1. Ed's Drive In

Ed's doesn't get as many beach shoutouts as it should primarily because it's not on Interstate 65 -- it's west of there, in Jackson. But for those traveling U.S. 43 (or even those willing to take an hour+ detour off 65), you'll want to stop here. Ed's has been a Jackson mainstay since the summer of 1964, and after one bite it's pretty easy to see why. The old-fashioned joint serves up a steak sandwich that'll make any meat-eater happy, and the soft serve makes the perfect sweet treat for the rest of the trip. Read more about Ed's in my colleague Bob Carlton's excellent profile.

2. The Donut King

Y'all, I firmly stand behind my saying that there aren't many bad doughnuts in the world. (There are definitely doughnuts that are much worse than others, but I'd rather eat a "bad" doughnut than bad barbecue any day.) But if I grew up eating doughnuts at the Donut King in Eufaula, I'd probably think most of the world's doughnuts just couldn't compare. These doughnuts are delectable, and some people plan their beach routes just so they can stop here. (We named it in our top 2 doughnuts places in Alabama a couple of years ago.)

If you're headed down U.S. 431 to go to Florida's beaches, then this is your stop. It's non-negotiable.

3. The Conecuh Sausage Gift Shop

OK, so this one isn't underrated. By now you probably already know all about Conecuh sausage and heard about why its gift shop off Interstate 65 is just five stars. You can get lunch on the cheap (a couple of Conecuh dogs will probably be cheaper than the McDonald's across the street) and you can shop Conecuh products and Alabama-made goods in its gift shop. But its restrooms are the cleanest in Alabama, and I don't think it gets enough love for that. Seriously: Stop for the restrooms alone. Worth it.

Let me know about your favorite pit stop!

Until next time,

Haley

P.S. Want more pitstops? Read my colleague Amber Sutton's story!