What To Do in a Couple of Hours in Mobile, AL (Prichard: house, theater)

[chasfh]

I am accompanying my wife on a trip to New Orleans. She's there for a work conference and I'm there to tag along, because I'm retired and have nothing better at home to do while she's gone for six days.

One of the days, I am planning to drive to Biloxi, be there a couple hours, then on to Mobile for a couple hours before going back to NO.

I looked at a couple of possibilities, but nothing I have seen in Mobile seems too compelling. I'm looking for something unique to Mobile and unique to the South, not something I could do in any other part of the country. For example, in Biloxi, I am going to visit the Jefferson Davis retirement plantation museum. That's the kind of thing you could see only in the deep South. I'm looking for something similarly unique in Mobile.

Is there something along those lines that local people could recommend?

[Fernk]

Mardi Gras museum, Battleship on the causeway, Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island, Fort Conde in downtown Mobile...

[krmb]

There are a lot of antebellum relics downtown. Check out the Civil War museum, if it's still open. It's a walk-through in an old house from that period. They have guns, knives, books, and lots of information from that period. I remember going there on a field trip when I was in grade school. It didn't feel like much to me then, but it is unique, I suppose.

You can also check out the Africa Town museum in what's called Prichard, if it's still open. There was a slave ship that came here after slavery was outlawed. Since it was illegal, the slaves on the ship were allowed to move in and start their own village. That means, unlike most African Americans of the period, they kept their culture. I'm sure that has some kind of historical significance.

Dreams of Africa in Alabama: The Slave Ship Clotilda and the Story of the Last Africans Brought to America - Sylviane Anna Diouf
Historic Africatown Welcome Center - Mobile - Alabama.travel

[Keeper]

I would suggest you drive down Gov't street and check out the beautiful homes. Mobile has some of the best seafood including a crab dish that originated in Mobile called West Indies Salad. Mardi Gras originated in Mobile.

Enjoy your trip

[PortCity]

USS Alabama Battleship
Mobile Mardi Gra Museum (Mobile has the oldest Mardi Gra tradition)
Fort Gains
Fort Conde
African American Heritage trail( Includes Africa Town)
Mobile Delta Cruise ( they have 1000 year old Indian mounds on the tour)
Or you can kayak the delta
Oakleigh house
Bragg Mitchell mansion
Visit Mobile's historic districts
Bellengrath Gardens
Historic Home tour
Muesum of Mobile
Visit the Cathedral Baselica ( the oldest parish on the Gulf and the building is immaculate!)
Crecent Theater

[chasfh]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. The Africa Town and Civil War museums both sound pretty cool.

[raj kapoor]

I recommend that you visit Bellingrath Gardens. (big and beautiful and right on the bay)

And, before or after go to the Lighthouse in Bayou Labatre to dine out. (it doesn't get any more low country south than this)

(both of these are on the southwest side of Mobile so you don't have to worry about coming and going in traffic)

Along your route through Mississippi, you will pass the ORR-O'KEEFE MUSEUM which I highly recommend.
Btw; Mobile is so spread out, I could recommend a dozen great ideas, but it would seem you do have very limited time when considering travel from one site to another.

[Calliope76]

The carnival museum, or the museum of mobile.