From arts festivals to boutique fashion finds, female talent and entrepreneurship make the Heart of Dixie an inspiring destination for women’s travel groups
By Sheila Zapata
When thinking of the southern state of Alabama, its rich history, natural landscapes and diverse cultural roots often stand out. Amid the bustle, there’s a large community where women show how they’ve impacted The Heart of Dixie, be it through the arts, culinary or the fashion industry. With all these female perspectives, Alabama is a great place for women’s travel groups to consider for their next trip.
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Fairhope: The City to Shop &Craft
Fairhope is known as a relaxing and cultural city, but throughout the years, the women that reside here have been putting their own taste to the charming aspects of their home. If you have a passion for the arts, Fairhope can indulge you with its annual Arts and Craft Festival, where you will find a variety of talented women who share their crafts with the community.
The festival is held annually downtown where in the span of two days, more than 200 artists show off their talents. Holly Glenn, one of the artists set to appear, is an impressionist artist from Liberty Hill, Texas, who’s known for her vibrant animal art pieces. Glenn explores the captivating techniques of pointillism, infusing it with a burst of vibrant colors and amusing expressions of animal subjects. In the same field, Ashley Benton, another artist attending, is a landscape artist
from Mississippi. She chooses to paint with oil paints for a slower painting process; her landscape pieces are described as soft, ethereal, and vast, yet to Benton, her paintings give her an opportunity to partake in a place that’s bigger than the one she’s in right now.
Great shopping spots
If you’d rather take yourself on a shopping spree, stop by the number of boutiques in the city to support the women that give the fashion industry a voice. Sadie’s of Fairhope and M&F Casuals are good examples of these types of shops.
Located in the heart of downtown Fairhope, The Fairhope Store is the place to go if you’re looking for classic designs, accessories and souvenirs during your trip. With a laid-back coastal aesthetic, this shop is perfect for women who want to have a relaxing
shopping experience surrounded by unique pieces of clothing as the shop’s founder/owner intended it to be. Lisette Milham Normann is an artist/designer who grew up with a passion for all things creative due to her mother being an artist herself. The boutique has been a thriving location for tourists and the locals with a deep sense of family as it was the biggest inspiration and support system for Normann while starting her business.
Muscle Shoals/Florence—Girl Dinner with a Hint of Jazz
Muscle Shoals and Florence are two of Alabama’s neighboring cities, but even though they’re so close together, they each have their own special aspects that attract visitors. Muscle Shoals is the place to be if your group wants to explore a music studio best known for hosting a legendary female artists that shaped the industry.
Before Muscle Shoals Sound Studio got its current name, it started off as Rick Hall’s FAME Studio. During that time, an iconic female artist recorded one of her songs that gave shape to her career as people know it today. Aretha Franklin was an American singer who defined the golden age of soul music in the 1960s. In November 1966, co-founder of Atlantic Records, Jerry Wexler, wanted to pair Franklin’s voice with the funky sound of FAME Recording Studio. There she was able to record one of her hit songs, “I Never Loved a Man (The Way That I Love You).” After that recording, Franklin’s career flourished and would continue to do so for decades.
Muscle Shoals is also home to a variety of annual events that attract numerous visitors each year. These events include the Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride, Recall La Grange, Helen Keller Festival, W.C. Handy Music Festival, Alabama Renaissance Fair and many holiday season events.
Dining and Shopping in Florence
In Florence, your group of girls can indulge in the flavors of American cuisine with a mix of southern and international flavors, thanks to a female, award-winning chef.
Odette is located in downtown Florence and features a casual upscale vibe and a growing reputation with the locals and the tourists. The ingredients used for the dishes are local and sustainable with the addition to traditional and modern cocktails and the largest bourbon collection in the state of Alabama. Odette’s chef Celeste Pillow, had fallen in love with Louisiana cooking at the age of 11 and her unique interpretation of Louisiana cooking was shaped from her exposure to Pan Asian cuisine and her love for “farm to table” ingredients.
Odette has been praised for its exquisite food, delightful hospitality and great ambiance making Chef Celeste’s dream of opening a restaurant and sharing her food with the community come true.
When not enjoying excellent food, Florence is a lovely place to shop. From tranquil Rogersville to historic Downtown Florence, the English Village to designer brands at Florence Mall; Florence has shopping for every taste.
Historic Downtown Florence
The shopping selections in downtown Florence are varied and wonderful. From Billy Reid designer clothing to decor for the home. to see places to shop, eat, play and more!
7 Points
Named after the seven original roads that met at this location, 7 Points offers restored historic shopping places with antiques, specialty stores and eateries.
English Village
A historic yet hip shopping place, English Village is a collection of unique specialty stores much like a small European village with a street of shops. Clothing, furniture, gifts, fine art, flowers, yoga studio and a bistro are among the offerings you will find here.
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