Llanfair - Mobile, AL

As a primarily residential neighborhood, Llanfair encompasses a one-mile stretch of land that doesn’t hold a particularly lengthy history of its own. However, Mobile County traces its history back to Native Americans and was even taken under Spanish rule following the American Revolutionary War. Because the region underwent multiple ownership changes, a diverse community was developed by the time it was finally ceded to the United States.

The Mobile Museum of Art lies only a few miles north on Museum Drive. Likewise, the art and music scene takes root deeper in the city. Locals fill their weekends with the constant influx of year-round events, such as boats showers, music festivals, and Mobile Mardi Gras.

For the best of Llanfair's cuisine, look no further than Airport Boulevard. A group of unique eateries line the road and give locals a landing strip of excellent cuisine that ranges from Cajun to Japanese. Don't miss out on the coastal favorite, Half Shell Oyster House, which holds the reputation of being a too-good-to-be-true mix of seafood and Creole goodness. The unique eatery draws in crowds for dishes such as fried crab cakes topped with poached eggs and pan-seared flounder. Of course, the oysters fly out of the kitchen, so make sure to grab an order to preface a sinfully sweet slice of bananas-foster cheesecake.

Llanfair locals appreciate a more lively atmosphere, as well, and choose the Lucky Irish Pub & Grill to satisfy their pub fare needs. However, you need to be a frequent patron to taste the best of Lucky's, because their unrivaled menu and beer selection top the list. The menu frequently rotates with mouth-watering specials that match major sporting events. Although, fan favorites such as gigantic slabs of Angus hamburgers showcased in the Lucky's Burger make it hard to try new things. Sip your fresh craft beer while watching the game and tossing back an order of deep-fried cheesy balls for a perfect day out with your buds.

Lucky's serves as a major part of the area's nightlife because no rambunctious night clubs or standalone bars populate the neighborhood. Instead, residents head to pool halls and lounges such as Bumper's Billiards on Beltline Highway. Scoring a beer special at Bumper's makes a late night out even better because a competitive pool game pretty much sums up local activities.

Navigating Llanfair without a car proves almost impossible, because an overwhelming majority of residents use automobiles on a regular basis. This also includes temporary lifts, such as local taxis and carpooling, and Uber serves the city. Most restaurants and shops lie too far apart to reach on foot, though residential streets and Airport Boulevard attract more walkers. In general, walkers can reach about three bars or restaurants in five minutes on foot. However, most streets don’t have the infrastructure for bicycling, and only Dauphin Street holds the reputation of being biker-friendly. Luckily, free and residential parking is easy to locate. Working professionals in need of public transportation use the WAVE bus system to travel to local destinations, but no local routes operate for daily commutes to the city. Instead, take one of several major highways that keep the roads moving quicker, such as Interstate 65 and Airport Boulevard, which eventually connects to Government Street.

Only one green space sits in the Llanfair neighborhood, so residents prefer heading to the free pastures at Hackmeyer Park instead of venturing out of Llanfair to explore others. The low-key park provides kids with a perfect neighborhood getaway, as there are playgrounds and sport fields. Families with pets also peruse the grassy fields, though no paved bike lanes exist for cyclists or serious joggers. However, plenty additional parks speckle west Mobile such as the Sage Avenue park in Dauphin Acres or the free Municipal Langan Park. This park boasts scenic lake views and caters to athletes by providing courts, fields, a full disc golf course and football field. Paved paths allow cyclists plenty of space for an evening ride. Aside from events affiliated with sports, the park doesn’t host festivals or events, which is true of Hackmeyer Park too.

Calling this friendly neighborhood home comes with a hefty price tag; the average cost of living sits about 18 percent higher than the city’s cost. This difference comes mainly from a significantly more expensive housing market dominated by renters. A standard one-bedroom apartment runs about $610 a month for rent, but residents pay similar prices to those of Mobile for all other goods and services such as utilities and groceries. Additionally, gas prices hover about 14 percent higher than the national average, but residents appreciate affordable costs overall. Small luxuries such as beer from a local pub come in at $3 to $5, a bargain compared to other areas. Public transportation is quite affordable too at $1.25 for a one-way bus fare.

Llanfair residents head to the southern part of the neighborhood to access the string of retailers that line Airport Boulevard. While locals can pick up all the essentials from big-name retailers, such as Target and Home Depot, no small specialty shops reside in this shopping hub. Instead, the collection of stores is made up of those offering services, department stores and niche hobby shops such as Gamestop and Guitar Center. Just outside the neighborhood’s western boundary lie the only two boutiques in the area: Lotus Boutique and Tiny Town Inc. Lotus specializes in trendy women’s fashion with a bohemian chic feel. Similarly, Tiny Town Inc. sells the best in children’s gifts, clothing and furniture, items superior to those of traditional chain stores. No high-end specialty boutiques serve the area, but a trip to downtown to fill your closet or apartment with unique items takes less than 25 minutes. Convenience stores such as Walgreens dot the region, so even quick pit stops are possible.

Grab groceries from the Fresh Market or Walmart, which both reside inside Llanfair. While big-name grocers are more than plentiful, specialty grocers are limited to one shop. Virginia’s Health Foods, off Airport Boulevard, adds a bit more variety to the commercial offerings. A few small farmers’ markets bring people the opportunity to hand-select their produce and organic goods, such as the Westside Tailgate Farmers’ Market, which operates from Schillinger Road on a weekly basis.