Foley offers something for a range of interests: Graham Creek Nature Preserve focuses on natural habitats and outdoor activities; downtown, you’ll find the Wilbourne Antique Rose Trail and Heritage Park. The museums explore railroad and medical history from different perspectives. These details can help you choose the focus of your stay.
Nature Trails, Water and Disc Golf
Graham Creek Nature Preserve covers 484 acres of natural habitats, including pine savannas, wetlands and tidal marshes. Numerous unpaved, natural-surface trails are designed for hikers, mountain bikers and wildlife watchers. The Preserve offers several ways to experience the landscape, without requiring every activity to involve the same kind of movement.
For kayaking, there is a free launch at the eastern entrance, at the end of Stan Mahoney Lane, with a fixed ramp and floating dock. Non-motorized watercraft may be launched during daylight hours; check the terms of use before setting out. The Preserve also offers guided kayak tours throughout the year. Those looking for a different kind of activity will find three full-length disc golf courses there, each with 18 baskets and concrete tee pads for beginners and amateurs.
Rose Trail and Heritage Park Downtown
The six-acre Heritage Park is in the heart of downtown Foley. The park and its scenic pavilion host numerous annual city events throughout the year. The Wilbourne Antique Rose Trail also runs through downtown, one block east of Highway 59. It starts on Violet Avenue, north of the pavilion in Heritage Park, and runs from Orange Avenue to Myrtle Avenue. Hundreds of disease-resistant historic roses in a variety of sizes and colors grow along the trail.
This part of Foley offers two distinct highlights: a park that hosts city events and a trail known for its historic roses.
Railroad and Medical History
The Foley Railroad Museum is housed in a depot built in 1909 for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Its O-gauge model train display measures 60 Ă— 20 feet. It includes a quarter-mile of track, a mile of wiring, 84 freight cars, 50 passenger cars and a replica of the L&N Hummingbird.
The Holmes Medical Museum offers a different historical perspective. It is located in Baldwin County’s first hospital, which served the community from 1936 to 1958. Original medical artifacts include surgical instruments, operating room equipment and a human skeleton. The interior has remained virtually unchanged since its use as a hospital. While the model train display at the Railroad Museum draws attention to railroad history, the focus here is on medical objects and the former hospital interior.
Art, Local Products and Attractions at OWA
Since 1966, the Foley Art Center has supported cultural education on the Gulf Coast through programs at local schools, grants for art teachers and art classes for children and adults. The Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market offers the public locally grown fruits and vegetables, seafood and agricultural products that are not certifiable. Arts education and the market offer their own highlights alongside the nature and history themes.
At OWA, rides at Tropic Falls Theme Park range from roller coasters to spinning teacups. Tropic Falls Indoor Water Park has an adjustable roof. Downtown OWA has pedestrian-only streets lined with dining, entertainment and shopping options. The rides, water park and pedestrian streets are distinct aspects of this entertainment destination.
Discover more destinations: Orange Beach, Perdido, Fairhope, Bay Minette, Loxley, Daphne, Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort.
For the main travel overview: Baldwin.
