Fairhope, Alabama

Fairhope is a contemporary camelot that continues to reflect the ideals of its utopian past. Founded in 1894 along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, it was a visionary showcase of the benefits of a “single tax colony” to foster investment opportunities and maximize community cooperation. In 1907 a school was founded, cementing the aptly named village’s appeal to intellectuals and free thinkers. The town remains well endowed with public facilities including luxuriant waterfront linear parks, a college, one of America’s most impressive public libraries, and a major art center.

The town’s meticulous appearance is enhanced by thousands of carefully tended flowers in summer, and winter displays of more than a million tiny white lights inset into street trees to create a magical glow downtown each evening. Mardi Gras is a major town tradition, as is careful watch of the waterfront in summer in hope of a “jubilee,” an unscheduled natural water phenomenon greeted by locals with spontaneous festivities.

For more information, check with the local City of Fairhope.