Having grown up along the Gulf Coast, I have early impressions of the communities that make up the Scenic 98 Coastal area. Mobile was home, but fishing trips with my family out of Dauphin Island were a weekly occurrence in warm weather. We logged many days at my cousins’ summer home on the Little Lagoon down Ft. Morgan road, and spent time on Cotton Bayou with friends in Orange Beach. Eventually, my folks bought a home in Pt. Clear where we spent summers from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

In our early teenage years, boats were our primary transportation, and no place was too far to venture. We had great adventures exploring the reaches of Mobile Bay, Gulf Shores, Perdido Key, and Pensacola. Once we attained the age of 16 and a driver’s license, we’d sneak over to the Mississippi Gulf Coast or over to Seville Quarter to Rosie O’Grady’s for a night on the town. Driving the back roads of Baldwin County, we knew every cold hole to swim, every watermelon field, and where to pull a trawl net for live bait for fishing.

We knew each community’s personality, and every beach was an unobstructed playground. I pity the person who purchased my friend’s Chevrolet Blazer, which made many excursions along the beach to the West End of Dauphin Island, where it was run through the water’s edge,  and soaked up the saltwater. We had a lot of freedom to do what we wanted, and took for granted how good it was.

My, how everything has changed since my youth. It’s hard to imagine the way things were just a few decades ago. I was asked the other day to assess the growth along the coast and my thoughts about where it will go in the future. My response was that I understand why people want to live here. COVID changed everything. People realized they could live in a wonderful place, and technology has allowed many to work from home. I don’t see it stopping.

Reflecting on the area’s growth, I understand why the old timers (me included), families who have lived here for generations, might not embrace the changes. When I ask business owners about the growth, their response is almost always positive. Infrastructure is usually the first thing mentioned. With so much growth, it’s almost impossible to keep up. I think the Scenic 98 Coastal communities, for the most part, have generally done a good job building roads, bridges, water, sewer, and making improvements to critical infrastructure.

I’ve found that traveling the backroads that used to be shortcuts have been discovered, and it takes a little more planning and time to get to your destination. We know now that on weekends, visitors to the beach are heading back home in the mornings, and new visitors are arriving after lunchtime, so you'd best plan accordingly unless you don’t mind bumper-to-bumper traffic and an additional hour drive time. “Things happen, and you adjust,” is a good mindset these days.

The other day, I met a new resident from Colorado who now lives in Foley. I was happy to hear that he’s invested in the Foley community. He likened our Scenic 98 Coastal area to what he witnessed happening in the communities surrounding Denver. The rural areas are now developed, or are being developed. In his short time living here, he had a good sense of each community’s personality. 

Foley sort of chose him, since his business partner’s family is from there, and they opened a restaurant together, Cheeseburger Randy’s. With Foley currently being the fastest-growing city in Alabama, we talked about the characteristics of the community. 

“I’ve found that the people who live here have a connection to the area and choose to live here because they like Foley for what it is. It’s refreshing. My wife and I moved here to have a good time and an atmosphere of belonging, being a part of a community,” he told me.

As I ride through downtown Foley, there are many new restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.. As growth in the Scenic 98 Coastal area continues along all fronts, new industries are being developed. Think about the service sector jobs at the beach, or the transportation hub in Loxley at I-10 and US Highway 59, which services the needs that didn’t exist even ten or so years ago.

I think about Airbus in Mobile, and American Magic’s move to Pensacola, and all the high-tech jobs it brings. These are exciting times. Yet agriculture, the seafood industry, and the Port of Mobile are still thriving. Pensacola is still very much a Navy town, but so much more today. Palafox Street in Pensacola and Dauphin Street in Mobile have risen like a Phoenix, bringing more ways to enjoy and experience our larger cities.

We are fortunate to live where we live. I think of it as a wonderful playground, ripe for discovery and exploration, because there is so much to do and see. I appreciate when newcomers take time to learn about our history and embrace what makes each community unique and special. We plan to continue to bring stories of the hidden gems and offbeat places that are always worth visiting. 

I wake up every day wondering what I will find, discover, learn about, and appreciate. It’s important to have a sense of place, to participate in building healthy communities, and to make the most of our time here.

Thanks to everyone who has a story to tell, and I hope you will let us know, so we all can understand and learn what we have in our own backyards.