Downtown Fairhope is ‘almost suspiciously pretty,’ says WorldAtlas

Fairhope’s downtown is getting some regional love. Travel site WorldAtlas named the Eastern Shore city one of the 12 best downtowns in the South in a list published Oct. 6.

But who’s actually shocked by that? We certainly aren’t.

Fairhope joins Asheville, St. Augustine + Oxford on WorldAtlas’ list

Fairhope is the only Alabama city on the list. WorldAtlas picked small-town squares and main streets over big-city skylines. In its company are towns including:

• Franklin, Tennessee
• Asheville, North Carolina
• St. Augustine, Florida
• Oxford, Mississippi

The site described Fairhope’s downtown as “almost suspiciously pretty.”

It credited the tree-lined streets, flower planters and a walkable grid “made for aimless strolling.”

What WorldAtlas highlighted in downtown Fairhope

The write-up also gave a nod to the city’s history and a few local favorites:

• History: Fairhope began in 1894 as a utopian single-tax colony
• Food and drink: Beignets at Panini Pete’s and a pint at Fairhope Brewing Company
• Art: Exhibits and workshops at the Eastern Shore Art Center
• Sunset views: The Fairhope Pier, which WorldAtlas said may offer the best sunset view on the Gulf Coast