re: Fairhope, Alabama

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How is fairhope with young kids (9,7,5,1) ?

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Depends. First off, the place is a giant snooze fest on Sunday. Second, downtown is a lot of antique, boutiques, etc... I cant see kids loving it. Although there are golf carts to rent, ice cream, etc.. but just keep in mind it's not anything like Disney. It's a sleepy resort town with some good food and the bay.

There is a beach, a pier, plenty of interesting parks like the pitcher plant preserve and Blakely Park 20 minnutes north with miles of trails.

We would've loved it as a kid but we were into the woods and water and didn't need tv or endless programming.

OWA and orange beach are 30 minutes away if your kids need more stimulation so that might be a nice hybrid trip.

That said the town is quiet and safe, so you could have kids over 8-9 run loose and not worry about them.

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How is fairhope with young kids (9,7,5,1) ?

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Depends on what your children like to do.

Do they like books? There are two independent bookstores in downtown Fairhope. One strictly sells used books. The other - Page and Palette - has a decent children’s section.

Do they like to fish? The pier in Fairhope is a public pier, and functions as the city’s front porch. On our last visit, we saw many youngsters out there with the older members of their family. The Blind Tiger will soon have a new restaurant/bar operating right on that pier.

Didn’t search for them, but I’d be surprised if there weren’t several shops catering to children in the downtown shopping area. Several of the shops sell treats specifically geared to children’s taste buds.

There’s a museum downtown, which appeared to me to be designed specifically to interest younger visitors. I believe a restored fire truck is one of its features.

In the summer months, family-friendly movies are screened in the park on a bluff overlooking the pier and bay.

Fairhope is a bike-friendly town, with a bike path running along the bay from Point Clear north to Spanish Fort. It’s not a continuous path, and I would not allow children to use it without supervision, but it could be a good diversion for an afternoon.

There is a Maker’s Market - similar to a Farmer’s Market - held at the park near the pier every other weekend. Some of the vendors are selling wares crafted for children.

Hope this list gives you an idea of child-friendly activities for a Fairhope visit!