Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama, is the perfect stop for ship and WWII history lovers. The battleship, USS Alabama, commissioned in 1942, has been a floating museum in Mobile since 1964, and a National Historic Landmark since 1986.
The park is also home to the USS Drum submarine.
What’s in Battleship Memorial Park?
David and I both love historic ships, so when there’s one close enough to add to an itinerary, we’re there.
And this stop offered 2 for the price of 1!
The great thing about visiting Battleship Memorial Park is that it features both a battleship and a submarine. And while I’d already been through a submarine, it was David’s first.
USS Alabama Battleship
The battleship, USS Alabama, is a great place to tour at your own pace, as your way is marked with color-coded arrows that take you from bottom to top.
Had it not been for Mardi Gras being the focus of our dates, we would have visited during one of their living history weekends to watch the drills and hear reenactors tell the stories of the original crew.
Some say the USS Alabama is haunted, in fact, a few visitors who have spent a night on the ship (Scouts and church groups sometimes have this option), claim to have had ghostly experiences.
But no, I didn’t run into any ghosts at all during our daylight tour.
USS Drum Submarine
The USS Drum submarine was launched in May, 1941, half a year before the U.S. entered World War II.
She’s the oldest of her class still in existence, so it’s amazing that she’s open as a museum for visiting.
Submarine visits aren’t for everyone, although I certainly find them fascinating.
If you have any claustrophobia, though, that’s another story altogether, since once you’re inside the sub, it’s a one-way “street” through from the entrance to the exit.
Who Should Visit Battleship Memorial Park?
A roadtrip along the Gulf Coast wouldn’t be complete without visiting a floating ship museum–whatever type you choose.
Battleship Memorial Park, with its battleship, submarine, and airplane exhibits is a perfect choice to see it all.
Tours of this kind are always challening for those with mobility issues. However, the battleship and airplane exhibits are spacious and wouldn’t present a problem.
For families, there’s lots to keep the youngsters asking questions and entertained. Homeschoolers will find many things to discuss during and after the tour.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
While David finds World War II artifacts the most interesting, I’m hooked on Cold War history. So, we spent a lot of time indoors at the Aircraft Pavilion with the extensive aircraft collection, historic vehicles and war artifacts.
My favorite? The 1960 spy plane, the A-12 Blackbird. I couldn’t imagine the enormous “bird” flying pretty much invisibly through the skies with its 65 foot wingspan and 125 foot length. But it did — and at the amazing speed of 2,300 miles per hour and 93,700 feet above the land.
Of course, once we finished viewing all the planes we had to take a ride in the flight simulator — who can pass up an opportunity to do some aeronautic feats with both feet firmly planted on the ground?
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
There are lots of things to do in Mobile, Alabama! The oldest city in the state, it was established in 1702, and was originally the capital of French Louisiana. In fact, it’s actually the home of Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S., since they began here in 1703.
Altogether, Mobile is home to eight historic districts that cover a spectacular 600 blocks with 6000 homes!
Of course, since Mobile is situated right on the water you’ll find eco tours and delta safaris. It’s a great place for my favorite catch of the day, Red Snapper, with a fishing season that runs through June into the first part of July.
Also in July, the city welcomes visitors to the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.
Our Stay in Mobile
The Gulf Coast gives me an opportunity to indulge in a craving I get annually — seafood — seafood of every sort! So, once we finished up our tour of Battleship Park we decided to check out one of the seafood eateries on the causeway highway: Ralph and Kacoo’s Seafood Restaurant.
And the food? Absolutely fabulous, as they say. I savored the taste of every morsel of my ultimate favorite fish dish, fresh fillet topped with Crawfish Étouffée in their Atchafalaya special.
Besides being my favorite meal of our whole Gulf Coast roadtrip, it was also one of the least expensive!
Next stop, our hotel. We were guests of the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel with its very convenient location off the highway and on the water. It’s also connected to the Mobile Convention Center by a Skybridge, so we could walk out over the street to catch the sunset.
The best views, though, were definitely out the windows of our corner room on the 28th floor!
How Do You Visit Battleship Memorial Park?
Location: 2703 Battleship Parkway, just off of I-10. The park is on a small island, so you’ll need to take the causeway to get there. Get your Google directions here.
Get information for visiting on the Battleship Memorial Park website.
Learn more on the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park YouTube channel.
Get upcoming events on the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park Facebook page.
Discover More Military & War Museums
- Plains of Abraham Museum & Battlefield Park: Quebec City
- Canada’s Little-Known Cold War Museum: the Diefenbunker
- U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii Artillery Battery in Honolulu
- USS Lexington Museum: WWII Aircraft Carrier in Corpus Christi, Texas
- Regional Military Museum: Artifacts from all US Wars in Houma, Lousiana
- Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum: Ashland, Nebraska
- Vancouver Island Military Museum: Nanaimo, British Columbia
- National Museum of the Pacific War: Fredericksburg, Texas
- Hill Aerospace Museum: Military Aircraft at Hill AFB, Utah
- Battleship Memorial Park: 1942 Battleship & 1941 Submarine in Mobile, Alabama
- Fagen Fighters WWII Museum: Granite Falls, Minnesota
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park: WWII History in Hanford, Washington
- National World War II Museum: New Orleans, Louisiana
Acknowledgements
Our stay at the Renaissance Mobile Riverview was hosted, although that certainly didn’t influence our opinion of the experience!
guide2museums.com 