Inside the fascinating AL marina that has a replica of Stonehenge, dinosaurs + a “Lady of the Lake” [PHOTOS]

You could go to Elberta, Alabama’s Barber Marina and never even know there’s a full-scale replica of Stonehenge. Or Knights in the woods. Or a gigantic T-Rex in a clearing. You’d probably see the Lady of the Lake, though.

Billionaire, art patron and Alabamian George Barber (yes, of Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum fame) built his Baldwin County Marina and filled it with unique art, giving guests a fun scavenger hunt before reaching the waterfront. For Father’s Day this year, I took my dad to Barber Marina to find every cool sculpture. Come along with us!

Barber Marina – at a glance

On the surface, Barber Marina is exactly that—a lovely spot to anchor your boat (or buy a new one!) along the Intracoastal Waterway between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The menagerie of sculptures is hidden along a windy stretch of road leading up to the marina. If you didn’t know they were there, you’d drive right past.

Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake is possibly the most iconic sculpture in the marina—everyone who arrives by boat or by car has the chance to see the 50-foot-tall woman bathing in the bay.

She was created by fiberglass artist Matt Cline and installed back in 2012. In 2020, she was removed from the marina after Hurricane Sally nearly destroyed her. Luckily she was repaired and re-installed by 2022. Also added were some new walkways to let visitors get closer than before.

Dinosaurs abound!

According to my count, there are at least four dinosaurs on the property—Brontosaurus, T. Rex, Stegosaurus, and Triceratops. Cline made the dinosaurs, too. They’re tucked away along Barber Parkway on your way to the marina. My advice—if you see tire tracks or a gravel parking spot, get out and look around, there might just be a T-Rex in the trees.

Bamahenge

If you’ve ever wanted to make the trek across the pond to see Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice, try visiting Bamahenge first. It has the same spectacular sights, without needing airfare or to renew your passport. Originally, Barber commissioned the replica to go outside the Motorsports Museum, but by 2012, when it was constructed, he’d decided on the marina as the home for Bamahenge.

Bamahenge was designed to be the exact same size as the center of Stonehenge, so the sunlight would properly align on the solstice.

Spiders, knights + gators, oh my!

There’s so much more to explore at Barber Marina, and in the interest of not spoiling your entire adventure, I’ll just name a few:

• Four knights in the woods
• An alligator statue near the Ship Store
• Roman Columns
• Italian Renaissance-style fountain with a statue of Neptune at the top
• Sea horses
• A gigantic spider

See it for yourself

Barber Marina

• Address: 26986 Fish Trap Road, Elberta, AL
• Hours: Grounds don’t close | Ship store open from 8AM-4PM, Monday-Saturday; 11AM-4PM, Sunday
• Cost: Free admission
• More info

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