I was recently a guest on the SuiteRun podcast where I got to share all about the beautiful area that I am lucky enough to call home. If you can’t tell based on the name of my blog, Mobile Bay and running are two things that I am extremely passionate about. The podcast discussion was the perfect intersection of my two passions! In preparation, I wrote out a bunch of information about where to run, where to stay, where to eat and where to play. I’m going to share it here as well in case anyone would rather read than listen.
Here are a few of the things that we talked about …
Tell us about your running journey? You can read all about that here!
Where do you live and how long have you lived there? I live on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Alabama. I’ve lived here for 15 years, but both sets of my grandparents are from this area and my parents grew up here, so I’ve been coming to Mobile Bay my entire life.
What do you love most about your area? That would definitely be the sunsets on Mobile Bay! From the east side of the bay, we have a spectacular view of the sun as it sets in the west.
What is your favorite running route? As an added bonus, here’s a Strava file that shows the majority of the route!
My favorite place to run is on the Eastern Shore Trail, a paved path that runs along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay from Spanish Fort to Weeks Bay, passing through the communities of Daphne, Montrose, Fairhope and Point Clear along the way. In 2010, the paved path was designated a National Recreation Trail. The “trail” is mostly concrete or asphalt, but because of the wide variation in grade, you will encounter elevated boardwalks and high-rise bridges, both wood and metal.
I’m going to take you through this beautiful 30+ mile route and point out lots of things of interest along the way!
We are going to start at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, which would likely be considered a top local attraction. Battleship USS ALABAMA had a remarkable career. She began her World War II adventures in the North Atlantic in 1943, then later that year, went to the South Pacific seas. Most American warships end their useful life after wartime, but ALABAMA was destined to live another day. She ended up in Mobile, Alabama as a National Historic Landmark and memorial to millions.
We will start our run heading east on Battleship Parkway, commonly referred to locally and in the media as the “Causeway.” This stretch is about 5 miles that will take us eastbound across Mobile Bay. We will run past several popular restaurants, including Felix’s Fish Camp and the Bluegill. Both of these restaurants offer fresh, local seafood, live music, and a fun, casual atmosphere.
We will then run by the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center. This is the place where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers flow into Mobile Bay. It’s the ultimate place to begin your adventure into over 250k acres of scenic waterways, woods and wetlands. The center features an exhibit hall, theater, Delta boat tours, canoe and kayak rentals, hiking trails and picnic area.
Next we will pass by Meaher State Park, a 1,327-acre park situated in the wetlands of north Mobile Bay. The park is a day-use, picnicking and scenic park with modern camping hook-ups for overnight visitors. Meaher’s boat ramp and fishing pier will appeal to every fisherman and a self-guided walk on our boardwalk will give you an up-close view of the beautiful Mobile-Tensaw Delta. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta consists of approximately 20k acres of water, is the second largest delta in the contiguous US and Meaher State Park is the perfect access point to this massive natural wonder. Formed by the confluence of the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers, the Mobile-Tensaw Delta is a complex network of tidally influenced rivers, creeks, bays, lakes, wetlands, and bayous. Since the Delta empties into Mobile Bay, it is a productive estuary with numerous species of fresh and saltwater fish, which makes Meaher State Park an angler’s dream.
Speaking of wildlife, as we approach Spanish Fort, the first “city” along our route, we will run across the Gator Alley boardwalk where keen runners can spot alligators and turtles. As we make our way south, we will pass Village Point Park Preserve on our way to downtown Daphne. In downtown Daphne we will pass two popular restaurants, Manci’s Antique Club and Cousin Vinny’s. I would highly recommend Vinny’s! They have a grilled yellow fin tuna sandwich that is to die for. It has avocado, sprouts, mozzarella, smoked provolone and asiago vinaigrette.
After we pass through Daphne, we will run through Montrose, which is a historic residential district. While this section of the run is not directly on the water, it is particularly breathtaking as you run under a canopy of very old, very beautiful oak trees. This is also the hilliest section of the run, but don’t worry … the hills in Alabama aren’t very hilly. Ha. We will only get about 600 feet of elevation gain on the entire 30+ mile route.
Once we come through Montrose, we will enter Fairhope! We will pass by the Fly Creek Marina, Sunset Pointe, the Fairhope Yacht Club and Coffee Loft. Sunset Pointe would be one of my top dinner recommendations. You can sit on the creek (with misting fans keeping you cool) and enjoy a cocktail while you watch the sunset and wait for your dinner to arrive. You can dine on some fresh gulf snapper, grouper or shrimp. In the morning after our run we will definitely be hitting up Coffee Loft for their delicious flavored coffees (creme brulee, southern pecan, blueberry, oh my!) and their tasty smoothies.
Once we have passed Coffee Loft, we will shortly be in Downtown Fairhope, where there is plenty of shopping, more restaurants and coffee shops, bookstores, museums and art galleries galore. There is something for everyone in Downtown Fairhope! We will pass by the Fairhope Pier, known by locals as “The Big Pier.” The pier is Fairhope’s “town square” with a swimming area, picnic areas, landscaped rose gardens, benches, restrooms, a marina, walking trails and a duck pond.
After a few miles (that will be directly on beautiful Mobile Bay!), we will be in Point Clear and we will have arrived at the The Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection, has been known throughout the South as The Queen of Southern Resorts for more than 170 years. With a spirited allure, and very independent signature throughout, the Grand Hotel has joined the Autograph Collection by Marriott, an exclusive array of hotels where the hospitality is exciting and original, exactly like nothing else. Directly on the hotel grounds you have access to pools, a spa, a fitness center, tennis, golf, shopping and plenty of dining options.
After we pass the Grand, we will run by the Punta Clara Kitchen, where you can satisfy your sweet tooth with a homemade treat. Punta Clara (Spanish for “Point Clear”) Kitchen offers specialty candies, homemade fudge, pralines, jellies, preserves, pickles, relishes, and cakes. All of the products are made from scratch in small batches to ensure that homemade flavor and quality. Located directly behind Punta Clara Kitchen is The Wash House Restaurant, an upscale, fine dining, locally sourced, coastal cuisine restaurant located in Point Clear. The Wash House is another top recommendation for dinner, especially if you are looking for something a bit on the fancy side (and not fancy like Applebee’s).
On the final stretch of our journey we will pass Mullet Point Park en route to Weeks Bay Reserve, which will be our destination. One of the best things about this route is that you can hop on just about anywhere and run as little or as much as you want. You can go a mile out and a mile back, a few miles point to point or thirty miles out and thirty miles back (if you are extra like that!).
Where would you recommend people stay? Definitely The Grand Hotel! However, if that’s a bit out of your price range, there are plenty of less expensive hotel options in the area or you could rent a Fairhope Cottage through Airbnb.
Recommendations for a great meal? Another great breakfast and lunch location that wasn’t on our “route” is Warehouse Bakery & Donuts. I would highly recommend the baja bowl! You get roasted sweet potatoes, steamed veggies, avocado, salsa and shredded cheddar cheese with two eggs cooked however you like them on top. It’s delicious. They have a breakfast all day menu as well as a lunch menu. You can get everything from donuts, to oatmeal, to fried chicken on french toast!
Best place to grab a beer? The Fairhope Brewery.
Local races to plan your trip around?
The Battleship 12k is a patriotic run on Veterans Day weekend to honor those who have served our country. The course is flat and fast and as a bonus it is typically an automatic PR, because where else do you run a 12k?! The race actually runs directly on the route that we just talked through, but starts in Spanish Fort and runs west on Battleship Parkway (the “Causeway”) across Mobile Bay to USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. A nice little added touch at this race is that volunteers at the last water stop (around mile 7) hand out American flags to all the runners. It’s so special to cross the finish line with the flag in your hand! There are so many men and women that sacrifice their lives to protect our freedom. Participating in a patriotic event on Veterans Day weekend is a wonderful reminder of just how much we have to be thankful for.
The Spring Fever Chase 10k is one of my all-time favorite races! This year was my twelfth time running it (it was cancelled the last two years because of COVID). It’s a small local race (think no chip timing) with a lot of hometown charm. It’s a rolling 10k that winds through beautiful downtown Fairhope and finishes overlooking Mobile Bay. The race takes place during the Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival. Over 200 vendors from all over the country bring their best work and set up booths all along the streets downtown. After the race, you can meander through the streets of downtown or just hang out and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s awesome! If you don’t believe me, you just need to come experience it for yourself!
Best time of year to visit? While we don’t really have seasons here in lower Alabama, but I’m going to say Spring or Fall. If you come in the Spring, you can race the Spring Fever Chase and if you come in the fall, you can race the Battleship 12k!
One thing unique about your area? The Jubilee! During a jubilee, the lack of oxygen in the water forces bottom-type fish and crustaceans ashore (looking for oxygen). Because of the lack of oxygen, the fish and shellfish cannot carry out normal muscular activities, such as swimming. They move slowly and are reluctant to swim. During a jubilee you will see hundreds of flounder, crab and shrimp all right at the surface of the water.
For a jubilee to take place, a very specific set of conditions must exist. They occur in the summer before sunrise during a rising tide. The previous day’s weather conditions must include an overcast or cloudy day, an east breeze and a calm, slick bay surface. It takes a combination of all these conditions to produce the phenomenon. Jubilees of this magnitude occur only two places in the world, Tokyo Bay in Japan and Mobile Bay in Alabama.
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