Looking for information on Mobile, Spanish Fort, Daphne, Fairhope Alabama

[snt88]

My husband will soon be working near the Mobile airport, and we are trying to decide where to live.  We are New Englanders, so this will be quite the change! 

We are leaning toward living on the Eastern Shore, but this would be a much longer commute, so I'm looking for input.  What do you think about schools, stuff to do, general quality of life.  Suggestions?