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Win The Most Relaxing Trip Ever to Alabama’s Gulf Coast!

June 10, 2021 By Kara Kennedy

Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Photo compliments of the Alabama Tourism Department.

Let’s face it, 2020 was one of the most stressful years ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many faced life changes such as working from home, homeschooling their children and having to ‘shelter in place.’ Wouldn’t it be nice to get away from it all and relax, if only for a little while? How about the opportunity to win The Most Relaxing Trip Ever to Alabama’s Gulf Coast?

The Most Relaxing Trip Ever

Well, here’s your opportunity! The Alabama Tourism Department recently announced The Most Relaxing Trip Ever contest for a chance to win a vacation to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. The winner will experience a trip designed to inspire relaxation and take in all of the beauty the Gulf Coast has to offer. The Gulf Coast has turquoise water and sugar-white sandy beaches.

Relax at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, photo compliments of the Alabama Tourism Department.

What You Could Win

The lucky winner will receive a 4-day/3-night stay at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton hotel, where visitors can enjoy the park’s unique amenities and a stunning view of Alabama’s pristine coastline. Go bike riding through wetlands to discover the eco-diversity of the Gulf State Park and relax on the beach with complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas. The prize package includes one hour of professional instruction from the Sandcastle University to learn how to build world-class sandcastles and enjoy a sunset cruise, compliments of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. The winner also receives incidental allowances, some on-site meals, amenities and a travel allowance they can use for airfare or other transportation.  

The Most Relaxing Trip Ever. The Lodge at Gulf State Park. Photo compliments of the Alabama Tourism Department.

“This contest is a terrific opportunity for one family to fulfill a desire to travel while experiencing the most fun Alabama’s beaches have to offer – all for free,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. 

While You’re Away

When you’re on vacation, service contractors will come in for housekeeping, lawn care service and grocery shopping, while the winner is away.

Bike ride through Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Photo compliments of the Alabama Tourism Department.

How to enter to win The Most Relaxing Trip Ever

To enter, submit a 250-word essay to the Alabama Tourism Department on why you deserve The Most Relaxing Trip Ever. A complete list of contest rules, regulations, eligibility and submissions can be found at Alabama.Travel/Relax. Photos and video submissions are optional with applications.  

Enter to win The Most Relaxing Trip Ever contest from June 6 through Aug. 1. Winners must agree to the official rules and be a resident of an eligible state.    

Filed Under: Life, Outdoors, Travel Tagged With: Alabama, Alabama travel, Beach, Gulf Coast Beaches, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach

Alabama design firm wins national awards for Bicentennial PastPort

December 18, 2019 By Kara Kennedy

Sponsored

Inspired Southerner PASTPORT
Tatum Design’s creative work for the PastPort wins local, regional and national awards

Tatum Design ‘s work for the Alabama Bicentennial PastPort initiative has earned 39 creative awards at the local, regional and national levels. To date, the PastPort has won 34 ADDY Awards, including four Golds and 20 Silvers at the local level, a “Best of Show” and five Gold regional ADDY Awards, and three Golds and one Silver at the 2018 American Advertising Award’s National ADDY competition in Chicago.

Award-winning PastPort Initiative

The PastPort brand and identity was the “Grand Prize Winner” and “Best of Region – South” at the 2018 HOW/PRINT Regional Design Awards and was selected to be featured in the prestigious 2020 Graphis Design Annual. Posters designed for the initiative will also be honored in the 2020 Graphis Poster Annual. The PastPort APP, which was designed by Tatum and programmed by MotionMobs, was showcased at this year’s Google Flutter Conference. 

Tatum Design
The Alabama PastPort tells unique stories about the history of the state.

Alabama Travel and Tourism

The Alabama Bicentennial Commission reached out to Tatum four years ago to help create a collateral piece that would encourage travel throughout the state leading up to Alabama’s 200th anniversary. However, Tatum envisioned something much bigger. As an Alabama-based design firm, they wanted to create a multi-faceted initiative that would set the tone for the entire statewide celebration and bring Alabama history to life like never before.

Tatum Design PastPort
Tatum Design led the PastPort creative and won 39 design awards

History in the Making

Tatum’s goal was to celebrate every county in the state, big and small, equally. Inspired by historical people, places and events, Tatum named the initiative and crafted an immersive brand that would allow people of all ages to personally connect with Alabama history and chronicle their adventures at stamp sites within every county as they explored the state. Tatum wanted the PastPort book to serve as an educational resource, travel guide and commemorative keepsake.

Alabama PastPort
Travelers learn about Alabama’s history with the PastPort

Collaborating with Alabama Bicentennial

Tatum designed custom artwork and wrote lively narratives for all 67 counties and each of the state’s seven geographical regions. The curation of subject matter was a collaborative process between Tatum Design and the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, as well as state archivists, historians and the Encyclopedia of Alabama. The research was a vital part of Tatum’s creative process, guiding the narratives and inspiring the custom artwork Tatum created for the PastPort book. 

“We wanted to tell the full, unbridled story, not just the familiar historical accounts we all learned in school,” said Wendy Tatum, Co-owner and Creative Director of Tatum Design. For the larger counties where well-known events took place, we dug deeper to bring the lesser-known details to light. While researching the smaller, more rural counties, we were led on adventures that uncovered more pieces of the puzzle and confirmed that every square inch of Alabama is uniquely fascinating, and every county plays an important role in the larger story of our state.” 

Inspired southerner PastPort
The PastPort tells the history of Alabama’s 67 counties

The Creative Process

Prior to the implementation of the PastPort initiative, Tatum tested its concept through extensive visioning exercises and helped attract sponsors by designing prototypes to demonstrate how all of the brand touchpoints would work together. From conception to launch, the project took 18 months to complete and required the tireless dedication of Tatum’s entire creative team. 

Tatum Design  Alabama PastPort
Travelers are encouraged to get their PastPort stamped when visiting Alabama attractions

“This was a project that was close to our hearts,” said Travis Tatum, Co-owner and Executive Creative Director of Tatum Design. “Our team is extremely collaborative by nature and by design. As Alabamians and as creatives, we felt a deep sense of responsibility to capture the true spirit of our people, our land and our history. We are truly honored to have led the creative efforts of this monumental initiative, and we are humbled by the overwhelming recognition our firm has received from so many prestigious design competitions.” 

For more information about Tatum Design, visit www.tatumdesign.com. 

Filed Under: Art, Life, Southern business, Travel Tagged With: Alabama Bicentennial, Alabama travel, bicentennial, PastPort, Tourism, Travel

Cheaha State Park is a fun day trip for the whole family

September 6, 2019 By Rebekah Ledbetter

Planning a day trip that the whole family will enjoy can be difficult. Especially now that school is back in session, but just 25 minutes off I-20’s exit 188 is Cheaha State Park.

Inspired Southerner Cheaha
Mt. Cheaha is Alabama’s highest peak. Photo by Cheaha State Park

Alabama’s highest peak

In the heart of the Talladega National Forest, stands Alabama’s highest peak, Mt. Cheaha. The mountain is 2,413 feet above sea level making it the highest point in Alabama. Anyone who visits or hikes to Mt. Cheaha will experience breathtaking views. Cheaha gets its name from the Creek Indian work chaha which means high place.

The boardwalk at Cheaha State Park is wheelchair accessible. Photo by Cheaha State Park.

Our state parks are one of Alabama’s greatest assets and they offer fun for everyone in the family. Cheaha State Park’s best feature is a boardwalk to one of the most beautiful overlooks in the state of Alabama. The boardwalk is handicap accessible. There are also stairs throughout the park that lead to the trails and which run alongside the boardwalk. The stairs are for the trailblazer of the family or those who want a challenge.

The boardwalk

At the end of the boardwalk is wheelchair accessible and there you will find a breathtaking view.  

Inspired Southerner Cheaha State Park
Mt. Cheaha State Park has breathtaking views

The adjacent hiking trails lead to Bald Rock, which is in front of the boardwalk. 

Inspired Southerner Cheaha State Park
The boardwalk leads to this scenic view. It is elevated and wheelchair accessible.

Another popular and recognizable feature of the park is the tower. 

Inspired Southerner Tower at Cheaha
Tower at Cheaha State Park

The tower

In front of the tower is a plaque which designates it as the tallest point in Alabama!

Be sure to take a few quarters for the viewfinder, and climb the stairs to the top of the tower for yet another incredible view! If you remembered to bring a few quarters up be sure to use that viewfinder to your advantage! 

Bigfoot

Across from the tower, you will find Bigfoot. Bigfoot’s purpose at Cheaha is to be the mascot of the 7 Leave No Trace principles. You will find Bigfoot along the trail as a reminder to be just like Bigfoot and ‘leave no trace’. 

Cheaha State Park has made plenty of improvements to the park, including renovations to the restaurant and the addition of the pool. Just across from the Welcome Center and Gift Shop is the Walt Farr Native American Relic Museum. There you will find an amazing collection of arrowheads, spearheads, and other Native American Treasures. 

In addition, Cheaha offers excellent sites for camping and has a hotel for overnight stays. For more information on these amenities, and for the park itself, be sure to check out their website here. 

Filed Under: Family, Inspiration, Life, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized Tagged With: Alabama, Alabama travel, day trip, Family, Outdoors, Southern Travel, Travel

Southern Treasures in My Own Backyard: Decatur, Alabama

January 10, 2016 By Kara Kennedy

Joe Wheeler ParkI don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, but I do have goals each year that I attempt to reach.  One goal for 2016 is to be more adventurous to travel and explore different parts of the Southeast Region.  It is liberating to get a deeper understanding of the region where I spent my childhood.

A friend and I took an adventure yesterday to Decatur, Alabama, which is about 85 miles north of Birmingham and 25 miles southwest of Huntsville.  Decatur is known as the River City because it is located on Joe Wheeler Lake and the Tennessee River.  My friend had never been to Decatur, but wanted to go because it was the last day of her friend and world -renowned artist Tim Stevenson’s exhibit at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center located on Church Street. The Center has a unique history in that it was a library for about 70 years.  From the Center’s Website:  completed in September of 1904, the Carnegie Library of Decatur was one of the 2,509 libraries built by the millionaire philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. At the turn of the century, Carnegie began donating money to non-profit, educational organizations. Starting with a large library system in Pittsburgh, with a donation of $1 million, Carnegie began to fund libraries throughout the nation. The Decatur Library was housed in this facility for more than 70 years before being transformed eventually into the Visual Arts Center in 2003. Tim’s artwork was beautifully displayed throughout the Center’s main floor and included my favorites, his landscapes, along with his still life pieces.

After going through the exhibit we decided to go for lunch. While driving we were sidetracked by a stray dog walking along a busy road. We tried to catch him so that we could take him to the animal shelter.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t, he was too timid, so we had to put our super hero capes away and hope that someone else may have more success in catching him.

While on the way to lunch a boutique caught my eye. This, of course, is not a surprise because I love boutiques in small Southern towns.   Cricket by the Creek is the name of this boutique and It just so happened that today they had a sale in their upstairs room; clothes were $15 and shoes were $20!  Believe it or not, I scored a pair of Donald Pliner sport wedges for $20.  I thank God I wear a small size and I love a good bargain. The ladies who helped us were pleasant and helpful.  This boutique is definitely on my list for a return visit.

After this other detour we ended up at Big Bob Gibson BBQ for lunch.  I am ashamed to say I have never been to the restaurant and was grateful that my friend indulged me.   The restaurant was built from Big Bob Gibson’s pit barbecue where he cooked in his backyard. The restaurant has lasted 75 years and four generations.  His barbecue has won many awards and has  been featured in several magazines including, Southern Living, Garden and Gun Magazine and was also featured on the Food Network.   I had the BBQ pork plate, which is listed as a 10- time World Champion for pulled pork plate, with mac and cheese and green beans.  My friend had the same except with baked beans.  Everything was homemade and fresh.  I especially liked the world famous white sauce. Of course, we couldn’t leave without splitting a delicious homemade pecan pie. Oh my, you definitely don’t go hungry at Big Bob Gibson’s so be sure to bring along your appetite.

Joe Wheeler Refuge On the way out of town we stopped at the Joe Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge because it was the Whooping Crane Festival.  My friend and I braved the chilly temps to catch a glimpse of these beautiful birds and take a short stroll through the wooded area. Once again the beauty of nature was amazing.

I am guilty of this like most of us, sometimes we never really know or appreciate the wealth of beauty and history in our own backyard. It was an interesting day of exploration of the River City.  Yesterday was the start of my 2016 goal to  be more adventurous   It was a great day!  What could be better than seeing great art, getting super deals and eating awesome food.

 

Filed Under: Life, Travel Tagged With: Alabama, Alabama travel, Big Bob Gibson, Joe Wheeler National Refuge

We tell real stories about the south. ~Kara Kennedy, Publisher

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