Things To Do in Mobile Alabama
Set on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile is usually overshadowed by her more famous Gulf cousin, New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina also devastated Mobile, but not many outside Alabama know that. And while everyone knows about Mardi Gras in New Orleans, no one knows that there’s a similar celebration in Mobile each year. In fact, it’s no secret to those along the coast that the first Mardi Gras party was celebrated in Mobile.
Mobile has a rich history and a vibrant Southern culture. A drive around the city uncovers plantations, museums, forts, and even a battleship or two! It’s a kid-friendly city, regardless of whether you’re thinking of a day-trip or a longer one.
Let’s take a look at three of the more interesting places you and your children can visit to have fun and even learn.
The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center
The Exploreum is a collection of small museums and exhibits that you can explore. Promoting science literacy is the stated goal of the Exploreum and it’s a definite success.
One of the most popular exhibits is My BodyWorks, which claims to be the country’s most advanced health gallery. It’s a hall featuring more than fifty custom-designed interactive exhibits.
Another one is the Hands on Hall, where kids can play music, pull themselves using pulleys, and do other fun things.
There’s also the Wharf of Wonder, where catching fish, climbing on ships, or playing in the ocean are all favorite activities for kids.
USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
Opened in early 1965 to the public, the park pays homage to those who served the United States aboard the USS Alabama. A huge battleship, whose length is half the height of the Empire State Building, the USS Alabama was a fighting machine with significant contributions to World War II. Nicknamed the “Mighty A”, she never suffered a single casualty and only minor damage. Tours of the battleship aren’t expensive and they’re self-guided.
Also at the park is the USS Drum, a submarine that also ran in World War II. Opened to the public on Independence Day in 1969, it is now displayed on land at the park. Featured at the park are also aircraft that flew in the eras of World War II, the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, and the Cold War. There’s also an impressive collection of tanks, tractors, gun boats, and Jeeps at the park.
While at the Exploreum, Fort Conde is a must-do; it’s just across the street from one of Exploreum’s public parking lots. A replica of an eighteenth-century fort that was, at separate times, a fort controlled by the French, the Spanish, and the British, the present reconstruction lies in the heart of Mobile. Children will love the fact that old cannons are pointed at modern skyscrapers of downtown Mobile. Rooms of the fort are arranged and furnished as they would have been in the past. Admission is free to the fort, which opened on July 4, 1976.