9 unique things to do for families in Mobile this holiday season

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The many one-of-a-kind things to do for families in Mobile through the 2024 holiday season show just how special a place it is.

Less than four hours from downtown Birmingham is a city full of culture, distinct flavors, creative energy and a celebratory spirit. Oh yes, and plenty of Christmas cheer! 

Use this guide to events and activities to plan the ideal itinerary for your family throughout November, December and beyond.

1. Explore the world @ the Mobile International Festival

Take a trip around the world and experience the sights, sounds and flavors of 70+ countries without leaving the Port City at the Mobile International Festival, the Gulf Coast’s longest-running festival.

• When: Nov. 23, 2024 | 10AM-4PM
• Where: Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds, 1035 Cody Rd N, Mobile, AL 36608
• Cost: $5-$12
• Get Tickets
• Details

2. Football bowl game fun @ Hancock Whitney Stadium

Your whole crew will feel the buzz of excitement, roaring crowds and powerful plays watching football at Mobile’s Hancock Whitney Stadium, which hosts two big bowl games every winter—the 68 Ventures Bowl and the Senior Bowl.

68 Ventures Bowl

• What: See college football teams face off representing the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference or Conference USA.
• When: Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024 | 8PM
• Where: Hancock Whitney Stadium, 500 Stadium Dr, Mobile, AL 36688
• Cost: $15-$165
• Get Tickets
• Details

The Senior Bowl

• What: Get a first look at the NFL’s next game changers at the Senior Bowl, which is the longest continual-running college football all-star game and widely regarded as the first stage in the NFL Draft process.
• When: Feb. 1, 2025 | 1:30PM
• Where: Hancock Whitney Stadium, 500 Stadium Dr, Mobile, AL 36688
• Cost: $18-$58
• Get Tickets
• Details

3. Taste the town on a food tour

With menus packed with delicious options from the freshest seafood to melt-in-your-mouth beignets, the local food scene is one of the most satisfying things to do for families in Mobile.

While you could always explore Mobile’s best restaurants on your own, you really shouldn’t snooze on one of USA Today‘s top five food tours in the country that last two years running: Bienville Bites Food Tours.

The company’s Downtown Mobile Food Tour and Jingle Bell Brunch options are open to all ages!

Bienville Bites Downtown Mobile Food Tour

• When: Typical times when available November-January: Fridays, 1:30PM; Saturdays, 2PM; Dec. 31, 1:30PM. See the bookings link below to confirm availability.
• Cost: $39-$79
• Details

Bienville Bites Jingle Bell Brunch

• When: Dec. 7, 14 + 21 | 9:30AM. See the bookings link below to confirm availability.
• Cost: $39-$79
• Details

4. Go out all out for op art + kids’ activities @ Mobile Museum of Art

While the whole family will be mesmerized at MMofA’s current exhibition of optical art, “The Responsive Eye,” kids will especially love exploring an ongoing exhibit designed just for them, aptly named “FOR CHILDREN.”

The kids’ exhibit features immersive activities including playing with a giant LITE BRITE, exploring mini-worlds designed by local artists and visiting themed rooms.

• When: Tuesday-Saturday | 10AM-5PM
• Where: 4850 Museum Dr, Mobile, AL 36608
• Cost: $8-$12 | Free admission for children under 6
• Details

5. Make memories + silly faces @ Muffinjaw Designs

Attend a BYO (blow your own) event at Muffinjaw Designs and create a beautiful glass masterpiece to commemorate this holiday season. And if you don’t get the name just yet, just have someone snap pics when you do a class. You’ll see.

Mobile’s only publicly accessible glassblowing studio, Muffinjaw Designs offers these events, demonstrations and private classes, plus a shop where you can choose among their dazzling creations to find a one-of-a-kind gift.

• When: Daily | 9AM-5PM
• Where: 4850 Museum Dr, Mobile, AL 36608
• Cost: BYO event costs vary.
• Details

6. Honor survivors + serenade ancestors @ Africatown Heritage House

Consider and honor the powerful stories of 110 enslaved West African people and the community they built in Mobile at the Africatown Heritage House, named among the six best new museums in the country for 2023.

“Clotilda: The Exhibition” conveys the story of The Clotilda, which arrived at Mobile Bay in 1860 as the last known ship to reach the US with enslaved Africans aboard.

• When: Tuesday-Saturday | 10AM-5PM
• Where: 2465 Wimbush St, Mobile, AL 36610
• Cost: Adults, $8-$15 | Admission is free for children 5 or younger, Mobile Co. residents + History Museum of Mobile Members
• Details

SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENT: On Saturday, Dec. 7, from 11AM-3PM, Africatown Heritage House welcomes everyone to a free holiday open house called, “A Serenade to the Ancestors,” a day filled with community connections, music, entertainment, hands-on activities, photos with Santa and treats.

7. Stroll through cascading chrysanthemums + dazzling lights @ Bellingrath Gardens & Home

Feast your eyes on the changing of seasons as glorious cascading chrysanthemums give way to thousands of twinkling lights this holiday season at Bellingrath Gardens & Home in nearby Theodore, Alabama.

61st Annual Fall Cascading Chrysanthemums

• When: Daily through Nov. 30 | 8AM-5PM
• Where: 4850 Museum Dr, Mobile, AL 36608
• Cost: Prices vary. See details below.
• Get Tickets
• Details

Magic Christmas in Lights

• When: Nov. 29, 2024-Jan. 5, 2025, lights daily | 5PM-9PM; closed Dec. 25 + Jan. 1
• Where: 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Rd, Theodore, AL 36582
• Cost: Gardens Only, $15 for Adults, $8.50 for Kids | Gardens + Home, $25 for Adults, $15 for Kids
• Get Tickets
• Details

8. Marvel over exhibits @ Mobile Carnival Museum

If you didn’t already know, Mobile is the mother of Mardi Gras, making the Mobile Carnival Museum a must.

The museum is one of Mobile’s top Cultural Connections—those definitive events, experiences and extras that make the city “So Mobile.” 

Behind the doors of this restored historic mansion, you’ll explore corridors of colorful delight, focused on Carnival history and the craftsmanship of over-the-top floats and royal finery.

• When: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday | 9AM-4PM
• Where: 2465 Wimbush St, Mobile, AL 36610
• Cost: Adults, $8 | Children 12 or younger, $3 | Military, Students w/ ID, AAA, AARP, $6
• Details

9. Explore the holiday lights @ Christmas Nights in Lights

Gather your crew for a holiday cruise through Mobile International Speedway during Christmas Nights In Lights, billed as the Gulf Coast’s No. 1 immersive light show attraction. 

Set your car radio to the station given at the gate, turn off your headlights and follow the dazzling lights synced to traditional and modern Christmas music along the 1.5-mile course. 

Plan about an hour to take in all of the displays’ flashing, blinking and twinkling glory. 

• When: Nov. 15-Jan. 1, Sunday-Thursday | 6PM-9PM; Friday-Saturday | 6PM-10PM
• Where: 7800 Park Blvd, Irvington, AL 36544
• Cost: $7 per person | $35 families of 5-8 people, per vehicle | $45 large groups of 9+ people, per vehicle | Free admission for children under 3.
• Get Tickets
• Details

While these are some of the absolute best things to do for families in Mobile, also check out Visit Mobile’s calendar of events to customize your trip itinerary!

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