Mobile is Alabama's only port city and its oldest. It was the original capital of French Louisiana, and that heritage shows -- the city has a distinctly different feel from the rest of the state, part Southern, part Cajun, with wrought-iron balconies and live oaks draped in Spanish moss.
Mobile is the original home of Mardi Gras in America, predating the more famous New Orleans celebration by several years. The carnival season runs from January through Fat Tuesday and the city takes it seriously. The downtown historic district has some fine architecture and the Fort Condé museum and visitor center is worth a stop. The Mobile Carnival Museum on Conti Street explains the city's three-century Carnival tradition in detail. Bienville Square is the shaded, live-oak-filled heart of downtown.
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, is a major attraction for history and military enthusiasts. The park includes the battleship itself, a submarine, and a collection of military aircraft. The city has been growing steadily, with a cruise ship terminal and waterfront developments adding life to the port area.