Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau
1 S. Water Street P.O. Box 204
Mobile, AL 36601-0204
(251) 208-2000
Population
196278
Time Zone
Central
Latitude/Longitude
30.69° /-88.04°
Today's Forecast
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HIGH: 76
LOW: 61
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At the head of 27-mile-long Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile is a leading seaport with a 300-year history. More than half of the city's revenue comes from industries that are connected in some way to waterborne commerce. Mobile celebrates its French heritage annually with a festive Mardi Gras. In March and April the city is abloom with azaleas.
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Make your first stop the city's official welcome center, located at Historic Fort Conde. The structure is a smaller reconstruction of the fort built in 1723 by the French on the site where Mobile was founded. The fort's museum has costumed interpreters as well as archaeological and historical displays, and the visitors center has walking tour maps of the city's several historic districts. Be sure to stop by the Conde-Charlotte Museum House next door. It served variously as a home, courthouse and jail.
Nearby, the Museum of Mobile offers a variety of experiences through its multimedia presentations and its extensive collection of artifacts dealing with events around Mobile Bay and southwest Alabama. The Mobile Carnival Museum documents the city's Mardi Gras festivities which are said to predate similar celebrations in Louisiana by a hundred years. Along with parade floats, the museum has gowns, costumes and jewels worn by Mardi Gras participants. One of the south's largest art museums, the Mobile Museum of Art has a comprehensive collection spanning some 2,000 years of history. In addition to European and non-Western works, the museum offers an extensive collection of American and contemporary crafts.
When in Mobile, be sure to visit the U.S.S. Alabama, a World War II battleship now berthed at Battleship Memorial Park. Visitors can tour both the ship, which won nine battle stars for service in the Pacific theater, and the U.S.S. Drum, a Navy submarine. The park also features an impressive selection of military aircraft and equipment. Check out the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center for lots of hands-on experimentation then settle back for the overwhelming effect of large-screen images of nature in the IMAX theater.
A fine collection of silver trumpets is among the unusual items found at the Phoenix Fire Museum. Fire alarms, helmets, antique steam engines, and various memorabilia are all housed in an early city fire house. The Mobile Medical Museum has one of the largest collections of historic medical items and equipment in this part of the South. Mobile's wealth of historic homes include the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion, the three structures preserved at the Oakleigh Historic Complex, and the Richards-DAR House Museum.
For an evening of high culture, the Mobile Civic Center and its adjoining theater, noted for their distinctive architecture, offer both fine music and drama, while the beautifully restored Saenger Theatre is the permanent home of the Mobile Symphony. Baseball fans can head to Hank Aaron Stadium ("the Hank") to see the Mobile BayBears, double A Southern League farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
To enjoy a little peace and tranquillity, wander along the nature trail in the Mobile Botanical Gardens and enjoy the rhododendron, holly, ferns, and wildflowers. One special feature is a fragrance and texture garden that has been thoughtfully designed for those visitors who can only touch or smell the greenery. More greenery awaits a few miles up Mobile Bay on the exceptionally lovely grounds of the Bellingrath Gardens and Home.
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