Alabama Gulf Coast and Pensacola, Florida
When people picture Gulf Coast Alabama and the Pensacola area they usually think of the beautiful white sand beaches that are prevalent. While the beaches play a big part in the region there is so much more to see. From World War II Battleships, Civil War Forts and Battlegrounds, and Naval Aviation there is a lot to see when you come to Gulf Coast Alabama and Pensacola, Florida. We have visited the area on several occasions and there are still museums and sites we have not visited yet. Our most recent visit was in February of 2021.
Getting to the Alabama Gulf Coast and Pensacola, Florida
There are a few different ways to get to the region and we have done a few of them. Mobile Regional Airport has service by American, Delta and United airlines that go to Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte and Dallas. Pensacola International Airport is serviced by many more airlines such as Southwest, Frontier, American, Delta, United and a couple commuter airlines such as Silver Airways. We flew Southwest from Houston into Pensacola on our most recent trip to the area. If you want to fly into a larger airport and drive to Mobile or Pensacola you could fly into New Orleans International Airport and then drive the 2 hours to Mobile. Flights are generally cheaper into a larger airport like New Orleans but you would need to drive. Two of the times we visited we flew into New Orleans and rented a car and drove over. Mobile and Pensacola are off of Interstate 10 so its easy to drive to the region. We have driven once from Houston to Mobile and it is not too bad a drive (around seven hours). The only real way to get around is by renting a car if you flew in so that is a must.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the fourth largest city in Alabama and has a population around 200,000 and many more in the metro area. The city is a very old city that traces its roots back to the French in 1702. Six different flags have flown over Mobile in its long history. The French, British, Spanish, The Republic of Alabama, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. The area was home to Native American Tribes before the Europeans came to the area. Mobile is located on the Western side of the large Mobile bay and has two tunnels and a large causeway to get over to the Eastern side. While New Orleans is most famous for its Mardi Gras, Mobile actually has the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States. Mobile played a role in both the American Revolution and the American Civil War. Throughout history to present times Mobile is a major port and maritime hub. Ship building is one of the largest industries in the area. There are a lot of great museums and attractions in Mobile and its why we have visited on multiple occasions.
USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
Near Mobile along the causeway in Northern Mobile Bay is the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. The park has The USS Alabama, USS Drum, Tanks, and a hanger of airplanes in this very large museum. The USS Alabama is a South Dakota class Battleship that served from the middle to the end of World War II. I mainly served in the Pacific and bombarded multiple Japanese Islands and escorted American carriers and other ships during battles such as The Philippines Campaign and the Battle of Okinawa. You can do a self guided story of the well preserved and huge Battleship. This includes going into the turrets, the engine room, bridge and all the other quarters in this floating city. The USS Drum is a Gato Class Submarine that served nearly the entire war. The USS Drum sank many Japanese merchant ships and was depth charged on multiple occasions by Japanese destroyers. The USS Drum can be toured as well where you can see how cramped the quarters were on a WWII submarine. There is an excellent aircraft pavilion that has planes from World War II to the Cold War. You can see planes like the Top Gun F-14 Tomcat. Outside you can see tanks from different eras. There are also memorials to those who sacrificed so much for our freedoms. There are nice views from the Battleship of Mobile Bay. There is a fee around $15-20 for an adult and it will take you at least half a day if not longer to tour all there is to see. Its a great place to visit and a must see if in Mobile.
Mobile History Museum
In downtown Mobile in the Old City Hall and Marketplace built in the mid 1800s you will fine the Mobile History Museum. It is a very interesting museum that will teach you a lot about Mobile and the Southern Alabama area. The museum chronicles the Native American, Colonial and beyond. From the multiple countries that rules the city to the building of the tunnels and the shipbuilding of the area the museum has exhibits on it. There is a very good Civil War (The Battle of Mobile Bay and the Battles of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely) exhibit in the museum. The CSS Hunley, the first submarine to sink a ship was built in Mobile and first launched there. There is an exhibit on the submarine. There is also a good exhibit on the oldest Mardi Gras in the country that was founded in Mobile. There is a great exhibit that has horse drawn carriages. There were some excellent special exhibits there when we visited in 2021. A great exhibit that has 22 objects that demonstrated the history of Mobile. Some objects were from the Native American Cultures, Shipbuilding, Mardi Gras, Slavery, Hurricanes and other objects that exemplified the past and present of Mobile. Another well done exhibit was the Egyptian Mummies exhibit that had real mummies and artifacts from Egypt. We spent a few hours touring the museum and the price is very reasonable at $10 for adults. The museum also includes admission to the next attraction on my list Colonial Fort Conde.
Colonial Fort Conde
Also in downtown Mobile a short walk from the Mobile History museum is the replica of the original Fort in Mobile built by the French in 1723. The fort was originally a wooden fort and then it was upgraded to a brick and stone fort. The fort changed names and hands throughout the years. The British for example re-named it Fort Charlotte. The Spanish during the American Revolution sieged and fought the British in 1780 in support of their American Allies. The British held out for two weeks until the walls fell and had to surrender. In the 1970s a partial reconstruction of the Fort was built at a smaller scale than the original. It was built near the original location of the fort. You can walk along the walls and inside to see exhibits on the long history of the fort. The fort includes cannons and a replica of the armory. Its a great place to spend an hour or so and as mentioned above the admission is included with your Mobile History Museum membership.
Conde-Charlotte House
On the far side of Fort Conde is a very nice home that was originally the county courthouse and jail for Mobile. Later the jail was bought by the Kirkbride family and made into a home. The Colonial Dames Organization took ownership and restored the home. Each room is set to represent a different time period and a different country that once inhabited the area. In the back there is a very nice Spanish gardens that is a little oasis in the city. We had a very nice guided tour of the house from two ladies that gave us some great information about the furnishings in the house that are from at least a hundred years of history. The tour lasted a little over an hour and let us the the first and second floor of the house and the kitchen area that was part of the old jail house. You can see some of the jail doors that lead into the kitchen. This is a well preserved home that allows you to further dive into the history of Mobile. Its $10 for a tour and its well worth the time to tour the home!
Gulf Quest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico
Another great museum that is a must see when in Mobile is the Gulf Quest Museum. Shipping and ship building is vital to Mobile and this museum is dedicated to showing modern shipping and the history of sailing in the area. The museum building itself looking like a giant ship and inside all the exhibits are on what looks like a giant container ship. The museum is extremely interactive and had games about sailing sayings, navigation, weather, and much more. The museum is huge and takes up multiple floors. We learned about the loading of ships, the history of the Port of Mobile during World War II, the first submarine to sink a ship during the Civil War that was built in Mobile, sunken treasure ships and other interesting things. We viewed a giant sphere that projected things like the 2005 Hurricane season, and how the H1N1 virus spread around the world. On the very top floor they have a professional grade sailing simulator where you can control a large ship in different scenarios. There is a great view of the port where you can see all the activity and the building of military ships. This museum is great for adults and kids a like. Things are different at the moment with Covid and you should book in advance as all tours are guided in limited groups. Some floors are not open and time spent on each floor is limited. We still thoroughly enjoyed the museum and would like to go back once things are back to normal! We spent an hour and a half on the tour but could have spent much more time.
Historic Blakeley State Park
On the other side of Mobile Bay just North of the city of Spanish Fort is a place you can get away from the city and out into nature. The site preserves the last major battle of the American Civil War. The Union Army was working to capture the Port City of Mobile from the Confederates in April of 1865. The Confederates at this point had few soldiers left at the end of the war and the end was near. 45,000 Union troops (16,000 were involved in the battle) were facing off against 4,000 Confederates. The Confederates were in good entrenchments and held out for several days. On April 9th the Union forces attacked and captured nearly the entire Confederate Army. That very day General Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Some of the Confederate trenches are well preserved as the park is relatively undeveloped in areas. There are interpretative markers and a Cell Phone tour you can take. There is also the remains of the old city of Blakely in the park. There are hiking trails and we saw many people riding horses and camping. Other than the paved road at the entrance much of the park is a gravel road. Having a small rental car and it being a rainy day we only went to the main part of the battlefield and then headed out. There is a small entrance fee to enter. We spent about an hour but could have spent much more time if we had toured longer.
Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island and Orange Beach, Alabama
Around a 40 minute drive and you will be at the Gulf of Mexico when driving from Mobile if you go to Dauphin Island. On the other side of the bay you can visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. You can reach the thin barrier island called Dauphin Island by bridge and there is a ferry that takes you across the mouth of Mobile Bay. There are great beaches and water activities on either side of the bay. The white sand beaches are very nice and there are great hotels you can stay at. There is also a lot more to see outside of just the great beaches and swimming. There are two Civil War Forts that participated in the Battle of Mobile Bay you can tour and there is the Estuarium that is dedicated to marine life. Its a great area to at least take a day trip to if you are in the area.
Fort Morgan State Historic Site
On the mouth of Mobile Bay sits the Fort Morgan State Historic Site. The site is on the Eastern part of Mobile Bay. The fort is a typical masonry star fort that was built in the US after the War of 1812 to strengthen our coast. The original fort, Fort Bowyer, was attacked twice by the British in the War of 1812. The fort you can tour today was pivotal in the American Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay. In 1864 Admiral David Farragut and his Union Fleet was determined to make it past Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines and into Mobile Bay. His fleet had to pass the two forts, multiple Confederate ships including the Ironclad Tennessee and many torpedoes (mines) and obstacles blocking the entrance. The Union fleet attacked and fired at the forts and engaged the Confederate ships. One Union ship (the Ironclad USS Tecumseh) was sunk by a Confederate Torpedo. This caused Admiral Farragut to say his famous quote “Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!”. The Union Navy was able to get past and neutralized the Confederate fleet. Afterwards the Union Army laid siege to the Fort and after being battered the Confederates surrendered. Today you can walk through the fort and walk on the walls and see a small museum. It offers great views of the beaches and the Gulf. We visited the beach by the fort and could see small crabs looking for food. There is a small fee to visit the State Park and it will take an hour or so to tour the fort and museum.
Fort Gaines
On Dauphin Island is another Fort that was part of the Battle of Mobile Bay. Fort Gaines is another masonry fort that was built after the War of 1812. This fort is very well preserved and has the original cannons used during the Battle of Mobile Bay. The Fort was captured by the Union Army before Fort Morgan fell. It has a very well done museum in the walls of the fort. Fort Morgan was used during World War II so it is not as well preserved but is still a great place to visit. Fort Morgan was the larger and more important fort in the battle but Fort Gaines is a great place to see. If you want to visit Fort Gaines from Fort Morgan or vice versa you can take the Ferry across. There is a small fee and like Fort Morgan it will take an hour or so to tour.
Dauphin Island Sea Lab Estuarium
On the long barrier island you can also find Alabama’s public aquarium. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Estuarium explores the sea life in Alabama’s rivers, Mobile Bay, the barrier island and the Gulf of Mexico. There are exhibits about the sea life and an aquarium featuring the animals that live in the area. Its a great place to learn about the Alabama water ecosytem and see the animals. There is a price to visit and the last time we visited was before the Covid-19 pandemic. We spent a couple hours visiting the site.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
As you drive towards Florida on the Eastern part of the Mobile Bay/Alabama Gulf Coast area there are tow cities with great beaches and many hotels and resorts. The small cities have a few museums and attractions but the main thing is going to be enjoying your time along the water. These beaches are white sand beaches and the Gulf loses the brown color that you find in Texas and Louisiana. It was in the winter when we visited the area so we did not get a chance to get into the water but we still enjoyed a nice walk along the beach. This area gets crowded during the summer so be prepared for that. We stayed at a Hampton in with a balcony in Orange Beach so we enjoyed just relaxing and looking out at the vast ocean!
Pensacola, Florida
The Westernmost larger sized city in Florida and only about an hour drive to the East from Mobile you will find Pensacola, Florida. The metro area is home to a little over 500,000 people and has a large military presence with the Naval Air Station Pensacola. Naval Air Station Pensacola is a big training base and is home to the Blue Angels. While the main tourist activity are the nice beaches and resorts there are some really great activities to do like the outstanding National Naval Aviation Museum located on the Pensacola Naval Air Station. We have visited Pensacola a couple times with one being a drive from Mobile and the other we flew into Pensacola.
National Naval Aviation Museum
On the Naval Air Station Pensacola grounds is one of the best aviation museums I have visited. This museum is dedicated to the history of United States Naval Aviation from its beginning to todays Navy. The museum is huge and has many very rare planes. One plane is the NC-4 that was a flying boat that flew across the Atlantic with stops in 1919. My favorite plane in their collection is the SBD-Dauntless. Their Dauntless Dive Bomber survived Pearl Harbor, flew off the USS Lexington early in the war and is the only plane that participated in the pivotal Battle of Midway in 1942 that turned the tide in the war in the pacific. The museum is also home to a real ME-262 (the first jet aircraft flown by the Germans at the end of WWII). There are many other one of a kind aircraft in the museum. There are also many simulators and exhibits like one on the life on a modern aircraft carrier. You can also see an IMAX film, fly a fighter in a simulator and simulate landing on the moon in Apollo 11. They have a guided tour of the many planes on the outside of the museum on the tarmac of the Naval Air Station. The museum has an Apollo capsule that went to Skylab and in the atrium has a full set of A-4 Skyhawks in the Blue Angels Diamond formation. We spent nearly and entire day in the museum and it was well worth it. At the moment due to Covid-19 only people with a DOD badge/clearance can visit the museum but in normal times you just need an recognized ID like a state drivers license or a passport to enter the base. The guards will do a check before you can visit the museum.
Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
Also on the grounds of Naval Air Station you can visit the a beautiful lighthouse that was built in the mid 1800s. There you can climb the steps to get a great view of the Naval Air Station and the beautiful beaches that surround the area. In the lighthouse keepers home they have a museum about the lighthouse itself and the maritime history of Pensacola. On days when the Blue Angels are practicing you can buy tickets in advance to watch them from the lighthouse. When we were there there was no practicing going on but we did see a transport plane leave the airbase. We spent an hour or so there on our way out of the National Naval Aviation Museum. There is a charge to visit the museum. Like the aviation museum you must go through the Naval base security to enter and at the time of the writing only Department of Defense personnel can enter.
Other Pensacola Attractions
There are other great attractions in Pensacola that we have not had time to visit on our relatively short time we have visited. One attraction is Fort Barrancas that is managed by the National Park Service. The Fort is a brick fort that had some slight action during the early times in the American Civil War. Its located on the grounds of the Naval Air Station so as of this writing it is closed due to Covid-19 but during normal times you enter the security of the base to visit. There are of course the great beaches and other sites such as the Big Lagoon State Park. For us we have not had the chance to visit these places but we hope to at some point.
Tips for Mobile and Pensacola
Most people probably do not consider Mobile as a place to visit on a vacation or just come to go to the great beaches in the area. I really encourage you to give this area a visit as there really is a lot of interesting places to visit. It is steeped in history from the many nations that once ruled the area. If you like American Civil War or military history in general there is a lot to see here. For this area if you are not driving the Pensacola Airport will probably be your best bet as it has quite a few different airlines available but it is a small airport with more limited flights. Be prepared like pretty much anywhere in on the Gulf Coast for a variety of weather. It can be very hot a humid in the summer, there can be severe weather and you can run into coastal fog. The beach areas can get very crowded during the summer but resort areas like Orange Beach are pretty empty. Give your self a couple days to be able to see many of the attractions in the area. Give this region a chance and you will not be disappointed!