Walk the decks of a World War II battleship and explore a submarine on Mobile Bay
$18-$25 per person
Book direct via the vendor website
The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park sits on the western shore of Mobile Bay, and the battleship itself is the reason to make the drive.
The USS Alabama (BB-60), a South Dakota-class battleship commissioned in 1942, served in both the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II and earned nine battle stars. Self-guided tours cover multiple decks, from engine rooms below the waterline to the bridge and gun turrets above, and the access is unusually comprehensive: she is one of fewer than ten preserved battleships in the United States. Moored alongside, the submarine USS Drum (SS-228) provides a claustrophobic counterpoint to the battleship's scale; walking through her compartments makes the conditions submariners endured immediate in a way no exhibit can. The aircraft pavilion adds military aircraft spanning several decades. For RTJ Trail itineraries that reach Magnolia Grove near Mobile, the park is a natural half-day pairing.
Open daily 8 AM to 5 PM, last admission 3:30 PM. Admission $18 to $25 for adults with military, senior, and child discounts. Self-guided tours involve ladders and steep stairs on the battleship and narrow passageways on the submarine; comfortable shoes and reasonable mobility required. The park is largely unshaded, so account for heat in summer. Parking is free.