"Mobile is a Secret Southern Powerhouse! " a Mobile Travel Page by DG4ever

Mobile has an ugly name. Let's just get that out there. Even if you pronounce it correctly, it's terrible. By the way, it's Mo-beel, not Mo-bile. Even back in 1702, when the city was founded by the French, noone liked the name. Who would want to live in a place that implied movability?
Noone knows how great this place is. I suspect that's how many Mobilians want to keep it, but I don't! Imagine live oaks embracing beautiful old homes and streets in shade-filled alleys. 300+ years of history that is older than New Orleans & Savannah. We were once the capital of Louisiana; therefore, the food originated here,not New Orleans. Ditto Mardi Gras. The traditions started here. Visitors are always surprised that this is such an old, beautiful Southern city.

There is a lot to do here if you enjoy history. First stop at the free information center: Fort Conde, which is downtown. There is a bus tour that leaves daily for about $12 per person that is a GREAT tour of the various historic districts with a guide. It's a good hour. OR for free, take the MODA- look for lime green umbrellas; it goes through just a little downtown for 20 minutes. There are 4 house museums that are all worthwhile to visit. Oakleigh Complex features 3 homes, ca. 1833 & 1850. Conde-Charlotte ca.1822; Bragg-Mitchell Mansion-ca. 1855; and Richards-DAR house ca. 1861. They are all different and worthwhile but pick Oakleigh if pressed for time. Museum of Mobile is state of the art. Exploreum is a great science museum for the kids. Also Carnival Museum- brand new Mardi Gras Museum. USS Alabama ship. African-American Archives Museum. New Mobile Museum of Art that is very amazing. Medical Museum. We really have a lot to do.

Now you want to hit the beach, but where is it? If you want , you can get in the bay but that's not really the beach. Mobile is about 30 miles inland. You have two choices for the beach: Dauphin Island- 30 minutes south or Gulf Shores/Orange Beach across the Bay and then down- about 1 hour + due to traffic. Traffic is terrible on summer weekends!! I would go to Dauphin Island and tour Fort Gaines(Civil War fort) & the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Check out the public beach area to the West. See how beach towns once looked before condos took over. Then take the CAR FERRY across the mouth of the bay to the Fort Morgan area. Keep driving until you get to Orange Beach just before the Florida line. Put your toes in the beautiful sugar soft sand and clear green water. The water gets clearer the further east you go.