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Fairhope, AL - 5 Hidden Gem Experiences for Travelers

Fairhope AL PierJim and I absolutely love living here in Fairhope, AL. We have discovered lots of great places to eat, museums to explore, water activities, the art and music scene here, downtown shopping... all sorts of adventures we love to share. When guests ask us where to ride a bike around town, we loan them ours and show them the trail. When they want to know where the best park is for their children, we tell them where we take our granddaughter. When they want to know where they should go to eat, we like to suggest our favorite spots. When they want to experience Mobile Bay from a kayak or sailboat or even on a charter trip into the Delta, we can recommend the best. It's our job. But more than that, it's our passion to show our guests the finest experiences possible when they stay with us at Jubilee Suites.

To help our guests decide what to do while they're here, we've put together a huge page of all our favorite Things To Do in Fairhope on our website. We've also assembled an ever-growing list of Guest Experiences to be enjoyed right here at Jubilee Suites. But we also have some other suggestions for people who really want to get into the culture of our town. This is a list of five hidden gems that might be a bit off the beaten path, hard to find on Google, or simply a taste of living like a local in Fairhope, AL. Each one is extraordinary. Enjoy! And do let us know what you think of our recommendations.

Local Music


Music makes the heart sing and Jim and I both love to slip into the Book Cellar at Page and Palette Book Store on Section Street at the corner of De La Mare on Monday nights from 5:30 - 7:30. That's when to go to catch a local artist performing live, usually his or her original songs. It's fun to sit at the bar, order one of their delicious craft beers or a cocktail, wave to friends and relax, and listen to a local musician perform a few feet away. We love to see the town come out to support these local musicians, especially after the year we've all just been through. You never know who's going to be performing there, unless you check out the Book Cellar Facebook page, but we don't bother. We just go to be surprised and we haven't been disappointed yet. By the way, the book store is also open during those hours and it's a great place to browse for the perfect book or gift for the people you left at home.

Sunset Viewing

Boudreaux's Cajun Grill
We are known for our sunsets for good reason... they're amazing! But because the entire Eastern shore of Mobile Bay, where Jubilee Suites is located, is on an elevated bluff overlooking the bay, much of the public shoreline and the sunset view is obstructed by trees meant to hold the bluff from eroding. There are a few places though where you can see glorious sunsets and some even have food and entertainment built in. Try Boudreaux's Cajun Grill in Daphne or Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek Marina in Fairhope for the best sunset patio-view restaurants on the Eastern Shore.

Other hot spots for fantastic sunsets include the Fairhope Pier, great 24/7 for people watching too. But it functions as an informal town square when the sunset is about to happen. We love that people gather there with their dogs, children, golf carts, bicycles and musical instruments, and each day it's a different experience. If privacy is what you crave, Mullet Point Park on County Road 1 offers a great view and it's a beautiful spot for a tailgate picnic too. And Jubilee Suites, one of the highest points along the entire Mobile Bay shoreline, offers unmatched views every evening from your balcony, patio, or gathered around the firepit on our bluff.

Biking Adventure

Eastern Shore Trail

Another one of our local hidden gems is the Eastern Shore Trail, a 22-mile varied-surface trail that starts north of I-10 in the town of Spanish Fort and officially ends south of Fairhope at Weeks Bay. Developed and maintained by the Baldwin County Trailblazers organization, the terrain and sights vary along the trail so it's an interesting ride, walk, scoot, stroll, or run anywhere you begin. Our guests can connect quickly because it runs down N. Section Street 2 blocks from Jubilee Suites. See the map here. We have a couple bikes to borrow, or you can rent bikes from the Fairhope Store downtown. It's a great way to see the local area from an up-close-and-personal vantage point. Take a lunch and make a day of exploring the whole Eastern Shore.

Local Art

Copper Column

Fairhope was founded by an eclectic group of free-thinkers in the late 1800s, so it's not surprising that art in all its forms is big in Fairhope. Although there are museums and galleries all over town featuring local art, such as the Eastern Shore Art Center (not to be missed!), and many businesses, including Jubilee Suites, displaying local art for sale on their walls, we like to recommend two very special activities for our guests. One is visiting the Copper Column on De La Mare, an indescribably fun place to shop for local art, antiques, vintage clothing, furniture, unique jewelry, blown glass, and many other items too eclectic to list. Suzanne Davis is the owner and the artist responsible for much of what she sells, and her creativity is off the chart.

Christy Wells-Fritz

Also, if you happen to be here the first Friday of the month, you can catch our own Experience Manager, Christy Wells-Fritz, singing there with her husband, Roger Fritz, owner of Fritz Brothers Guitars. That's when the town turns out for First Friday Artwalk, a monthly event with stores staying open late, pop-up galleries and street musicians all over town, and a chance to see what's new at the Eastern Shore Art Center. The Copper Column is an experience like no other. And we love to see Christy and Roger perform there. Don't miss it!

Fresh & Healthy Fast Food

Ohana Poke logo
When you don't want to cook, but you want something lighter than typical restaurant food and maybe even healthy, try Ohana Poke on Fairhope Avenue. A few blocks east of downtown right past the Post Office, this little Hawaiian poke restaurant is just about two years old. The owner, Chris Qiu, has brought something unique to Fairhope and the locals love it! You'll notice there is no fast food at all in downtown Fairhope. Ohana brings it for the first time and the result is fresh, fast, healthy, and delicious! Choose from one of their 8 Signature Bowls or start from scratch and create your own bowl. Any way you do it, you'll probably love it too.

What are a Few of Your Fairhope Favorites?

We're always up for a new adventure. These are just five of our local favorites and what we think of as hidden gems in our new hometown of Fairhope. When Jim and I travel, we always want to see what the locals do and how they have fun. So we hope you'll take some time to book a suite for a few days, relax with us and check out some of what makes Fairhope unique. Can't wait to meet you!