Weekend Getaways from Montgomery, Alabama

It really means a lot to unwind once in a while. Fortunately, Alabamans do not have to cope with winter blizzards or snowstorms, but they do have to endure the dreary short winter days. Couples can feel the stress of work/sleep/work routines especially at this time of year when there's so little daylight and so little time after work for cookouts with close friends, and get togethers. If your romance is in the slumps or if you just need to take a well-deserved weekend trip to pamper yourself and your honey there are some suggestions that might point you in the right direction. Bed and Breakfasts are very convenient and the coastal stays are just a few hours drive from Montgomery.

http://www.bbonline.com/al/baybreeze/

Bed and Breakfast Encyclopedia lists Bay Breeze as in the top ten best waterfront Inns in the country! The setting is just as romantic as you could imagine: a winding path through camellias and azelias takes you to the front of this site. Located on three acres of private land, it has its own private pier and covered areas to enjoy the sunsets. Enjoy the water and the town of Fairhope where you have so many excellent restaurants to choose from for fresh seafood. Rooms are available in the house or there are private garden suites with mini-kitchens. The main house has a glassed-porch bay room with a georgeous view of Mobile Bay. All accommodations have queen beds and private baths. All accommodations are $149-$179 plus tax. Call them toll free at (866) 928-8976

No smoking is permitted inside the Bay Breeze Guest House or Cottage Suites. This is an adult vacation site so no children or large pets are allowed.

Enjoying Life at the Lake House Bed & Breakfast: Florala Bed & Breakfasts, Gulf Coast Alabama

This bed and breakfast is located in tiny Florala, Alabama. I have passed it many times and it is really lovely and historic. The house is an 1800s Victorian beauty with 6 romantic rooms to choose from. You're in a beautiful area overlooking Alabama's largest natural lake, Lake Jackson and close to two state parks. Fishing, boating and skiing are some of the activities you may choose to indulge in. Walk down paths of huge moss covered live oaks after coffee and a light breakfast on the shared balcony all the rooms access. Rooms are quaint and modernized with ceiling fans and private baths. Florala also is somewhat of an antiques Mecca and you can browse the many shops there during your stay. Rates are from $60-$100 per night. They don't provide gourmet dinners but there are two local restaurants in walking distance for your dinner meals. A stay and the Lake House would be a perfect stress reliever for the stressed out couple wanting some quality time together. This is a no smoking house, though, so be forewarned.

Dauphin Island Willow Tree Cottage: Dauphin Island Bed & Breakfasts, Gulf Coast Alabama

Dauphin Island is quiet and there are no high rises, just homes, cottages and inns. This B&B is an idea for people who want a quiet getaway and simply enjoy the seaside. This little 800 ft. cottage overlooks Aloa Bay, Mississippi Sound, and the Dauphine Island Bridge. Fort Gains is nearby, of course the beach is right at your doorstep. There is a bird sanctuary here, and an estuarium. You can also golf and there are tennis courts and a pool. The island has many restaurants for your dinner plans. This little cottage has pine floors, a dining and living area with an open kitchen, and bathroom. You have a very nice view of the wonderful sunsets and a deck for those who might love to grill their dinner. We serve breakfast on the deck. Willow Tree also has a fireplace cable TV, refrigerator and grill--all you'll need for a relaxing, refreshing weekend off.

Now I have saved my personal favorite for last. I am so familiar with this little town and the surrounding area that it is almost my second home.

Hibiscus is a bed and breakfast right at the northern edge of Grayton Beach and it is absolutely charming with its weathered Spanish stucco façade and the old knarled oaks and climbing vines. I know Grayton like the back of my hand and have been spending summers there for over a decade. It's my most treasured Florida destination because it still retains a bit of its old historic character. The small, Florida beach homes, fences dripping with passion flower and sweet jasmine vines, scrub live oaks with Spanish moss spilling from their graceful limbs transport you back to a time when Florida's coastal charm had not been so devestated by development. But the real treasure is the beach-called by major publications one of the most beautiful unspoiled beaches in the entire country.
You may be too young to have experienced this area of Florida when it was still pristine and had dunes all over, scrub oaks everywhere and graceful sea oats waving in the breezes. If so, Grayton should give you some idea of what has sadly vanished from the Florida coasts with a few rare exceptions. Grayton, to its benefit and ours, has managed to preserve the best of old Florida.http://graytonbeach.com/faqs.html will give you an idea of what this small area of the Florida Panhandle is like. Grayton Beach is at the end of Highway 331, crossing the Alabama border and running all the way down through Coastal Florida Highway 98 right into the little town of Grayton nestled on the white dunes of the Gulf of Mexico. My hands-down favorite is Hibiscus! http://www.hibiscusflorida.com/ The Hibiscus web site is great and it will show you how old Florida guesthouses felt. I get nostalgic just browsing through some of the photos. So give them a call and book your reservations for a weekend that will have you coming back again and again!