Mobile, Alabama has never been a city on my “to visit” list, but sometimes life presents you with an opportunity, so you just go with the flow and enjoy the ride. Such an opportunity presented itself when I recently flew from Savannah to Atlanta to Mobile. I had one specific goal: obtain my Global Entry status. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. After getting hung up in a two-hour customs line when […]

The post Southern Hospitality Awaits You in Mobile, Alabama appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Quentin Tarantino shot there. So did Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Kevin Costner and John Wayne. Robert Downey Jr. went on location there as the Iron Man. Whenever Hollywood is looking for a distant planet, or the long-gone Old West, or a rugged outdoors landscape for a Dodge Ram Tough truck commercial, there is one go-to location: Alabama Hills. The Alabama Hills are not, as you might think, in Birmingham or Mobile. Rather, they are in California at the foot of Mount Whitney, at 14,500-feet above sea level the tallest mountain […]

The post A Piece of Hollywood in the Eastern Sierra appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

LAGRANGE, GEORGIA- 2018–Annually millions, of people travel Georgia’s Interstate-85, crossing the Georgia/Alabama line with no idea they are minutes from LaGrange’s vibrant downtown, which puts the spotlight on mouthwatering food, energetic entertainment and opportunities for memory-making. Music to the ears Live music can be found every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at a number of pubs or venues around town, including Wild Leap Brew Co. (308 Main Street), Brickhouse Grille (141 Main Street), Mighty Joe’s Pizza (101 LaFayette Parkway) and Pure Life Studios (206 Clark Street). Sweetland Amphitheatre at Boyd […]

The post Vibrant LaGrange: Embrace the Surprise of this Sweet Georgia Downtown appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

In the summer of 2017, a new amusement park opened its doors in Foley, Alabama. OWA, pronounced like oh-wah, is located just 9 miles from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. It is the only park of its kind in the state of Alabama and the Gulf Coast as well, since Hurricane Katrina destroyed Six Flags New Orleans in 2005. OWA is the perfect destination for family summer fun along Alabama’s Gulf  Coast. The name OWA was inspired from the Muscogee Creek language. It means “big water” and because the […]

The post Alabama’s Newest Summer Destination for Family Fun appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

If you’ve never been on a beach vacation in Alabama, you are missing out. I had the opportunity to visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama recently and what a treat it was.  From the white sugar sand beaches to the deep sea fishing, the Alabama coast has it all.  To me, the Alabama coast was a great beach vacation without the pretense of some other popular beach locations in the U.S. When you don’t want to “keep up with the joneses” and just relax, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores […]

The post Where Should You Eat? Restaurants in Coastal Alabama appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Sperling’s BestPlaces finds 13 real U.S. cities and towns with hilariously risqué names 1. Buttzville, New Jersey – Population 194 – Median Home Price $172,700 According to Wikipedia, the town was named after its founder, Michael Robert Buttz. Naturally, he wanted to spread his grief to future generations by naming a town Buttzville. Sure, he could’ve gone with Michael City but perhaps that sounded too cool. 2. Dick Johnson, Indiana – Population 1,421 – Median Home Price $111,600 This burg was actually named after the 9th Vice President of the […]

The post Naughty City Names appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

My love of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is unwavering. But every now and then I venture farther east to Alabama and Florida to enjoy their beautiful beaches. A few days with friends at Orange Beach’s Perdido Beach Resort was the perfect summer starter. New food finds took it to a near-heavenly level. Reality was left behind as we drove up the resort’s palm-tree-lined hill and entered terracotta stone walls. Ensconced in a glamorous cocoon of comfortable suites, pools, live music and the nearby beach, everyday life seemed an ocean away. […]

The post Tasty Travel to Alabama, Florida Coasts appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

I have been fortunate to have visited Florida a number of times – sunshine, warm temperatures and the fact the state is ground zero for tropical fruit in the lower 48 has always appealed to me. My first Florida experience was perhaps not the norm – during college we transported a solar car we built in California to the East Coast for a race and then ultimately down to Florida. Camping in July in the middle of the Everglades surrounded by clouds of mosquitoes is not a recommended activity for […]

The post Planning a Sea, Sun and Sand Vacation in Panama City Beach appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Travel Media Showcase is an annual industry event focusing on the USA domestic market, pairing representatives from mostly small to medium sized regions with a variety of journalists. Travel shows for the industry such as this one are a great way for journalists to make personal contact with destinations and brands – learn about some of the latest activities and attractions in each region and help coordinate future visits. This show was TMS’s 15th year and was held at the L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Visits are limited […]

The post Travel Media Showcase & Lake Charles, LA appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

An array of festivals fills the calendar with something to celebrate for everyone LAGRANGE, GEORGIA – AUGUST 2013 – With the first crisp notes of autumnal air, the calendar fills with a harvest of happenings clearing the way for memory-making excursions the whole family will enjoy. From old-fashioned festival fun to musical pursuits to sophisticated cultural explorations, find it all this fall in LaGrange, Georgia, about an hour from Atlanta. Hummingbird Festival Like the event’s namesake birds, flock to the annual Hogansville Hummingbird Festival, October 19-20, where Main Street will […]

The post Fall in love with LaGrange, Georgia appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

In early November, I spent two serendipitous days in the tiny resort town of Eureka Springs, located in the Ozarks, at the edge of Arkansas. I had accepted an invitation from a friend in the American Midwest to join her on her ranch in Kansas, and she was taking me on a road trip. Since we would be riding through Missouri, I asked if I might see something connected with Mark Twain. “Hannibal is on the other side of the state.” I was mildly disappointed. However, as a Canadian and […]

The post Eureka Springs Revisited appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Panama City Beach in the Florida panhandle is one of those places that remind you of a combination of other places, a blend of kitschy charm found in Myrtle Beach, Atlantic City and Key West. It’s a place unto its own, though, and one where you’ll soon find, by dialect and design, a place apart from what you might usually think of as the Sunshine State. South Florida, more a mindset than geographical location, is arguably from the middle of the state down, where everyone seems to be from somewhere […]

The post Old Florida charm in Panama City Beach appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Crazy Sista Cooking by Lucy Anne Buffet This is a collection of Lucy’s favorite recipes sprinkled with her “food philosophy” and stories about how the recipe was created. Lucy is Jimmy Buffet’s younger sister; the Buffets grew up with food, music and hospitality in their blood. Lucy has operated Lulu’s Buffet Restaurant in Gulf Shores Alabama since 1999. From how to knead the dough, salads, specialty drinks, to southern cuisine this book covers a far ranging array of recipes.

The post Crazy Sista Cooking appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

Book A Beach Vacation Rental, Receive A Complimentary Seven-Night Vacation To Resorts on One of Four Continents Travelers with Limited Time Can Get “Lucky” this Spring; Visit New Wyndham Vacation Rentals Portal for Complimentary Beach Lounger PARSIPPANY, N.J. (February 28, 2011) – Wyndham Vacation Rentalsˢ ͫ , the world’s largest serviced vacation rental business offering quality and assurance, is declaring an end to unused vacation days by introducing a deal that will surely leave all of those fourth-night free offers in the dust. Book five or more nights at a […]

The post Need a Vacation – Why not Make it Two? appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.

With only a limited amount of gulf coastline in the entire state, this part of Alabama really delivers in regards to long white sand beaches, bright blue sunshine and clean air, world class southern cuisine, but most of all, the genuine Southern hospitality. The area certainly becomes crowded in the summer. This is a true family destination with a wide range of visitors coming from the Midwest and the East Coast. Visitors come year after year; this is the kind of place where family traditions and long lasting memories are […]

The post Gulf Shores, Alabama appeared first on Dave's Travel Corner.