Mobile Local Guide

Attractions

From flower gardens to art galleries and museums, Mobile has a little something for just about everyone. Botany enthusiasts flock from all over the country to visit the world-famous Azaleas Trail and Bellingrath Gardens, which draw thousands of visitors each year.

These two historic landmarks began at the turn of the 20th Century jointly as a fishing camp for aquatic nature lovers. The camp was originally intended as a weekend getaway for the first Coca Cola Distributor in Mobile, Walter Bellingrath so that he could escape the rigors of his job. Bellingrath and his wife Bessie loved the camp so much that they made the estate their permanent residence and continually worked to improve and upgrade the landscape to increase the beauty of the area.

Bellingrath has grown substantially since its initial inception and now occupies 65 acres of terrain. After the entire landscaping of the estate was finally completed in 1935, Bessie was proud to show her home and extensive collection of antiques to the television show “A&E”, which featured the home and grounds in an episode called, American Castles.

One of the greatest pleasures to visitors of Bellingrath is the discovery that there are many different types of very well maintained gardens at Bellingrath, including a rose, butterfly, rock, formal, oriental and American gardens. There is also a large and lavishly constructed conservatory located in the gardens. The Bellingraths have shown generations of outdoor-lovers that inspiration and hard work can make dreams come to life – as was the case with the famous hardworking garden-loving duo.

Visitors are welcomed to experience Bellengrath Gardens in any season, as they are always open, regardless of weather conditions. During winter, spring, summer and fall, the gardens bloom with a colorful array of what seems like an endless variety of flowers and plant life. And for the history or architectural enthusiast, the tour of the historic home offers a rare opportunity to visit the Localtead of one of the nation’s most dedicated gardeners.

In the springtime, visitors are encouraged to journey along the Azalea Trail, a 37-mile route between the towering walls of the colorful springtime vegetation.

If home tours are more your style, then head on over to the annual March Mobile home tour. Each March, six private residences in Mobile are opened up to the public for viewing as part of the popular annual Mobile Local tour. These selected Local are historic and unique in their architectural style, reflecting the diversity of Mobile. The architecture of the Local falls within the Victorian, Creole, Greek Revival Mansions, and Neo-Classical styles.

Battleship Park is also fittingly located in Mobile, the city that once built so many powerful ships. Thousands of tourists come from around the world to visit the spectacular ocean-faring vessels each year. The USS Alabama, one of the last battleships built for the United States, is one of the highlights of the Park. The USS Alabama was commissioned in 1942 to be used during World War II. The vessel was nicknamed the “Lucky A” because it went through the entire war without losing a single sailor.

Alongside the USS Alabama rests the USS Drum, a submarine manufactured in the US and used during sub-ocean surface combat in World War II. The USS Drum was commissioned in 1941 and has proved to be one of America’s most effective ocean combat vessels. In the 13 missions that the Drum undertook during the war, she sank whopping 15 enemy battleships – that’s an average of more than one ship per mission!

Whether visiting the Local in the Historic District, taking in the spectacular battleships, smelling the roses in Bellengrath Gardens or exploring the Ketchum House, you’re sure to find plenty of history and beauty in Mobile.