Walk the decks of a World War II battleship and explore a submarine on Mobile Bay
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park sits on the western shore of Mobile Bay, and the battleship itself is the reason to visit. The USS Alabama (BB-60), a South Dakota-class battleship commissioned in 1942, served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during World War II, earning nine battle stars. The ship is open for self-guided tours that cover multiple decks, from the engine rooms below the waterline to the bridge and gun turrets above.
The submarine USS Drum (SS-228), moored alongside the Alabama, provides a claustrophobic counterpoint to the battleship's scale. The Drum was the oldest American submarine on patrol in the Pacific during World War II, and walking through its compartments provides an immediate understanding of the physical conditions submariners endured. The park also includes an aircraft pavilion with military aircraft spanning several decades and a memorial section honoring Alabama's military veterans.
Mobile sits at the southern end of Alabama, roughly three hours south of Birmingham and two hours south of Montgomery. For golfers whose Trail itinerary extends to the Magnolia Grove complex in Semmes, near Mobile, the battleship park provides a compelling half-day activity. It also works as a standalone day trip for groups with a free day between courses.
Open daily 8 AM to 5 PM, with last admission at 3:30 PM. Admission is $18 to $25 for adults, with discounts for military, seniors, and children. The self-guided tour involves ladders and steep stairs on the battleship, and narrow passageways on the submarine. Comfortable shoes and reasonable mobility are required. The park is outdoors and largely unshaded, so summer visits should account for heat. Viator tickets are available for advance purchase. Parking is free.
The USS Alabama is one of fewer than ten preserved battleships in the United States, and the access provided to visitors is unusually comprehensive. The ability to walk through the ship's interior, from the galley to the gun turrets, provides a tangible connection to World War II history that static museum exhibits cannot replicate. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and represents Mobile's most visited attraction.