5 ROAD TRIPS FOR 5 STATES

Venture out for a change of scenery while staying in the South.

Itching to travel but still uncomfortable flying during the pandemic? Take a road trip close to home. We’ve got five suggestions to spark your wanderlust.

f you’re itching to travel but still uncomfortable flying during the pandemic, take a long weekend road trip close to home. To spark your wanderlust, here are five suggestions for themed itineraries in neighboring states. All you have to do is gas up and go.

ALABAMA CULINARY COAST

You don’t have to go all the way to New Orleans to experience that city’s phenomenal cuisine. Its influences can be found in the culinary scene in the twin cities of Alabama’s Gulf Coast — Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Bread pudding, gumbo and po’boys are ubiquitous. Another prominent item is Royal Reds, a large species of lobster-tasting shrimp found in the deepest waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Start your stay in Gulf Shores at The Lodge at Gulf State Park ($119 and up, 21196 E. Beach Blvd., 251-540-4000, lodgeatgulfstatepark.com). This eco-conscious beachfront hotel stands alone with no adjacent development except for the Gulf State Park Pier jutting 1,540 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. After exploring the beach and pier, dine on Royal Reds and other fresh catches of the day at King Neptune’s ($14 and up, 1137 Gulf Shores Pkwy., 251-968-5464, kingneptuneseafoodrestaurant.com).

In the morning, enjoy a New Orleans-style breakfast/brunch of Eggs Cochon (poached eggs served on a gravy-soaked biscuit and roast pork) and beignets at The Ruby Slipper Cafe ($10 and up, 24151 Perdido Beach Blvd., 251-800-7470, therubyslippercafe.getbento.com).

Afterward, explore Gulf State Park and the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail by foot or bike through a maritime forest and secondary dune system. For dinner, Cosmo’s Restaurant and Bar ($20 and up, 25753 Canal Road, 251-948-9663, cosmosrestaurantandbar. com) is an off-the-beaten-path spot specializing in banana leaf-wrapped sea bass.

In Orange Beach, book a fishing charter at one of the many marinas in town and if you catch anything worth eating, take it to Doc’s Seafood Shack ($10.99 and up, 26029 Canal Road, 251-981-6999, www. docsseafoodshack.com) where they’ll cook your catch for you. In the evening, enjoy contemporary coastal cuisine and exceptional sunset views on the large patio at Cobalt ($20 and up, 28099 Perdido Beach Blvd., 251-923-5300, www.cobaltrestaurant.net). Popular menu items are the Gulf shrimp and grits and Bronze Gulf grouper.

GULF SHORES & ORANGE BEACH TOURISM A steamed platter of Royal Reds, a lobstertasting type of shrimp found in the deepest Gulf waters off Gulf Shores, Alabama.