Mobile Alabama

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Last week I wrote about my morning at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park off Battleship Parkway (AKA “The Causeway” AKA the concurrency of U.S. 90 & U.S. 98 west of downtown Mobile Alabama).

After my World War 2 educational experience I ventured through the 3,389-foot John H. Bankhead Tunnel into downtown Mobile. The tunnel was built from 1938 to 1941 – just before the U.S.A. entered World War 2.

My next stop on Day 2 of my recent retirement road-trip was the historic Bragg-Mitchell Mansion – built in 1855. It was added to the U.S. National Register Of Historic Places on September 27TH 1972. The museum is open 5 days per week from Tuesday to Saturday – 10 AM to 4 PM – and they are only open via guided tour through the house. All tours start at the top of each hour from the front porch. Each guided tour can last for up to the full hour. Admission is $12 for adults and $5 for children 3 to 12.

The tour was fantastic from start to finish, and I was able to talk docent-to-docent with the guide beforehand and afterward. (I don’t know if you’ve read, but I’m a docent at a historic house that serves as a museum too.)

My hotel for the night was located in the very busy northwest part of the city just across the street from the University Of South Alabama. Traffic was heavy and congested, and it had that big city feel to it. Mobile streets go up and down hills and around curves. You can tell who the somewhat uncertain and perhaps confused tourists are simply by driving these streets. (Guilty. I’m sorry for annoying those driving behind me.)

Fun Facts: In-season nearly 14,000 students attend the University Of South Alabama. About 1,000 administrators work there. The traffic during the early-evening and early-morning hours represented those numbers well. Lots of stores and restaurants are located in this thriving heavily-commercialized area.

My visit to Mobile Alabama (even though overnight) was again too short for all of the things that I wish to see and do in the city – particularly in the downtown area. On a future road-trip I think I need a good 3 or 4 days to check out everything. I’m glad I’m retired now !

Next #TravelThursday – Mississippi is on my mind. I’ll write about my adventures at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, and then it’s on to Natchez on the banks (and atop the bluffs) of the Mighty Mississippi River. Let’s keep traveling together.