The United States of an African

Sweet home Alabama!! Here’s an easy breezy read for you. I talk a lot a crap about Alabama, but in all actuality, the state has beautiful hidden gems. I remember when I announced that I was moving to Alabama, most responses alluded to racism, lynching etc. I’m grateful such talk did not dissuade me because I was completely ignorant of the fact that Alabama boarders the Gulf coast. A simple glance at a globe should’ve educated me, but somehow I was unaware of Alabama’s obvious geographic position. I schooled in Mobile, Alabama, a sleepy harbor city. I say sleepy having come from Atlanta. But to most who live in that area of Alabama, Mobile is the busy city. Imagine a more reserved version of New Orleans if you will.

I spent a good number of times on the beach throughout my stay in Alabama. Granted, a lot of those beaches where less than an hour drive over in Florida. The Mobile Bay area still had it’s little gems here and there. My two favorite spots were Fairhope, a cozy little southern town, and Dauphin Island, a small island off the coast for peace and relaxation. As a Rivers girl-I come from the coastal Rivers State in Nigeria. We love the water)-I couldn’t have picked a better location in Alabama.

To visit Dauphin Island, you would need to get on a ferry. I love love ferry rides!! I believe it took about half an hour or so to get to the island. To explore the island, I chose to rent a bicycle.

There isn’t that much to do on the island. My friends and I spent a the whole day exploring and hit every single sight from the lighthouse to the estuarium, from all the forts to the beach!

Seeing as Americans aren’t really welcome to a lot of countries at the moment, and with money being tight, I’m choosing to do a lot of local and regional travel. As the African whose goal is to check out all fifty states, I’ve always sought out the hidden gems in each state. They’re usually cleaner, quieter and friendlier. Honestly, especially during a pandemic where I’m looking to avoid crowded areas, now is the perfect time for such travels. I get to save money and still visit new places without major risks. Dauphin Island is one of those places if you’re ever in the Southeast region. I’m however back in Michigan and looking forward to checking out new spots in the area this summer.