Written by Kris M. on May 15, 2021

USS Alabama Battleship

This was the big surprise that my bestie and I planned for my son. My son is a history buff and a military brat. He loves military vehicles, museums, anything World War II (WWII), etc. This ship was used in WWII and now sits in the Gulf of Mexico in Mobile, Alabama… right on the other side of an under water tunnel we go through on the way to New Orleans.

I had not discovered Roadtrippers yet but my bestie and I saw mention of this ship at the Alabama Welcome Station on our way to pick up my son. We actually got a whole lot more than I bargained for! Unfortunately, there was so much to see that we weren’t able to finish it all this trip.

I was going through some medical issues at the time so I was walking with a cane and started to struggle about halfway through the ship. My son and I made a deal that we would come hear again on a future trip so that we could see the parts we didn’t get to see this trip.

I hated doing that to him but it is what it is. Besides, it gives us another reason to come through here. I always love finding reasons to plan a trip! As of this writing, we haven’t been back yet. But it is already planned during one of our future trips. I owe it to him. And it’s just really cool.

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USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park

When we planned this as a road trip stop on our way back, I thought we were just stopping to see a ship. I had no idea. As we approached the place, I started seeing various memorials and aircraft spread out throughout the park. Obviously, my son was excited that we stopped here.

After parking, we started by walking around the park to visit the various memorials they had. There was the USS Drum submarine there as well but we didn’t get to tour that one on this trip. After visiting the various memorials, tanks and artillery, we went into the gift shop and bought a few souvenirs while purchasing our tickets for the battleship tour.

This was a more expensive stop than what we usually spend on our trips, but we like to splurge sometimes when it’s worth it. This was definitely worth it. After the gift shop, we headed back outside and toward the battleship. We had to stop to get a few pictures of my son with a statue and stuff. Then we climbed the really long ramp to board the ship.

After playing on the ship deck and getting pictures of my son manning the guns, we began our tour. We walked throughout the top half of the ship touring different cabins and stuff in the ship. Listen, I don’t know ship terminology so I know I’m saying things wrong but we had a really good time. I wish we could’ve finished the tour. After touring the battleship, we went into the Aircraft Pavilion and spent probably another hour in there.

About the USS Alabama Battleship

The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is located at 2703 Battleship Parkway, Mobile, Alabama 36602.

If you need to call ahead, which is recommended during this time of Covid 19, their phone number is (251) 433-2703.

The hours of operation are Sunday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm; except Christmas day. However, the last ticket of the day will be sold at 4pm and the gift shop closes at that time as well.

General parking costs $4, $28 for large vehicles. General admission is $15 for children 12 and up. There are discounts for children between 5 and 12 years old, senior citizens, AAA members, and active duty military. Children 5 and under are free.

They do accept credit cards, it is wheelchair accessible, and there are public restrooms.

The park was established to honor all Alabamians that participated in all armed conflicts of the United States. It serves as a permanent public memorial to educate the public on the contributions and sacrifices of military veterans in all conflicts. The USS Alabama Battleship Commission was established in 1963 by the State of Alabama Legislature to carry out this mission.

Summary

Gunner!

In m opinion, the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park easily earns a 10 out of 10. We spent a good couple of hours there and didn’t get to see everything there was to see. I would recommend it be planned as a day trip, for sure. Then you can take your time and make your way to everything, reading the history and everything!

If you haven’t yet, you can read the reviews and explore the area on the Roadtrippers Trip Planner. There are hotels in the area if you choose to hang around and visit for more than a day. A word of advice: if you’re going while there is an airshow nearby, make sure you make reservations with a hotel ahead of time. We were lucky to find a place to sleep in Saraland, Alabama!

We’ll definitely be going back to this park at some point, I owe it to my son. Have you been there? I’d love to hear what you thought of it. Please drop a few lines in the comments box below and let me know how your visit went.

In the meantime, safe travels!

~Kris M.