Mobile, Alabama, was one of the Gulf Coast destinations that dodged damage from the 2017 hurricanes. “We had a little flooding in our downtown area but it drained within hours,” says Stacy Hamilton of Visit Mobile. “There was no real damage, and everything was back to business as usual the next morning.”
For Mobile, that means the business of tourism. The destination boasts mild winters, warm shoulder seasons, sizzlin’ summers and a boatload of things to do, starting with … boats!
“Our historical downtown entertainment district is just minutes away from the Mobile Tensaw Delta, the country’s second largest waterway,” Hamilton says. “Group sightseeing tours are available by duck boats, which take you through three splashes on a memorable land and water experience.”
And back on dry land, visitors can spend time in any of the city’s 17 museums, with installations and exhibits ranging from maritime history and colonial life to Mardi Gras.
“We’re the home of America’s original Mardi Gras, so a parade or two, combined with a visit to the Mobile Carnival Museum and a walking tour led by a Mardi Gras expert is a very Mobile experience,” Hamilton says.
And even though Mobile lies on the southern edge of Alabama, it’s a perfect piece of a tour package.
“If you’re coming from the north, a great multi-day itinerary can include an Alabama trip from Huntsville, through Muscle Shoals, Birmingham, Montgomery and ending with a stay at our beautiful beaches in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach,” says Hamilton. “Or if you’re heading west to east, New Orleans, Biloxi/Ocean Springs, Mobile to Pensacola is a great Gulf Coast trip with seafood, water activities and lots of history.”
For more details, email Visit Mobile’s Patty Kieffer or go to mobile.org.
Top photo by Visit Mobile