'Bama bests: What not to miss on the Gulf Coast - Travel - MiamiHerald.com

'Bama bests: What not to miss on the Gulf Coast - Travel - MiamiHerald.com: "If you want to experience the South in all its drawl-y, deep-fried glory, go north to Alabama. Proudly honky-tonk but increasingly sleek thanks to posh new condo developments, Alabama's Gulf Coast is the place to go for a hit of Southern Exposure.

Order a mess of fried crab claws, go to a dive bar and watch the sun set, and enjoy white-sand beaches without a smidgen of attitude.

Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are full of southern-fried charm, low-key fun (there's a festival devoted to tossing mullet) and more moss-draped beauty than you can shake a fish at. It's an awesome place to take the kids, thanks to its barefoot beach-town vibe. Warning: You'll find your newly-adopted Southern accent hard to shake.

Here's a look at some of our top picks. Enjoy, ya'all!"