100 THINGS TO DO IN MOBILE BEFORE YOU DIE
Author: Jodie Cain Smith
Mobile, Alabama, is proud to be the birthplace of Mardi Gras, but carnival season is just one reason Mobile is a destination city. And 100 Things to Do in Mobile Before You Die is your expert guide to getting around past the Battleship, the cannon, and all of the city’s unique landmarks.
Get tips on where to try the best seafood classics such as flaming oysters, fried crab claws, and West Indies Salad. Tap into an extensive park system offering playgrounds, splash pads, kayaking, fishing, and more, and an art scene to rival cities of any size. This “City of Six Flags” celebrates our diverse culture with historic neighborhoods, unique shopping, art galleries, museums, live music and theater, and one-of-a-kind sporting events—pole vaulting on Dauphin Street, anyone?
Written by a born-and-bred Mobile author and founder of the Mobile Literary Festival, 100 Things to Do in Mobile Before You Die is your guide to the best Mobile has to offer, from family fun at the Exploreum, to invigorating solo escapes on Mobile Bay, and everything in between. Strap on those walking shoes, grab a cold beverage, and devour every delectable morsel found in Mob-Town.
About the Author
Award-winning author and Mobile Literary Festival founder Jodie Cain Smith spent her childhood exploring the shores of Mobile Bay. She is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and Northern Michigan University because earning a degree on both the southern and northern border happened by chance and a bit of study. She is the author of two novels, The Woods at Barlow Bend and Bayou Cresting: The Wanting Women of Huet Pointe. Her short works have appeared in The Petigru Review, Pieces Anthology, and Chicken Soup for the Military Spouse's Soul. When not writing, Jodie hangs out with her long-suffering husband and the most precious little boy ever created. Seriously, the kid is amazing, and the husband puts up with a lot.
TALKING POINTS FROM THE BOOK:
Between the warm climate and wide range of activities, Mobile is a favorite of snow birds seeking sun-drenched recreation, water sports, diverse dining experiences, and relaxing landscapes.
Mobile is a seafood lover’s paradise. Not only can you find fabulous seafood restaurants and markets in nearly every part of Mobile, but the seafood caught, sold, and served here originated in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta—America’s Amazon—as a major spawning area for several delectable species. You can’t get fresher than that.
Many seafood dishes were invented here. Fried blue crab claws (“Crab claws” to us locals) and West Indies Salad were created here. The Flaming Oysters at Bluegill on the Causeway is a Mobile original, and the absolute best way to enjoy oysters. Garlic butter and melted parmesan atop a flame-grilled oyster? Yes, please.
Mobile is for outdoorsy folks. Outdoor recreation is plentiful here. Bike trails, kayaking, disc golf, fishing, hiking, crabbing, and floundering are just a few of the outdoor activities Mobile has to offer. Add to that the beautiful park system Mobile has, and you’ll never want to spend a day indoors.
If you want to irritate any true-blue Mobilian, tell them the first Mardi Gras in the United States took place in New Orleans. It did not. Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras. As Ginger Woechen’s gorgeous cruise terminal mural declares, we are born to celebrate.
We take our trees seriously here, specifically the live oaks. They are a city-wide treasure. We take comfort strolling beneath the canopies of oak branches found throughout midtown. We fight like the dickens if someone tries to remove one. We even name them. My favorite is the Duffie Oak on Caroline. Originally named the Seven Sisters for the seven long, thick branches reaching out in all directions, the Duffie Oak is the oldest living landmark in Mobile at over 700 years old, and it’s perfect for climbing.
Langan Park, formerly Municipal Park, is Mobile’s Centr
