Located on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mobile is a vibrant and charming city with a rich history, diverse culture, and plenty of fun activities for visitors of all ages.
Whether you’re looking to explore the city’s historic sites and museums, indulge in delicious southern cuisine, or simply soak up the sun on the beach, Mobile has something for everyone.
In this article, we’ll take a look at 21 of the most fun and exciting things to do in Mobile, Alabama, ensuring that your trip to this beautiful city is one to remember.
Check on AvailabilityBut one way to be sure not to miss fun things is to get the weekly rundown!!
Annual Mardi Gras Celebrations
Mardi Gras is argued to have originated in Mobile and is celebrated just before the beginning of the Lent season.
These annual celebrations attract the whole community and thousands of visitors as well.
All come together to participate in fun-filled parades that are spread over a few weeks and culminate with Fat Tuesday.
The Mardi Gras celebration wrapped up in Mobile, AL, in February 2023. Here is the recap of the event.
Mardi Gras InfoBienville Bites Food Tour
The Bienville Bites Food Tour is a popular culinary tour of Mobile, Alabama.
It takes visitors on a guided walk through the city’s historic neighborhoods while sampling some of the best local cuisine.
The tour is led by knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides who provide insights into the city’s rich culinary history and culture.
The tour typically lasts around three hours and includes stops at several of Mobile’s top restaurants and eateries.
Visitors enjoy a variety of dishes that are local to the area.
Along the way, the guides share interesting stories and trivia about the city’s food scene and the restaurants featured on the tour.
This walking food tour is a great way to experience Mobile.
It is a must-try for foodies and anyone who loves to explore new and exciting culinary destinations.
Learn more about the food tour here.
Fun sidenote: the same company also launched a tour in neighbouring Fairhope! We recently tested out the Taste of Fairhope. Watch below or see recap vid here.
Go Fishing With Mobile’s Top Fishing Charters
Mobile is one of the best places to fish around the Gulf Coast, so it’s no surprise that there are many fishing charters here.
It attracts many anglers from different places who attend fishing competitions.
Some famous fish in the area are king mackerel, grouper, sheepshead, tripletail, speckled trout, red snapper, and larger gamefish.
Below are charters that provide a quality fishing experience for anglers of all skill levels and ages.
Learn more about the other best fishing charters of Mobile, AL here.
Get Booking InfoMobile Carnival Museum
At the Mobile Carnival Museum, you will discover the fascinating history behind the birthplace of Mardi Gras.
Museum volunteers, many of whom are former Kings and Queens of the Mardi Gras balls, will proudly extol the superiority of Mobile’s celebration over that of New Orleans.
If you want to visit, you can even skip the lines!
Knowledgeable tour guides will share the rich traditions of this winter festival, showcasing the intricate designs of costumes worn by past Mardi Gras monarchs.
You can also learn how the stunning floats and costumes are created and get an exclusive behind-the-mask look at past parades by climbing aboard a float.
Mobile’s annual Mardi Gras celebration features a variety of social events and tons of parades and balls early each calendar year.
Even if you’ve never experienced Mardi Gras, a visit to the Mobile Carnival Museum is sure to whet your appetite for this spectacular event.
It will also give you a deeper appreciation for the rich 300-year cultural history that goes beyond the colorful beads, costumes, and wild revelry.
Get a Pass to Skip the LinesRelated Reading: What Makes Mardi Gras In Mobile So Special – Find Out Here.
Perdido Queen Dinner Cruise
Perdido Queen Dinner Cruise offers different ways to enjoy the Mobile riverfront in their two-level riverboat.
You can inhale fresh air and absorb the magnificent view while you dine in their full-service bar and restaurant.
They offer private cruises such as the casual Mobile Dinner Cruise, Live Music, Comedy Murder Mystery, and Princess and Pirate Character cruises.
For each cruise, you’ll try something new to enjoy any celebrations, whether a date night, birthday celebration, or reunion making it one of the top fun things to do in Mobile, AL for adults.
Dive deeper in other dinner cruises of Mobile, AL here.
Visit Mobile Flea Market
As the largest year-round flea market on the Gulf Coast and only minutes from the airport, Mobile Flea Market is a fun and safe place to bring the entire family.
Guest can explore hidden treasures from all over the world that over 800 vendors have to offer—with unique items at prices that can’t be beaten.
From tools and furniture to fresh produce and roasted corn, Mobile Flea Market has something for everyone.
Visit: 401 Schillinger Road North, Mobile, AL 36608
Call: 251-633-7533
Days: Saturday & Sunday, 9 am to 5pm.
Related Reading: Thrift Stores In Mobile,AL – Explore Them Here.
Mardi Gras Park
Mardi Gras Park is a municipal park in downtown Mobile that you can visit and enjoy for free.
The park opened in November 2016.
It is located on the site of the old Mobile County Courthouse.
The park features statues representing the Mardi Gras tradition of the City, including Mardi Gras royalty, jesters, and Joe Cain, who is largely credited with initiating the modern way of observing Mardi Gras and its celebrations in the city following the Civil War.
Bellingrath Gardens
Bellingrath Gardens is a 65-acre estate located in Theodore, just outside Mobile, Alabama.
The gardens were originally the private estate of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, who developed the property into a stunning showcase of flowers, fountains, and other natural features.
Today, Bellingrath Gardens is open to the public and is a popular tourist attraction in Mobile.
Visitors can explore the gardens’ many beautiful features, including camellias, azaleas, roses, and other flowering plants, as well as numerous fountains, ponds, and other water features.
The gardens also feature several miles of walking trails, as well as a number of historic buildings and other structures.
In addition to the gardens, the property is home to the Bellingrath Home, a historic house museum that offers a glimpse into the lives of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath and their family.
The house is filled with antiques, artwork, and other historic artifacts, and offers visitors a fascinating look at life in the early 20th century.
The Delchamps Gallery of Boehm Porcelain
The Delchamps Gallery of Boehm Porcelain is a museum located in Mobile, Alabama that features a collection of rare and unique porcelain art pieces.
The gallery is named after the Delchamps family, who were prominent local merchants and avid collectors of porcelain.
The centerpiece of the gallery is a collection of porcelain birds and flowers created by Edward Marshall Boehm, a renowned porcelain artist.
The collection includes more than 1,000 pieces, each of which is carefully crafted and painted by hand to create a lifelike and stunningly beautiful representation of the natural world.
In addition to the Boehm collection, the Delchamps Gallery also features a number of other porcelain pieces, including pieces from other well-known artists and manufacturers.
Visitors can learn about the history and artistry of porcelain, as well as the processes used to create these delicate and intricate works of art.
USS Alabama Battleship Park
On the top list of things to do in Mobile, Alabama, is to visit the USS Alabama battleship memorial park.
USS Alabama battleship is a military history park and museum containing a set of historic aircraft and ships.
The battleship memorial park is also bursting with a striking collection of aircraft and military equipment preserved from the site’s eras of wars.
Because the park is dedicated to people who served in different branches of the U.S. armed forces, you’ll find artifacts from the military, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.
The USS Alabama battleship memorial park is a great spot to start out to pay respects to the dedication and memory of Alabama veterans who served in various wars, including World War II.
One of our local webcams is the view from the battleship itself!
GulfQuest – National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico
GulfQuest, in Mobile, AL is a maritime museum like no other!
With over ninety interactive exhibits, simulators, theaters, and displays, this museum makes a specialty of providing active experiences that inspire guests to know and appreciate the maritime heritage of the Gulf of Mexico.
Families can enjoy spending hours within the cool comfort of this 90,000 sq. ft. interactive maritime museum, exploring everything from steering a tugboat up the Mobile River to diving one among six dive trails in the Gulf of Mexico.
Traveling with children?
Great! GulfQuest provides unique and fun learning opportunities that may engage and encourage youngsters from the moment they arrive.
If you are ever trying to find a fun way to fill a day, look no further more than GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico.
Cathedral Of The Immaculate Conception
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a historic Roman Catholic cathedral located in downtown Mobile, Alabama.
It was built in 1835 and is considered to be one of the oldest churches in the city.
The cathedral’s architecture is primarily Gothic Revival style, with a stunning interior featuring intricate stained glass windows and beautiful murals.
The cathedral has played an important role in the history of the Catholic Church in Mobile and has been the site of many significant religious events over the years.
It has undergone several renovations and restorations throughout its history, including a major renovation in the 1960s.
Today, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception remains an active place of worship and a popular destination for visitors to the city.
It is known for its impressive architecture and beautiful interior, and it continues to be an important cultural and religious institution in Mobile, Alabama.
History Museum of Mobile
The History Museum of Mobile is home to exhibits and artifacts that explore Mobile’s interesting past.
Housed within the Southern Market/Old hall National Historic Landmark, the History Museum of Mobile explores the history and heritage of Mobile also because of the life and times of this Gulf Coast City.
Built between 1855 and 1857, and designed within the Italianate sort of architecture, the museum chronicles, and showcases 300 years of Mobile history.
Detailed permanent, temporary and special exhibits are rotated periodically, and a variety of education schemes and workshops invite students and visitors to become more involved.
The museum is additionally home to a singular collection of miniature houses, which depict a number of Mobile and Alabama’s finest mansions intimately.
This museum includes a gallery with historical information, also as several restored samples of horse-drawn fire engines and a few of the city’s first motorized fire-fighting vehicles.
Related Reading: Other Museums Of Mobile, AL – Find Out Here.
Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center
Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center is home to interactive science exhibits.
Located in downtown Mobile, the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center features over 150 hands-on science adventures that promote science learning through exploration and discovery.
And an IMAX theater aimed toward entertaining and educating young minds.
The museum’s permanent exhibits cover a spread of topics, including an interactive bioscience lab where kids can conduct their own experiments while learning about biology and health.
If you’re wondering what to try and do in Mobile with kids, this is often an excellent place to go to.
Other areas of the museum look into topics that relate to the Gulf of Mexico, including ocean life and human interaction with nature, like boating and fishing.
There’s also a play-learning area put aside for kids five years and younger to explore safely.
The IMAX Theater shows science-based films throughout the day.
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, includes a number of lovely beaches, small towns, and historic sites to explore.
At the southwest entrance to Mobile Bay lies the Dauphin Island aviary, with Fort Gaines, which played a part in the civil war.
From here, visitors can take a ferry to the western point of delight Island, home to Fort Morgan.
Within the southeastern corner of the bay are the fine bathing beaches of the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Another point of interest is Fairhope, located high on the bluffs of the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay.
The town is good for outdoor activities like biking, golfing, tennis, and fishing off the Fairhope Pier.
The Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve near Fairhope is home to a varied habitat with a range of fish and crustaceans.
This living laboratory educates visitors about estuaries. Guided walks or self-guided tours are often enjoyed on the elevated boardwalks, also as on quite two miles of ground trails.
The bay is understood for an unusual annual natural occurrence: within the summer, fish and crustaceans swim near to the shoreline and are easily caught.
This is often called a “jubilee” and Mobile Bay is the only place within the world where this happens on a regular basis.
Historic Oakleigh House
The Historic Oakleigh House is the most attractive house within the Oakleigh Historic Complex consists of three homes that also include barracks, a working-class cottage, and a contemporary archives building.
Oakleigh mansion was built in 1833 for James Roper, a prominent merchant.
The name of the house comes from the word “oak” and therefore the word “lea” which is an Anglo-Saxon signified meadow.
The house has been restored and provided with antiques of the first Victorian, Empire, and Regency periods.
Conde-Charlotte Museum
The Condé-Charlotte Museum House in Mobile was built in 1822 to serve as the city’s first official jail and courthouse.
It later renovated and expanded to become the house of the Kirkbride family (Jonathan and Elizabeth Kirkbride ) after its purchase in 1850.
Having inherited the jail’s 2ft thick brick floor & doors and it’s a witness to French, British, Spanish, American, and Confederate occupations of Fort Conde in Mobile, this house sports the combination of five different cultures in one place.
Some rooms are furnished to reflect a period and a nationality, including French Empire, 18th-century English, American Federal, and therefore the Confederate room.
Other rooms are authentically restored for instance 19th-century life, including the oldest a part of the house, its kitchen, which was the initial jail structure.
The museum also houses a set of historic artifacts, including the 17th-century Chaudron silver tea set, Bohemian vases, and antique clocks.
A walled Spanish garden is designed in an 18th-century plan that complements the house.
Nearby the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion is another fine historic attraction.
This grand home was built in 1855 with entertaining in mind, featuring a chic spiral staircase and double parlors.
It’s considered one among Mobile’s finest antebellum mansions.
It had been designed in a very combination of Greek revival and Italianate architecture, and through its heyday, the house was the middle of lively social life within the thriving port of Mobile.
The inside displays antiques and draperies, although only a couple of original items remain.
Tours of the house are free and available on the hour throughout the day, offering a glimpse of life in the Old South.
A 45-minute guided tour showcases the house and its treasured antiques to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm.
Colonial Fort Conde
Colonial Fort Conde is a historic fortification located in downtown Mobile, Alabama.
It was originally constructed by the French in 1723 as Fort Condé de la Mobile, and it served as a key military installation during the colonial period in Alabama.
The fort was built to protect the city of Mobile from potential attacks by enemy forces, and it was used by a number of different countries over the years, including France, Great Britain, Spain, and the United States.
In the mid-20th century, the fort was partially reconstructed as a museum, with the aim of preserving its history and heritage.
Today, Fort Conde is a popular tourist attraction and a significant historical site in Mobile.
Visitors can explore the fort’s walls, cannons, and other historic features, and learn about the history of the fort and the role it played in shaping the city of Mobile.
The fort is also home to a number of exhibits and displays that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Richards DAR House
Mobile is home to a variety of historic house museums that you simply can visit and tour – and the Richards DAR House is one among them.
The Richards DAR House is famous for its cast-iron façade depicting the four seasons.
This Museum is one among Mobile’s finest samples of Italianate style architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built-in 1860 by famous steamboat Captain Charles G. Richards, the beautifully preserved house echoes a time passed by, telling the story of Mobile during the peak of the antebellum age.
It is magnificently decorated with double parlors, Carrara marble mantels, and a reception hall with massive brass and bronze.
The house not only attracts visitors to admire its striking architecture and delightful interiors but also to check the rumors of the site’s haunting by a ghostly figure that appears in an upstairs bedroom window amid the singing of childlike voices.
Bragg-Mitchell Mansion
The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion is a 13,000 sq ft, Greek revival home, built-in 1855 by Judge John Bragg.
Once a center for the lively social lifetime of Mobile’s thriving cotton port, the magnificent building now stands as a museum that welcomes the general public and offers guided historical tours.
The mansion features double parlors, a lavish dining room, and grounds lush with live oaks and azaleas.
Alabama Contemporary Art Center
The Alabama Contemporary Art Center is devoted to exhibiting important contemporary works of art.
Inspiring also as socially engaging, the Alabama Contemporary Art Center located in Mobile, Alabama may be an excellent spot to visit for people of all ages.
The center helps visitors see art, while also learning more about the history of the area.
It had been founded in 1999 and was formerly referred to as the Centre for the Living Arts.
Although the center presents pieces of artwork from around the world, it focuses on art that’s supported themes from the Gulf Coast.
The center offers a spread of educational outreach programs including tours of the facility for college kids of all ages.
Programs for youngsters include Pre-K Studio and kids Studio, a weekly program for youngsters ages 6 to 13.
The University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum
The Alabama Archaeology Museum, located at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, offers guests especially those curious about archaeology and its role in society, an opportunity to glimpse inside the work that archaeologists do around the university.
The University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum features objects and artifacts from the Gulf Coast and is found on the campus of the University of Alabama in Mobile.
These artifacts span over 12,000 years of prehistory and history, and a few of the museum’s exhibits display life-size models of archaeologists at work.
This unique collection highlights the study of archaeology as an entire, also as archaeologists have unearthed and the way that helps better understand the history of the area.
The museum hosts temporary exhibits and events like a lecture series, and more.
Admission is FREE.
Mobile Botanical Gardens
Founded in 1974, the Mobile Botanical Gardens feature a gorgeous blend of natural habitats with cultivated areas for locals and visitors to enjoy.
You can stroll through a variety of diverse flora, like the Rhododendron Garden, which contains over 1,000 evergreen and native azaleas; the Camellia Wintergarden, a set of over 500 camellias, and a beautifully manicured Japanese Maple Garden.
Dedicated to preserving native plants and to educating the community, Mobile Botanical Garden hosts classes and events throughout the year, including field trips and an enormous annual spring plant sale dubbed “Plantasia”.
The Mobile Botanical Gardens offer guided garden walks where expert botanists and naturalists will share their knowledge and keenness about the local flora with visitors also as a range of Garden program activities, talks, and workshops.
If you’re trying to find top attractions in Mobile AL, this can be an excellent spot to go to.
Mobile Symphony Orchestra
Mobile, Alabama has the Gulf Coast’s liveliest performing arts scenes.
Locally produced opera, symphony, dance, and theater, alongside traveling shows, give Mobilians a range of performance options nearly any week of the year.
Established in 1970, the Mobile symphony orchestra was initially called the Symphony Concerts of Mobile.
The name was changed to a Mobile symphony orchestra in 1997 and it held its first concert season in 1998.
Mobile Symphony Orchestra offers a full season of classical and pops concerts at the Saenger Theatre, student concerts, and in-school programs.
The symphony has become referred to as one among the nation’s best regional orchestras.
Additionally to its six annual serious music concerts, the orchestra also performs three “pops” concerts and features a youth orchestra.
If you’re searching for unique date night ideas in Mobile, watch a performance by the Mobile symphony orchestra.
Mobile Medical Museum
When you visit the Mobile Medical Museum, in Mobile, AL, you will see thousands of fascinating artifacts that will take you back through 300 years of the medical record.
Established in 1962, The Mobile Medical Museum has an in-depth collection of medical instruments and equipment, photographs, teaching materials, and letters from the first 1700s on.
The over 5,000 artifacts, memorabilia, and archives represent the most important medical collection in the US Southeast.
The documents include authentic letters and teaching materials while the artifacts are made from medical equipment, instruments, photographs, and other objects.
The museum changed locations several times until the University of South Alabama renovated the historic Vincent/Doan house in 2003.
This location is at the doorway to Children’s Park and makes the museum more accessible to the general public.
Five Rivers Delta Center
Five Rivers refers to the spot where the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee, and Blakeley rivers flow into Mobile Bay.
Located in Spanish Fort, AL, 5 Rivers includes over 250,000 acres of scenic waterways, woods, and wetlands to explore.
It also names Alabama’s Delta Resource Center, a fantastic educational and recreational facility for all ages.
The center, which has 81 acres of lovely property, includes kayak rentals, trails, and picnic pavilions.
The foremost exciting part is an exhibit hall that incorporates live animals.
The area is home to 126 species of fish, 40 species of mammals, 69 species of reptiles, 30 species of amphibians, and quite 300 species of birds.
There also are 500 species of plants here!
This rich diversity of life relies on the immense estuary, where the tide flows in to combine fresh and saltwater.
There’s always an instructor on duty who will assist in these wonderful hands-on learning experiences!
And therefore the better part about this place is that it’s free!
Five Rivers is open seven days every week from 8 am-5 pm.
The center hosts a range of special events and academic programs throughout the year.
The Bottom Line On Things To Do In Mobile, Alabama
In conclusion, Mobile, Alabama is a vibrant and exciting city with a wealth of fun activities to enjoy.
From exploring historic sites and museums, to indulging in delicious southern cuisine and soaking up the sun on the beach, there is something for everyone in Mobile.
Whether you’re interested in learning about the history of Mardi Gras, experiencing the thrill of a swamp tour, or admiring the stunning architecture of the city’s many historic buildings, Mobile has something to offer.
With so many options available, visitors to Mobile are sure to have a memorable and enjoyable trip.