Alabama--The War Route
Date: 2004-11-14
Start at U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park on Battleship Parkway to explore the great ship's engine room, wardroom, galley, and decks. From there, head southwest on I-10 to Rte. 63 south to Dauphin Island and Fort Gaines. Then turn around and retrace the route past the Alabama, detour five miles north to Blakely Park, continue on I-10 to U.S. 98 south to Rte. 59 south, then east on Rte. 182 to Gulf State Park for a dip in the Gulf of Mexico and west on I-80 to Fort Morgan.
The U.S.S. Alabama is great, even if you have seen a battleship before, because it is restored better than most. There are many varieties of flora and fauna in the surrounding marshes. Near Mon Louis, the Bellingrath Gardens will thrill the horticulturists in the family as will the home, which is filled with antique treasures. Fort Gaines sits out in the Gulf at the end of a six-mile causeway. Along with Fort Morgan, troops from here shelled Admiral Farragut in the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay, but Farragut said, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" and won the battle for the North. Back in Mobile, the restored Fort Conde is worth a stop at 150 S. Royal Street. It contains many artifacts from its days as a French fort in the early 1700s. Continuing on, Blakely Park is five miles north of I-10 on Rte. 225. The last major battle of the Civil War was fought here.
Starting Point:
Mobile, AL
Distance of Drive:
160 miles
Must Eat:
Grand Hotel Marriott Resort
One Grand Boulevard, PO Box 639
Point Clear, AL 36564-0639
Phone: 251-928-9201
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Good Stop For: Steak and Seafood
Best Time of Year for Drive:
The beaches are not warm in winter and too hot in summer, so choose the transition seasons of spring and fall to enjoy this area.
Points of Interest on Drive:
U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
Fort Morgan
Bellingrath Gardens
Fort Conde
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