Mobile moves toward the hip trip tipping point One casualty of the Civil War was Mobile’s Mardi Gras celebration; the nation’s oldest, it began in 1703. Determined to revive that tradition and boost Mobilian spirits, Joe Cain paraded the streets in costume, decorated his coal wagon as a float and inspired neighbors to pool their meager resources and get the party restarted.
This can-do spirit has helped Alabama’s Gulf port city recover from wars, fires and storms — and create attractions aplenty for affordable escape with family or friends.
That’s hardly enough time to sample the tastes, sights and sounds of the historic Dauphin Street corridor. “LoDa” will eventually hit the hip trip tipping point, so visit now.
Start at the Battle House Hotel, a recently restored landmark where Elvis Presley stayed in 1952 after getting booted from a fair for doing the shake. In Mobile style, the hotel mixes heritage (glass dome, marble tile, curving staircases, a Beaux Art lobby nicknamed “Mobile’s living room”) and modernity (rooftop terrace, pool, tennis court, a tony spa frequented by locals and jet-setters alike). Battle House now connects to the 35-floor RSA Tower, which rises above blocks of classic architecture in a declaration of resplendence.
Repurposed edifices include Cafe Royal in an ex-drug store anchoring the city’s first skyscraper, a garage reborn as the Garage open-air bar; the Blind Mule, presenting good local everything in a reclaimed villa; Spot of Tea and its alter ego Club Insanity revivifying a department store; a carriage house now displays Museum of Mobile treasures — miniature fully furnished homes, lunettes and other iron grillwork, and a replica of the nation’s first submarine (sit inside!). At Demented Needle Tattoo and Hot Dog Gallery, prim shop windows showcase mind-blowing art such as Walter Simon’s “hellscapes.”
Near the waterfront, the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center features all-age mind-tinglers. At Minds-On, design — and ride — your own virtual roller coaster. At the Magnetism arcade, turn iron dust into disco dancers. At My Bodyworks, study pre-pre-med as you perform heart bypasses and take awesome 3-D journeys through the body.
Other distinctive museums include Battleship Memorial Park and Mobile Carnival Museum, displaying Mardi Gras capes so massive they required sewn-in ball bearings to enable the wearers to move. Distinctive events? Every week. October happenings include Bay Fest and Woofstock, a cross-species extravaganza.
As alt-folkies Loose Cannons played at Joe Cain Cafe, I reckoned old Joe would be proud of modern Mobile’s spirit.
Reach Robin Tierney at [email protected]
