Outside Looking In: What people outside Alabama are saying about the state:

Bob Carden of The Washington Post first discovered the beauty of Alabama's beaches when first visiting his future in-laws 21 years ago.

"I once called Gulf Shores the Jersey Shore of the South, and my wife almost slung a bowl of crawfish gumbo at me," he writes. "She was offended that I would compare the beaches of her youth to those of Snooki and Pauly D. But in some ways, it's true. If you're from Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi or the Midwest, this is your closest, best ocean beach. Like New Jersey, it draws from a wide area - geographically and otherwise. But comparisons probably end there.

"There are no kitschy boardwalks. It's more grits and less guido. The beaches are free. Alcohol and food are permitted. And, for all that's consumed, the beaches stay pretty clean. Visitors respect the beauty of the place."

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Bama beaches convenient, but no Snooki, Pauly D., Washington Post notes