Mobile

Mobile is a port city in southern Alabama that sits where the Mobile River flows into Mobile Bay. The city sprawls over flat coastal plains laced with waterways, parks, and wetland zones along the edge of the bay.

Founded in 1702 as the first capital of French Louisiana, the settlement changed hands among French, British, and Spanish rulers over a century before joining the United States in 1813. The port grew into a major hub for cotton and Caribbean trade throughout the following decades.

The city celebrates a weeks-long Carnival season before Lent each year, with parades where locals in costume ride decorated floats through downtown streets and toss beads and trinkets into the crowd. Waterfront seafood restaurants serve oysters, shrimp, and crab pulled straight from the bay, dishes that form a cornerstone of the regional table.

The city is easiest to explore by car, as neighborhoods spread far apart and public transport is limited. Summer heat and humidity can feel heavy, so early morning or late afternoon visits tend to be more comfortable.

The city held the first documented Carnival celebration on the North American mainland in 1703, decades before New Orleans adopted similar traditions. Today parade groups throw not only beads but also painted coconuts and colorful moon pies, a custom found nowhere else in quite the same way.

Location: Mobile County

Inception: 1702

Elevation above the sea: 3 m

Part of: Gulf Coast (Alabama)

Website: http://cityofmobile.org

GPS coordinates: 30.72767,-88.05267

Latest update: December 12, 2025 19:17