Latest

1. Storm & Safety

   Do I Need Flood Insurance on the Alabama Gulf Coast?

   Homeowners and renters policies leave out flood damage, and on the Alabama coast water reaches homes well outside the high-risk zones on FEMA maps.

   2 min read

   
2. Storm & Safety

   FORTIFIED Roof in Alabama: Grants and Insurance Discounts

   A sealed deck, ring-shank nails and wind-rated shingles can earn Alabama homeowners a lower wind premium and, in eligible counties, a state-run grant.

   3 min read

   
3. Storm & Safety

   Hurricane Preparedness Checklist for the Alabama Coast

   From evacuation zones in Mobile and Baldwin counties to generator safety after landfall, the steps that matter most before and after a Gulf hurricane.

   3 min read

   
4. Storm & Safety

   Rip Current: What to Do if You Get Caught on the Gulf

   Rip currents are the deadliest weather hazard on the northern Gulf Coast, and surviving one comes down to floating instead of fighting the current.

   2 min read

   
5. Storm & Safety

   Beach Flags in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach: What They Mean

   Yellow, red, purple and double red each tell swimmers something different, and on double red days entering the Gulf is against city law.

   2 min read

   
6. Towns & Living

   Smart Growth Principles Explained for Growing Coastal Towns

   Mixed uses, housing and transportation choices and protected open space form a planning toolkit that matters most where growth meets wetlands and…

   3 min read

   
7. Towns & Living

   Fort Morgan Ferry to Dauphin Island: Fares, Schedule, Tips

   A 40-minute ride across the mouth of Mobile Bay links two Civil War forts and turns a long drive around the bay into a day trip.

   2 min read

   
8. Towns & Living

   Mobile Mardi Gras for First-Timers: History, Parades and Rules

   Mobile's carnival runs on mystic societies, downtown parade routes and MoonPies, and a little history and a few city rules make the first visit…

   3 min read

   
9. Towns & Living

   Things to Do in Fairhope: Walk Downtown to the Pier

   A compact downtown, a bluff and a long public pier make Fairhope one of the easiest towns on Mobile Bay to explore without a car.

   2 min read

   
10. Towns & Living

    Moving to Baldwin County, Alabama: Towns, Traffic and Insurance

    One fast-growing county holds commuter suburbs, a bayfront town, farm towns and beach resorts, and each trades off traffic, storm risk and schools…

    3 min read

    
11. Coast & Nature

    Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Trails and Weeks Bay Walks

    Two protected places near Gulf Shores offer short, easy walks through swamp, pitcher plant bog, maritime forest and dunes.

    3 min read

    
12. Coast & Nature

    Mobile-Tensaw Delta Kayaking: A Beginner's Paddling Guide

    America's Amazon starts minutes from Mobile, and a public launch, a mapped canoe trail and a float plan make it approachable for first-timers.

    2 min read

    
13. Coast & Nature

    Dauphin Island Birding: Spring and Fall Migration Guide

    Songbirds crossing the Gulf make first landfall in Dauphin Island's woods, turning a small barrier island into one of the country's great migration…

    2 min read

    
14. Coast & Nature

    Sea Turtle Nesting Season in Alabama: Rules and Tips

    From May through October, loggerheads and other sea turtles nest on Alabama sand, and a dark, clear beach gives their hatchlings a chance.

    2 min read

    
15. Coast & Nature

    Mobile Bay Jubilee: What It Is, When and Where It Happens

    Low-oxygen water, an east wind and a rising tide can push flounder, crabs and shrimp onto the Eastern Shore before dawn.

    2 min read

    
16. Walk & Bike

    Heat Index Safety for Walking and Biking on the Gulf Coast

    Humidity turns a warm Gulf Coast morning into a dangerous one; how to read the heat index, spot heat illness early and dodge afternoon lightning.

    3 min read

    
17. Walk & Bike

    Walking School Bus: How to Start One in Your Neighborhood

    A few families, a tested route and a simple schedule are enough to turn the morning drop-off into a supervised walk that can grow school-wide.

    3 min read

    
18. Walk & Bike

    What Are Complete Streets? Meaning, Features and Local Policies

    Streets built for people walking, biking, riding transit and driving, and how Fairhope, Daphne, Orange Beach and Mobile signed on to the idea early.

    3 min read

    
19. Walk & Bike

    Backcountry Trail Gulf Shores: Trailheads, Rules and Bike Tips

    More than 28 paved miles wind through dunes, pine forest, marsh and lakeshore between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, open dawn to dusk year-round.

    2 min read

    
20. Walk & Bike

    Eastern Shore Trail Guide: Route, Parking and Riding Tips

    A bayfront chain of sidewalks, paths and boardwalks links Daphne, Fairhope and Point Clear, with hills in Montrose and a flat run south of the pier.

    2 min read

    

Earlier on this domain.Reports on Smart Walks, bike rides and Earth Day from the nonprofit that once published this website are kept in the archive.