Beach ‘n’ Bay

Tour Mobile Bay on an old-fashioned schooner. Take an eco-tour and see alligators. Walk the deck of the USS Alabama. Learn about insect-catching plants. Build a sandcastle on the beach.

Day 1

Begin this tour in Mobile and take a driving tour of Africatown, still home to a community of descendants of Clotilde, the last slave ship to arrive in America. After emancipation, the former slaves returned from various plantations, bought land and formed Africatown, ruling it according to customary African laws and speaking their own regional language. Tour the Museum of Mobile, a National Historic landmark built in 1857, which contains the rich history of Native American, Colonial, African-American and Antebellum influences on the 300 year old city. Also visit the National African-American Archives Museum which houses many artifacts and special collections that reflect the Black history of Alabama’s oldest city.

Highlights include:

  • A driving tour includes several churches of historic interest and Africatown, so named because it was the settlement of the Africans brought to Mobile on the ”Clotilde”-America’s last slave ship that came in 1859.
  • Museum of Mobile, a National Historic landmark built in 1857, contains the rich history of Native American, Colonial, African-American and Antebellum influences on this 300 year old city.
  • National African-American Archives Museum houses many artifacts and special collections that reflect the Black history of Alabama’s oldest city.

Day 2

Arrive in Fairhope to tour nearby Weeks Bay. A guide will show you this beautiful bog and its four species of pitcher plants, which capture insects in their throats. With advance booking, take your group on a 2 1/2 hour cruise on an old-fashioned schooner. This 72-foot-long double-masted wooden ship can carry up to 49 passengers and departs from either side of Mobile Bay.

Day 3

Travel to Blakeley State Park in Spanish Fort and explore the Mobile- Tensaw Delta from the Delta Explorer, a large pontoon boat that is great for tour groups. For your more adventuresome groups, pre-arrange a canoe trip with one of the outfitters in the region. Alabama’s delta is host to many rare and exotic plants, animals and fish. Swamp tours are available near Mobile for small groups. In Mobile, tour the USS Alabama Battleship, one of the area

Day 4

Cruise from Mobile. Your group can leave from Mobile on a cruise ship. Cruises of 4 and 5 days are offered year ’round. Before or after the cruise, spend time in Mobile, a city founded in 1702 as the first capital of the Louisiana Territory and birthplace of America’s Mardi Gras. Call ahead to check on hours, fees and reservations.

 

Need more information:

Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Sales Manager 334-242-4493
rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Graham Roderick, International Sales 334-353-1907
graham.roderick@tourism.alabama.gov