The Alabama Guide
Mobile, AL
Alabama's port city on Mobile Bay, known for live oaks, historic districts and the oldest Carnival celebration in the United States.
86 places This weekend in Mobile
Today in Mobile
- Sunday Chance Showers And Thunderstorms 78°
- Sunday Night Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy 64°
- Monday Mostly Sunny 80°
Forecast: National Weather Service
Tides
- High 3:39 AM 2 ft
- Low 3:56 PM -0.1 ft
Predictions: NOAA CO-OPS
Mobile is older than New Orleans and still carries that Gulf Coast mix of French, Spanish and Southern history in its streets. Downtown centers on Bienville Square and Cathedral Square, with Dauphin Street lined with 1800s storefronts and iron galleries. Just beyond, Midtown and the Oakleigh Garden District hold blocks of Victorian and Creole cottages under huge live oaks, and the azaleas that earned the city its Azalea City nickname put on a show every spring. The working port is right there too, with container ships sliding up the Mobile River past downtown.
Start at the History Museum of Mobile and the reconstructed Fort Condé, then cross the causeway to USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, where you can climb through a World War II battleship and the submarine USS Drum. Mobile Bay seafood is the main event at the table, so look for seafood restaurants serving Gulf oysters, shrimp and West Indies salad, and save room for Southern and soul food. After dark, Dauphin Street is the place for bars and live music, and the side streets hide good cocktail bars. Leave time to browse the antique and vintage shops around town.
Mobile questions, answered
What is Mobile best known for?
Mardi Gras, for starters. Mobile is also a deepwater port city with more than three centuries of history, from its 1702 French founding to the restored historic districts downtown and in Midtown. Visitors come for the USS Alabama, the azaleas and live oaks, Mobile Bay seafood and an easy, unhurried pace that feels more Gulf Coast than Deep South.
Is Mardi Gras really older in Mobile than in New Orleans?
Yes. Mobile’s Carnival celebration dates to 1703, making it the oldest in the United States, and the city’s first known parade rolled in 1711. Today the season runs for weeks, with nightly parades in the final two weeks before Fat Tuesday. Expect MoonPies, which have been a classic Mobile throw since 1956. The Mobile Carnival Museum on Government Street covers the history year round.
When is the best time to visit Mobile?
Late February through April is hard to beat: Mardi Gras usually lands in February or early March, the azaleas bloom in March, and temperatures are mild. October and November are also pleasant and less humid. Summers are hot and sticky, and hurricane season runs June through November, so check the forecast before a late summer trip.
How do I get to Mobile?
Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) in west Mobile has commercial flights and is about 25 minutes from downtown. A new passenger terminal at Mobile International Airport (BFM) near downtown is expected to take over airline service. By car, Mobile sits where I-10 meets I-65, about an hour from Pensacola, two and a half hours from New Orleans and roughly two and a half hours from Montgomery.
Where should I stay in Mobile?
Stay downtown if you want to walk to restaurants, museums and parade routes, especially during Mardi Gras when rooms book up months ahead. Historic inns and bed and breakfasts in the Oakleigh and Midtown neighborhoods offer a quieter base, while west Mobile has chain hotels near the airport and I-65. Browse local options in our places to stay section.
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The Haberdasher
Craft cocktails and a from-scratch kitchen on Dauphin Street
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