If you want to visit the most darling town in Alabama, go here. The complimentary history museum is…read moresmall, but comprehensive and interesting. The lit up downtown, the foodie-esque environment, the optimal bay location, and the friendly locals make this town pretty close to perfect.

A very detailed and thorough history of fairhope. The old man at the front desk is charming ad…read morekind. So much history for a small town.

Whoa! This place is super cool. Lots of restored aircraft from navy and military history. Lots of…read moreinteractive exhibits, displays, and even flight simulators. With special areas featuring World War I, World War II, Korean, and the Vietnam war. Can easily spend 3-4 hours here. Great for kids and adults.

Really great museum of the history of Naval aviation. If you're in the FL panhandle it's a must…read moresee. Aircraft dating from the early 20th century to the present. Kids got to do the flight simulator for the Blue Angels and enjoyed it. Our tour guide was a retired LtCol and he and I had served I 2 of the same units at different times. Very knowledgeable. Gave a great tour. No charge to visit the museum.

This is the coolest and very charming homegrown little museum I've ever had the pleasure of…read morevisiting and the fact that it's right here in my neighborhood rocks! We love stopping in to see what's new and they do get new items and exhibits loaned to them that keeps it fresh. Our visit yesterday was to support their open house that included some very nice refreshments. Besides some delish coffee, tea & excellent punch there was chic salad sandwiches, fresh fruit, veggies with dip and delicious cup cakes. Why am I reviewing food? Well I can't help myself LOL Okay before I talk about what's inside let's look at how it all came to be. Located at 244 W. 19th Ave. in Gulf Shores, AL the building has an interesting history. It was originally a beach house for the Mobile family of Valorie Cole dating back to before World War II. It was always here on 19th street, in fact, it was located on West Beach, and was donated to the city following Hurricane Frederic in 1979. The building has been in use by the city since 1982, first as the library, then as the youth center. It's kinda like the little building that could :-) The land was generously donated by Claude O'Connor, and Wade and Pat Ward. Also Oyster Bay Baptist Church donated their steeple in 1999 to watch over the garden which has dedicated benches and is quite zen-like. Out front is another donated item, a 40-foot mast donated by Walter Nelson and Jimmy Nelson of Nelson's Boat Yard that's used as a flag display. The mast was built in 1940 and was on a local shrimp boat the Sea Biscuit. They have done a great job making this place into a comfortable, warm and invitingly charming experience for the whole family. There's a couple rooms that really tell the story of Gulf Shores with some interactive displays, maps, photos and artifacts. A music section, a room dedicated to hurricanes, complete with a movie, and really a whole lot more. If you haven't checked it out when visiting or if you're a local you'll be glad you did once you see all they offer. Christie Shannon is the museum administrator and is VERY knowledgeable about everything inside and out of her charges and she's friendly, articulate and just a terrific representative of what I now refer to as "my little museum". She has always welcomed us and walks us through what's new and up and coming stuff as well. I know I keep using the term "little" but that's because I've made many visits to the many Smithsonian's in DC, and museums in Boston, Chicago & L.A. just to name a few and of course this one is in someone's former beach house, so relatively it is little. But they make use of every square inch and it's bigger inside than it looks. Bottom line: I highly recommend this great local museum. Explore new and permanent exhibits as well as seasonal programs and events. Admission is free to the public.  Follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/GulfShoresMuseum/

This little museum was better than I thought it would be. It is small, and city is only sixty years…read moreold but it was well put together and informative. The video on hurricane Ivan was outstanding and that raised them to four stars. If you have the time take it in. Also it is free.

3/27/2025: Cute displays of old time businesses in Pensacola (or everyday America years ago). This…read morewas part of the ticket we purchased at the museum of history. They only have a few displays, but it was worth the time. Took us about 20 minutes to view.

I went here for an introduction session of the past mayor, Ashton Hayward and current UWF…read morepresident, Martha D. Saunders. I absolutely love the set up of this museum! It's a reconstructed 1890s era streetscape. On exhibit are historic shops featuring toys, hardware, music, households, and leather goods. An interesting collection of horse drawn buggies and an antique local trolley car are also part of this nostalgic recreation of yesteryear. The University of West Florida Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory is located inside the Museum of Commerce. Prices are $12 for adults, $11 for AAA, Military, and 65+, and UWF alumni, kids 3-14 are $7 and under 3 are free. Hours of operation are 10am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday. If you are interested in taking a deeper dive into the historic side of Pcola, make sure you drop by. A very nostalgic feeling for sure.

I love medical history! That said, the museum is in the original hospital which is on the second…read morefloor. Evidently, when they were actively taking patients, if there was one that could not navigate the stairs, they would go across the street to a pool hall and get a guy to carry the patient up. I love how everything was maintained and well kept. I would recommend to anyone in the area, especially if you can do stairs.

This place was so cool. Located on the square in a cute town surrounded by tons of shops and…read morerestaurants. The volunteer up front was very kind and knowledgeable. There were tons of displays and educational materials. It's a must see for anyone remotely medical or the generally curious. My dad is a retired Pharmacist and my husband and I are Registered Nurses. We really enjoyed the museum. It was so interesting to see how they did things in the "olden days". This will definitely be a permanent stop during our yearly beach vacation.

Ballyhoo festival kicks off the festival season here on Alabama's Gulf Coast every year with a…read morefocus on fine arts and cultural exchange from all across the southeast, local seafood, and lots of live music! It's a great event for young and old so bring the whole family and you can bring your puppies too! The location was formerly at Waterway Village but moved to Gulf State Park at Lake Shelby 2 years ago. In my 2020 review I said "I wasn't impressed because the organization seemed lacking, couldn't find many of their signs and, in my opinion, they could do a whole lot better better at their communications, maybe they'll do better next year." They have live music both Saturday and Sunday with lots of booths almost exclusively from local artists. The only downside that the state park venue is alcoholic beverages are not allowed there otherwise it's all a big step up. There were signs and ads everywhere around the area with a nice social media push, 9 food trucks and assorted programs on both days and terrific organization and was very enjoyable. On Saturday we were there for the tribal dancing with the Poarch Creek Indians. They are a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans and are descendants of a segment of the original Creek Nation, which once covered almost all of Alabama and Georgia. It was an excellent demonstration with great history and information. See more at: https://www.facebook.com/PoarchBandofCreekIndians We also enjoyed live music with "Rolling in the Hay and Sunday there was the Crosby Family with bluegrass music and a fiddle and banjo competition. Bottom line: It's a good time and super way to get the family-friendly season started. Recommended!!

Packed with local artists. Beautiful location by the water. Music and food trucks added to the…read moreexperience. I only wish I had more money to spend. Deciding what to leave behind was the only negative.

The St. Benedict German Festival, an annual event held at St. Benedict Catholic School in Elberta,…read moreAlabama, is a much anticipated gathering that brings together the local community. This celebration of German heritage and culture has taken place for over 50 years, today was the 51st, for a delightful experience for attendees of all ages. The festival was initially established in the early 1970s as a way to commemorate the rich German ancestry of many residents in the area. What started as a modest gathering has since transformed into a tradition, drawing thousands of people each year to partake in the festivities. The festival has a nice array of activities and attractions to delight and entertain its visitors. One of the main highlights of the event is the authentic German cuisine, including traditional sausages, sauerkraut, potato salad, goulash and an assortment of homemade pastries and desserts, such as strudels and kiffels. I had a big grilled brat in a bun, some excellent German potato salad and strudel, very nice!  In addition to the tasty culinary offerings, the festival has a diverse range of entertainment options. Live music performances was one of our favorites, Symone French, her second year here, encouraging festival-goers to dance and sing along. Arts and crafts vendors showcase their unique wares, with an opportunity to purchase unique local area items and support local artisans. For the youngsters, the Kids Village offers an engaging and fun-filled experience with a variety of games, face painting, bounce houses, and other activities. Meanwhile, adults can partake in the beer and wine garden, sampling a selection of imported German beers and other refreshing beverages. Over the years, the St. Benedict German Festival has evolved to become more than just a celebration of heritage; it is now a symbol of community spirit and unity. The event serves as a significant fundraiser for the St. Benedict Catholic School, with proceeds supporting various educational programs and initiatives. Bottom line: The St. Benedict German Festival in Elberta, AL, has successfully preserved and promoted the town's unique cultural identity for more than five decades. Its continued success demonstrates the importance of communal gatherings in fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and preserving traditions.  https://saintbenedict.net/news-events/german-festival/ https://www.facebook.com/StBenedictGermanFestival/

Can't miss this museum with the train outside! I absolutely enjoyed how this museum is laid out!…read more The exhibits are all in one huge room with partitions. The building was built in 1884 for the Pensacola Ice Company. I walked in from the area out back where Julee Cottage is. The main entrance is on Zaragoza St. It felt as natural entering from there as from the front. The restrooms are near the rear entrance. I was a little fascinated by the different types of bricks! In the sawmill, you can push buttons to learn about the machines. In the fishing exhibit, you can see the gear they used as well as what fish they caught. When you open the door to go out to the train, there is a recording with a train whistle... it's pretty cool! There is the T.R. Miller Engine #12 & a Caboose. Unfortunately, you can't get too close-up of a look inside either. But you can see plenty of information about the railroad industry inside. I bought the Unified Admission Ticket which permits admission to all museums in the Historic Trust museum complex for seven (7) days. With my AAA, it cost $9 in Aug. of 2022. For the number of places you can visit, it is a great inexpensive way to learn about Pensacola's history! These museums are closed on Mondays! Come check it out and also the other museums nearby! I visited this museum, Museum of Commerce, the Pensacola Historic Village (Julee Cottage, John Appleyard Storytelling Cottage, the USO house exhibit), Museum of History, and the Museum of Art.

Great Hands-On Museum exhibits with many pictires plaques demonstrating how things work, why we had…read morethem & how they have progressed through time. Includes a real steam engine from 1923.