Work is sending me there in October for a few days. I'll be driving myself. What's it like? Crime? Places to eat? Firearms carrying?

Thanks!

I regularly visit a friend down there and their "fly-in" at Roy E. Ray airport.  Never had issues with crime.  I always carry concealed, never had issues with that either.
Food is great.  The Catalina is a great place to eat.  Great soft-shelled crab when it's in season.
Seems to be a popular place too.

The Bayou isn’t too bad really.  Typical issues with drugs, but if you stay away from them, shouldn’t be an issue.  
The Lighthouse is also a good place to eat for locally sourced seafood.
CCW should not be an issue at all.
You will see that the people there are a little different.  Don’t be surprised to see people wearing white rubber boots everywhere, aka “bayou reeboks” as the locals call them.
If you like to fish, you can try Lightning point and the pier on the Dauphin Island causeway, as well as on the island itself.