Travel Guide to Mobile, AL

Why You Should Visit Mobile, Alabama

by Mark Roberts | February 19, 2010

What do you get when you combine southern charm, stately homes and the world's oldest Carnival celebration? You get a wild party in one of the most pleasant and unique cities in the south. Gateway to the Mobile Bay, the city is the first stop for many vacationers heading to the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

But Mobile is not a drive-through destination.

Its French, Spanish, Creole, Catholic, British, and African heritage distinguish it from all other cities in the state of Alabama. Founded in 1702 by two French brothers as the first capital of the French colony of Louisiana, the port city became one of the largest military and trading centers on the Gulf Coast. During the Civil War, one of the most famous naval engagements, the Battle of Mobile Bay, resulted in the Union taking possession of Mobile Bay in 1864

Today shipbuilding and tourism help drive Mobile's economy. The restoration of the city's many historic homes and buildings ensures those who live and conduct business in the area do so in an atmosphere of unmatched southern charm.

Visitors to Mobile often celebrate the city's military history at Battleship Park where the USS Alabama is on display along with many other military ships and aircraft. For those visitors hoping to capture the essence of the deep south, a trip to Bellingrath Gardens offers a vast landscape of flowers (65 acres) set amidst an historic Southern mansion.

Visit Mobile in late January or early February and you'll get an opportunity to participate in the nation's oldest Mardi Gras celebration. Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras and its parades and balls rival any celebration held by its more well-known neighbor two hours west.

With 21 golf courses, the nation's newest cruise terminal, seafood restaurants, and plenty of nightlife on Dauphin Street, the city has much to offer visitors to the Gulf Coast. Y'all invited to come and relax in Mobile.

>>For the latest on what to do, where to go, where to stay, and where to eat in Mobile, visit the Mobile Insider Guide. Or, search our Mobile Trip Planner.