Discover the best attractions in this Gulf Coast city, including historic forts, botanical gardens, and battleships.
Mobile, a city on the Gulf Coast, is full with history, culture, and beautiful architecture. Whether you want to learn about plantations and antebellum South architecture, enjoy Creole culture and cuisine, savor the maritime history, or spend a day on the bay, visitors to this Alabama destination will find enough to do. Here are some of the top things to do in Mobile if you’re thinking about visiting this port city.
(Note: The COVID-19 epidemic may have an impact on some of the activities, attractions, and venues listed here. There may be new regulations in place, such as mask requirements, reservation requirements, or capacity restrictions. Before departing, inquire with the local tourism bureaus, the U.S. Department of State, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
Visit the Mardi Gras celebration.
Mardi Gras, which translates to “Fat Tuesday” in French, occurs annually the day before Ash Wednesday and marks the end of the several-week-long winter season of revelry known as Carnival. The first recorded unofficial Mardi Gras celebration in North America occurred close to modern-day New Orleans in 1699, but Mobile’s inaugural Mardi Gras event began what is regarded as the oldest annual Carnival in the United States a few years later. Depending on the year, the festival in Mobile, which starts two and a half weeks before Fat Tuesday, usually takes place between early February and late February. For one of the parades, stake out a spot early on the sidewalk in downtown Mobile and take in the sight of the vibrant floats. Be on the lookout for Moon Pies and beads that march participants wills to spectators. When compared to larger Mardi Gras sites like New Orleans, travelers find Mobile’s Mardi Gras to be a joyful and family-friendly celebration. They also like the festivities’ intimacy.
Carnival Museum on Wheels
The Mobile Carnival Museum can provide you with a fascinating peek into the past of one of the oldest yearly festivities in the United States, whether or not you’re in Mobile for Mardi Gras. You’ll have the opportunity to discover how locals create their floats and costumes, view old images of the parade from the 19th century, examine various relics, such as the crowns, scepters, and robes of former Mardi Gras monarchs, and even pose for a portrait as a monarch. The memorabilia has been kept in good condition, according to previous visitors, who advise asking the staff members for further information about the history of the festival.
In Mobile, Alabama, at 355 Government St.
Battleship Memorial Park for the USS Alabama
The USS Alabama, known as the “Heroine of the Pacific,” made its maiden voyage during World War II. USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park opened only a few years after Mobile residents and other Alabamans recommended a different solution to the federal government’s plans to scrap the battleship in 1962. The USS Drum, the oldest U.S. submarine now on public display, and the USS Alabama are both available for tours within. Tanks, warships, and artillery from various wars are also on display throughout the park. Explore the grounds and memorials to veterans of all conflicts before entering the Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion to observe the collection of vehicles, planes, and other items. Visitors to the park laud this attraction as essential if you’re going to be in Mobile and claim it provides an amazing perspective on the warriors who have fought in previous conflicts.
Postal Code: 36602; Address: 2703 Battleship Parkway, Mobile
Gardens at Bellingrath and home
Bellingrath Gardens and Home, a 65-acre estate including a conservatory, an Asian American garden, a rose garden, a bayou, a boardwalk, and more, is situated in the town of Theodore, some 25 miles south of Mobile. The Bellingrath Museum Home, where Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, who created the gardens, resided until 1934, is open for tours. If you’re traveling with children, you can download a number of kid-friendly guides for the gardens that will teach them about bees, butterflies, birds, geography, plants, and more. You can also keep the kids busy with a few scavenger hunts. Previous visitors praise the year-round beauty of the gardens and urge you to take a tour of the house even if it can get busy at times.
Theodore, Alabama 36582; address: 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road
Immaculate Conception Cathedral-Basilica
The parish to which Mobile’s Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception belongs was founded in 1703, making it the first Catholic parish on the Gulf Coast, even though the building wasn’t dedicated for use as a place of public worship until 1850. To view the amazing stained glass, hand-built organ, and exquisite architecture, check the cathedral’s mass schedule or go at a different time. According to visitors, the cathedral is a tranquil place to worship or just ponder, and it reminds them of classic European churches.
307 Conti Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
Cellular Bay
Mobile Bay was a crucial port for the Confederacy during the Civil War; its loss was a significant Union success. Today, the 10-foot-deep average depth of the inlet allows for a range of water sports that the whole family may enjoy. Spend a few hours paddling around on a kayak, paddleboard, or canoe that you rented. On the bay, several operators provide guided tours and cruises, including murder mystery, brunch, and sunset cruises. More than 30 miles of white sand beaches may be found in Mobile Bay as well, but you might want to travel down south to Dauphin Island, a sleepy beach town on the Gulf Coast, by boat or by car. Previous visitors claim that the bay has stunning views, especially around dusk.
The Bragg-Mitchell House
In order to give Judge John Bragg and his family a somewhere to live while they weren’t at their cotton plantation outside Montgomery, this Greek Revival palace was constructed in 1855. The 20-room estate, which was donated to the city by its final private owner, the A.S. Mitchell family, currently houses a museum that explores life in the South at that period. During guided tours, you are fully immersed in the historical decor and tales of the previous occupants. A tour is highly recommended by previous visitors to the museum who claim that the narration of the guide brings the house to life and provides a fascinating look into the Civil War era. It should be noted that the museum occasionally closes for private events, so you might want to phone ahead for updates on the schedule before your visit.
1906 Springhill Avenue, Mobile, Alabama 36607
Exploreum Science Center of the Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, which is situated on the grounds of the historic Bragg-Mitchell Mansion, provides numerous immersive exhibits, both temporary and permanent, that spark visitors’ curiosity and imagination. You can also enter the dome theater to watch short documentaries on subjects including prehistoric caves, natural predators, and the nearby wilderness. The facility offers a variety of science demonstrations in the Science Squad Headquarters in addition to the theater and interactive exhibits. The Exploreum is recommended for families traveling with children, but parts of the displays might not always be functional, according to previous visitors.
the following address: 65 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602
African-American Heritage Trail named after Dora Franklin Finley
Take the time to research some of the region’s Black history because Mobile has such a diverse past and present in terms of culture and ethnicity. The city’s African-American Heritage Trail’s more than 40 locations assist in bringing the region’s Black stories to life. Early Creoles of color, survivors from the Clotilda, the last slave ship to enter the United States in 1860, recently freed Black people who built and worshiped at some of Alabama’s oldest churches, African Americans who settled on what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, and civil rights activists who fought for desegregation are all highlighted in particular by the historical sites along the trail. Take a self-guided driving or walking trip with online maps and audio to explore this historic trail. For a guided experience, schedule a docent to lead a downtown walking tour or get on the bus with a narrator. You can learn about the former slave market, the neighborhood of Africatown, and the Emerson Institute, a rural school that established a diversified curriculum during the Jim Crow era, among other sites, as you decide to encounter these points of interest.
The Gulf of Mexico’s National Maritime Museum is called GulfQuest.
More than 90 interactive maritime displays covering trade routes, Gulf towns, ship navigation, military history, marine life, coastal habitats, and more are available at GulfQuest. Watch a documentary about the WWII history of the Port of Mobile in the Discovery Hull Theater before using a simulator at the museum to steer a ship across Mobile Bay and its environs in a variety of situations. The museum is the only institution of its sort devoted to Gulf of Mexico customs, culture, and history. Although there are numerous self-guided, interactive experiences for visitors of all ages, some exhibits can occasionally be unavailable, according to visitors.
Location: 155 South Water Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
Museum of Condé-Charlotte
Prior to becoming a family residence and subsequently a house museum, this historic structure served as Mobile’s first courthouse and jail. The rich history of the city is now being preserved by the Condé-Charlotte Museum. During a tour, you can see antiques, historical furniture, and other items that illustrate the diversity of Mobile, which has flown the French, English, Spanish, Confederate, and American flags at various times. Two Confederate parlors, a British commandant’s room, an American Federal dining room, a French sitting room, a Spanish garden, and other features highlight this rich past. Visitors praise the instructors for being extremely knowledgable and giving a thorough history of the house and area during these hour-long excursions.
Location: 104 Theatre Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
Mobile History Museum
The Italianate-style History Museum of Mobile, which was initially constructed in 1855 to house the city market and some of the city’s government ministries, now houses more than 117,000 objects from the city and its surroundings. Visitors can discover more about Mobile’s past, from its earliest Native Americans to eras of slavery and civil rights, among other topics. One of the actual cannons from the Confederate ship CSS Alabama, as well as a gallery showing some of the finer aspects of Southern culture, such as fine porcelain, crystal, and artwork, are on display as permanent displays. Another exhibit features amazingly realistic miniature houses. If you intend to visit Mobile more than once, the museum is worthwhile because it features changing exhibits. Despite its relatively small size, previous visitors claim that the museum provides an impressive peek into the history of the city.
Location: 111 South Royal Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
antebellum Fort Condé
This French colonial fort, which was initially constructed in 1723 primarily by African men who had been sold into slavery and is therefore a stop on the African-American Heritage Trail, offered security to the people of Mobile for more than a century under various colonial authorities and names, including Fort Charlotte. The ancient fort was largely destroyed, but in 1966, its remains were recovered. Ten years later, a somewhat scaled-down duplicate of a part of the fort was finished. Currently, visitors to Fort Condé can do so by purchasing a ticket to the History Museum of Mobile. Live reenactments of soldiers, artisans, and pirates will be performed, and you can also visit the armory, test your aim in the shooting range, and work with your kids to solve an escape room. However, it can be a fantastic addition to your total experience at the History Museum of Mobile. Previous visitors warn that the fort alone isn’t worth the price of museum entry.
Location: 150 S. Royal Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
Oyster house Wintzell’s
Wintzell’s Oyster House, which now has two locations—one in the center of Mobile and one in the west—started out in 1938 as a small oyster bar with just six chairs. The Gulf Coast institution has been serving up a variety of fresh seafood and other Southern comfort foods for more than 80 years. If you’d prefer to stay away from the crowds, it also offers family-style dinners for takeout. Food critics praise the restaurant’s ambiance and helpful personnel, saying that it is a must for seafood lovers, especially if you like fresh oysters.
Theatre Crescent
Built in 1885 as a place for burlesque and vaudeville performances, Crescent Theater was once regarded as the coolest movie theater in Alabama. In the 1920s, it switched to playing silent films. The structure changed into a venue for a number of eateries for many years before reopening as a theater in 2008. Today, in addition to showing regionally produced movies, independent films, and big-budget movies from around the world, Crescent Theater also hosts live concerts. The old theater’s lovely intimacy is a favorite among visitors and residents alike, and despite its age, the seats are said to be comfy.
Location: 208 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
Museum at Richards-DAR House
The Richards family owned this Italianate-style townhouse from the 1860s, which was constructed by Captain Charles G. Richards and his wife Caroline Elizabeth Steele, until 1946, when a cement business purchased it. In 1973, four local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution organization repaired the house after it had been given to the city. The four seasons iron lace and other exquisite furniture inside the DAR-maintained museum are legendary. The 10,000 square foot house is open for guided tours, allowing visitors to experience life as it was for the Richards family while they lived there. Previous visitors remark that the tour is filled with tales about each area of the home, and the tour guides radiate Southern warmth.
Location: 256 N. Joachim Street, Mobile, AL 36603
Boardwalk for gators
You may see alligators, fish, and other local animals as you walk along D’Olive Creek on this half-mile boardwalk near Daphne, just a 10-mile drive across Mobile Bay. While you’re there, you may also explore a butterfly garden. Gator Boardwalk is an excellent site to see alligators if you’ve never seen one outside of a zoo or aquarium. Although there is no assurance that you will encounter any alligators while strolling the boardwalk, travelers report that it is still fun whether or not you are fortunate enough to see one. Keep in mind not to feed any alligators you come across.
Location: 36526 N. Main St., Daphne, Alabama
Museum of the Old Oakleigh House
The oldest home museum in Mobile is the Oakleigh House. This Greek Revival-style home, built in 1833 by James W. Roper, has experienced a number of historical eras and events in Mobile and the neighborhood, including the cotton trade, slavery, the Civil War, emancipation, railroad growth, epidemics, and more. Customers can see Mobile history through the eyes of the people who lived in Oakleigh during an hour-long guided walk through the home museum’s original period chambers. Additionally, you can see the Union barracks, which were constructed on the grounds around 1866 and depict Emancipation and Reconstruction in the post-Civil War South. Previous visitors have praised the home’s basic yet elegant architecture and the uniqueness of the antiques compared to those in similar museums.
300 Oakleigh Place, Mobile, Alabama 36604
Mobile Art Museum
More than 6,400 works of fine and decorative art from America, Europe, and Asia are permanently on display in the city’s art museum (though not all of them are on view at all times). The collection of the Mobile Museum of Art includes pieces that date all the way back to classical antiquity. The museum also holds a number of special exhibitions all year long that spotlight particular media and artists. If you have the opportunity, you can also see if any of the art classes for kids and adults that may cover glass fusing, jewelry making, ceramics, or other creative forms are being held at the same time as your visit. You can stroll along the sculpture trail outside, which has a few dozen works in different mediums. The entire collection may be viewed in about an hour, according to museum visitors, but many advise lingering a little longer to fully enjoy the experience.
Postal Code: 36608 in Mobile, Alabama, 4850 Museum Drive
Park Meaher State
Meaher State Park, located less than 10 miles east of the center of Mobile, is a fantastic location to spend the day or possibly the night exploring the Mobile Bay wetlands. You can take as short or as long of a hike as you wish before taking advantage of the park’s amenities for boating and picnics because it is only one stop on the Coastal Alabama Birding Trail. The 300-foot pier’s fishing is another popular activity among visitors (though the pier was closed for repairs at the time of publication). The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, the second-largest delta in the contiguous United States and the most biodiverse river system in North America, is a natural wonder that can be enjoyed alone at Meaher State Park. Keep in mind that there is a small park entrance fee for day use. The state park includes upgraded tent and RV sites if you want to stay over. Previous visitors laud the stunning sights and serene ambiance of Meaher State Park.
Address: Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527, 5200 Battleship Parkway East
Flea market on wheels
The Mobile Flea Market, which calls itself the biggest flea market on the Gulf Coast, welcomes more than 800 sellers every Saturday all year long. There are six concession stalls so you don’t need to go outside to grab something to eat while you can browse a large choice of goods from around the world. But keep in mind that there is a small entrance fee and the market is not pet-friendly. Past visitors had varying opinions on the market’s quality and pricing. Some claim it offers a lively atmosphere and lots of interesting stuff.
Location: 401 Schillinger Road North, Mobile, Alabama 36608
Mobile Gardens of Botany
The 106-acre Mobile Botanical Gardens, which opened its doors in 1974, boasts the largest plant collection on the Gulf Coast. Admire the azalea collection, the pollinator garden, Japanese maples, and camellias, among other attractions, as you stroll the different trails in the grounds. Along with the gardens, there are 35 acres of conservation forest growing second-generation pines that were cut down in the early 1900s. Previously, the region where the gardens are located was covered with a sizable longleaf pine forest. Check the event schedule in advance to see if there are any upcoming botanical art classes or to join the weekly garden sketch club. Ask the office for some fish food if you’re traveling with kids so they may feed the koi fish, as well as a kids activity backpack that has treasure hunts, amusing facts, a sample of honey from the botanical gardens, and other activities. The polite and accommodating staff, according to previous visitors, adds to the enjoyment of the shady walks and gorgeous vegetation.
In Mobile, Alabama, at 5151 Museum Drive
Park Cooper Riverside
This 3-acre waterfront park provides a tranquil outdoor retreat where you may sit and unwind following your tours of the Mobile History Museum, Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, and GulfQuest Maritime Museum. Cooper Riverside Park offers views of the busy ship traffic in the Mobile port along with sculptures, seats, and lovely green grass. The U.S. Coast Guard Monument, which honors those who have served in Mobile from 1819 in that branch of the military and its precursor organizations, is also located in the park. Both locals and visitors appreciate taking a break at the park, where they may relax and observe the activity on the river, after exploring the city area.
In Mobile, Alabama, 36602, at 101 S. Water St.
Center for Contemporary Art in Alabama
The Alabama Contemporary Art Center, which is situated in the center of Mobile’s historic downtown, is committed to showcasing and promoting the creative output of contemporary artists. The center is a noncollecting museum, which implies that there aren’t any ongoing displays there. Instead, this site often has a few temporary exhibits that are open at once, so if you frequently visit Mobile, you’ll see something new each time. Consult the museum’s website for a schedule of forthcoming events. Museum programming may also include performances, presentations, dance parties, panel debates, and children’s programs. Previous visitors have praised the art center’s relaxed environment and its occasionally unusual exhibits, however some advise confirming before your visit whether the current shows are to your liking.
Childhood home and museum of Hank Aaron
Hank Aaron’s childhood house is a must-see if you love baseball, America’s national pastime. The minor league team originally known as the Mobile BayBears before they moved to Huntsville, Alabama, was housed at Hank Aaron Stadium before the home was moved to in 2008. Even if the stadium’s future is uncertain, you may still go to the house to learn more about Aaron, his family, and the development of baseball in Mobile. Objects from Aaron’s professional baseball career, such as his Golden Glove Award, home run record plaque, and original Louisville Slugger bat design, will also be on display. According to visitors, the museum is a moving and endearing tribute to one of the greatest baseball players ever. To further memorialize this renowned Black player, spend some time in Henry “Hank” Aaron Park, which is located a few blocks from the site of his former family home.
Location: 755 Bolling Brothers Boulevard, Mobile, Alabama 36606
Airboat Exploration
More than 5 miles east of Mobile, near Spanish Fort, you may find Airboat Adventures for a special experience on the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. You may get up close and personal with some of the delta’s unique wildlife, including alligators, egrets, turtles, snakes, eagles, and many other species, by taking an airboat ride. The tour provider offers 30- or hour-long tours, with the latter allowing you to pause for photos and learn more about the location. In some cases, Airboat Adventures may also include sunset trips, during which you’ll have a better chance of spotting alligators, as well as night tours. When it’s possible, bowfishing from an airboat may also be a lot of fun. Be aware that there is a minimum requirement for each type of tour, starting at four individuals. While the tour goes by quickly, previous visitors gushed about the captains’ local expertise and fascinating tales of the delta and said the cost was more than justified.
Address: Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527, 3775 Battleship Parkway
Brewing firm Braided River
Consider visiting Braided River Brewing Company if you enjoy craft beer or are just looking for a spot to relax with a cold one. The brewery produces a variety of year-round, seasonal, and limited-edition beers. The taproom always offers India pale beers, hazy pale ales, and German-style ales, and depending on the season, you might also find sour ales, stouts, amber ales, and other brews. Braided River is particularly well-known for its environmental sustainability initiatives, which include gifts to regional environmental organizations, a reduction in plastic use, and the repurposing of grain sacks and other materials, among others. Visitors praise the taproom for having a fair variety of beers for all palates and for making ordering food from adjacent eateries simple.
Location: 420 Saint Louis Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602