MOBILE, ALABAMA`S SAVANNAH, GEORGIA:

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: Southern Hospitality at Its Best
By Steven Kaplan photos by Melissa Vainik
If you are looking for a charming, beautiful
and historic place to visit, look no further than
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. This true American town, seventeen miles up the
Savannah river from the Atlantic Ocean, has a long
history dating back to the original thirteen colonies. The historic downtown district boasts some of the best
Spanish architectural styles of eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. There are many Spanish inspired manicured
gardens, squares and homes throughout the downtown
Savannah area. The historic cobbled streets next to the Savannah river
have many traces of the American Revolution and civil
war years. Lunch at Kevin Barry’s pub, on one of these
cobbled streets right near the Savannah river, is where
the locals enjoy the fish and chips specials. This is the
area where many of the battles took place during the
American Revolution and Civil Wars. It is rumored
that over 100,000 people are buried under the city from
these wars. Perhaps this is the reason why Savannah is
called the “Ghost Capital of the U.S.” Our favorite ghost
tour of Savannah was with HearstGhostTours, www.
HearstGhostTours.com. The guide picks you up in a real
hearse and drives you around Savannah with tales of real
ghost stories. One spot was a pirate’s pub, where you can
see a real ghost. It was not friendly, so we knew it was not
Caspar! It was enough to make your bones tingle. For more information on Savannah, GA: www.
SavannahDreamVacations.com. The PR guide, JeanneMarie will connect you with fabulous bed and breakfast
inns, old time mansions, and other historical hotels. Her
telephone number is (912) 344-7882. It’s a great place
to visit, but we cannot promise that your hotel won’t be
haunted. Boo!!!
MOBILE, ALABAMA’S
16th Annual Music Festival
By Steven Kaplan, photos by Melissa Vainik
Despite being hit with a double whammy... first
Hurricane Katrina and most recently the BP oil
spill on the gulf coast: MOBILE, ALABAMA has
bounced back to again become one of America’s
top tourist attractions. TIMMAG was there for the
16th annual BayFest Music Festival, where 125 musical
acts performed on nine stages in downtown Mobile to over
200,000 screaming fans. Motley Crue, Mary J. Blige, Baby Face Edmonds, Reba
McEntire and Earth, Wind and Fire headlined the three-day
festival. Our favorite was Reba McEntire who performed
many of her number one hits including, ‘Somebody Should
Leave’ and ‘One Promise Too Late.’ Reba has sold over
55 million albums. Our other favorite, Earth, Wind and
Fire who have been performing since 1969, sang two
of their biggest hits including, ‘Shining Star’ and ‘Let’s
Groove.’ Before the concert we went back stage and had a
meet and greet with the band.
The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, Alabama,
a property that has been around since 1836, hosted us
graciously. The hotel recently underwent a $37 million
dollar renovation due to damage from Hurricane Katrina. Despite being closed for nine months, The Grand Hotel is
back and bigger than ever, including a top-of-the-line spa
and 405 rooms on 550 magnificently landscaped acres. Many of the guest rooms have sweeping views of Mobile
Bay, where you can watch fabulous sunsets. The hotel’s
restaurant, rated one of the best in Alabama, is noted for its
southern hospitality menu. Our favorite was the Gulf crab
omelet which was recently named one of Mobile’s 100 top
foods to taste before you die. For more information on the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort,
go to www.MarriottGrand.com and for the music festival,
go to www.BayFest.com.
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