Celebrate independence, a storied history + vaulting to new heights in Alabama’s oldest city

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Our nation’s independence and heritage are top of mind more than ever around the Fourth of July, so we took a look at our state’s oldest city to curate an adventure back in time that’s far from a dusty history lesson.

If you visit Mobile in July, you’ll discover bold celebrations, joyful music and even pole vaulting in the streets(!)—all in less than four hours’ drive time from Birmingham. Who’s with us?

Read on to learn more about when to go and what to do, see and eat for a richer sense of what’s made this place so enduring for over 300 years.

What’s on deck for the Fourth of July

Mark this year’s Independence Day in this historic city, which is older than the nation itself. The City of Mobile puts on a full-scale celebration with live music and spectacular fireworks over Mobile Bay and the USS ALABAMA World War II battleship. Plan time to visit early and explore the park, tour the ship and see the WWII submarine USS DRUM, military aircraft and memorials.

🇺🇸 City of Mobile’s 4th of July Celebration

• Where: USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park, 2703 Battleship Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36602
• When: 6-9:30PM (no entry after 8:15PM)
• How Much: Free | Parking is $10 for cars + $30 for RVs (cash only)
• More Info

While everyone loves a Fourth of July party, there’s plenty more to explore in Mobile relevant to military history. Here are a few must-sees when you go:

• Colonial Fort Condé, a replica of the original fort built in 1723, gives a glimpse into Mobile’s French colonial roots.
• Historic Fort Gaines, established in 1821 on Dauphin Island, features original structures + Civil War-era cannons.
• SS United States Port Tours through Perdido Queen Cruises + Historic Blakeley State Park (see websites for dates + details)

More only-in-Mobile events

July also brings two events to downtown Mobile you can’t experience anywhere else, much less ever forget:

🤩 Dauphin Street Vault

Since 2011, the block of Dauphin Street between Joachim and Jackson streets has transformed into a pole-vaulting block party. Local coach Drew Bentley founded the invitational, which brings together over 200 professional and amateur vaulters and over 2,000 spectators.

• When: Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 8AM-9PM
• Where: Downtown Mobile, Dauphin Street between Joachim + Jackson streets
• More Info

🎶 MOB Music Fest
Free music all weekend long? You got it. This three-day, family-friendly event returns for the seventh year to Cathedral Square downtown and showcases new music artists across just about every genre.

• When: Friday-Sunday, July 11-13, 2025
• Where: Cathedral Square, 300 Conti Street, Mobile, AL, 36602
• More Info

Check out the events calendar for more July events, and mark your own calendars for Mobile Tiki Week coming up in August.

Meet your hosts

Ever attended a fabulous party and left intrigued to learn more about its hosts?

While we bet you’ll make new local friends to ask just about anywhere you go, we have some top places for picking up the essential info about the people of Mobile and their deep and storied roots.

• Start with a stroll in Bienville Square at the heart of downtown—a park that originated in 1824 and bears the name of the city’s founder, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville.
• The History Museum of Mobile is a worthy next stop and oversees four sites:
  • The main museum in the Southern Market/Old City Hall National Historic Landmark
  • Colonial Fort Condé (mentioned above)
  • Phoenix Fire Museum, honoring volunteer fire companies dating to 1838
  • Clotilda: The Exhibition at Africatown Heritage House, telling the story of the last known U.S. slave ship
• Take a guided tour along the Dora Franklin Finley African-American Heritage Trail or explore self-guided options to learn about key figures and neighborhoods.
• Catch a show or tour the Saenger Theatre, a 1927 architectural beauty that still anchors the downtown arts scene.
• Tour the city’s many historic homes dating from 1822 to 1935.
• Dive into the region’s maritime and shipping legacy in the many interactive exhibits (and great views) of the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf.

ICMYI: Check out the 19 new ways to see Mobile, including trails, tours + more.

Long-time legendary eats + treats

We wouldn’t leave you hungry after a long walk through history. Here are a few top spots to try some of Mobile’s favorite flavors that have stood the test of time:

🍫 Three Georges Fine Southern Chocolates (circa 1917)
🍔 Dew Drop Inn (circa 1924)
🥜 A&M Peanut Shop (circa 1947 biz + a 100-year-old roaster)
🦪 Wintzell’s Oyster House (circa 1938)

And finally, you can stay in the historic lane with a stay, spa pampering (or both) at the city’s oldest hospitality property, The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa, which dates to 1908. Check out all of your options to book your stay in Mobile here.

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