treat mom to dinner out at Chef “Panini” Pete Blohme’s Sunset Pointe, a waterfront restaurant on Fly Creek Marina that specializes in fresh seafood and farm-to-table cuisine. There’s no better way to savor the flavors of your surroundings than by sharing a plate of Gulf Coast BBQ Shrimp with Crusty Bread. If they’re in season, order the Gulf Snapper Throats, fried crisp or served grilled with garlic butter. Another memorable dining experience can be found at The Hope Farm, a restaurant and event venue surrounded by a small, family-run sustainable farm. Head there for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and dinner every night but Monday. Dishes like braised beef short rib with cherry cola barbecue, smashed sweet potatoes, and charred okra utilize produce grown on property. Order the special table-side cocktail service, and don’t forget to toast to the perfect weekend away with mom.