This post is written on behalf of Alabama, but all BBQ drooling, party ideas, and wanderlust are my own.
About ten years ago, my best friend from high school moved to Mobile, Alabama. I quickly realized that before she moved I had never been to Alabama. It wasn’t something that I thought of as a tourist destination, but after visiting her for a long weekend it became crystal clear; 5 reasons to visit Alabama. There is so much to that state that I had no clue about, and I’m pretty sure you don’t know about the hidden gem that is Alabama.
Having grown up in the Southeast US, off and on, for most of my life it means this girl KNOWS her BBQ. What I didn’t know was that Alabama has a huge passion for BBQ! (According to estately.com, Alabama was the “most BBQ crazed state” in 2014!) With the stiff competition in the BBQ world that’s a pretty awesome moniker.
Before I get you all drooling too much, funny story time. My best friend from high school had moved to Mobile, Alabama for a job. We hadn’t seen each other in quite a while with me having moved around and gotten married. I was recently separated, and the kids were at their dad’s house for the weekend. I figured what the heck and called her up. She told me that she had an invite to an elite crewe Mardi Gras party in Mobile, and that I needed to come down. Since I was child free,you know this girl didn’t say no. I dashed to the mall, found an awesome $25 dress, and drove the SEVEN hours to Mobile, Alabama.
This was actually my first time going to Alabama. After the long drive, I got there and we got ready for the ball. What I didn’t know was that Mobile, Alabama was known for Mardi Gras almost as much as that other place. The other thing that I didn’t know was that these Mardi Gras balls were by invitation only, and that my friend hadn’t gotten a hold of the guy that had invited her. The crewes of Mobile also keep their locations top secret, so just going up to someone and asking if this is this crewe’s party was met by deadening silence. After not getting ahold of our invite, there we are all dressed up to the nines and NO clue where this party is at. Finally, we come across a convention center that has tons of people in formal wear entering the front door.
Without even a hesitation, she gets out of her car and yells for me to come on. Needless to say we ended up “Crashing” (ok for like 2 minutes) one of the most exclusive Mardi Gras parties on all of Mobile. It was such a fun experience to feel like I was one of them, even if it was only for a mere thirty minutes. Ever since our little adventure Alabama has really intrigued me. It’s still one of my fondest memories of that time in my life.
That’s the thing about Alabama, you probably have no clue what adventures lie ahead of you when you visit. Whether you want a family friendly vacation, a foodie destination, or a beach bunny excursion Alabama has it all. They even have apps to help you along the way. So, here’s my top five reason to visit Alabama
5 Top Reasons to Visit Alabama
1. Mardi Gras: Mobile, Alabama has a great Mardi Gras scene, and the OLDEST Mardi Gras celebration in the US! It’s a little less hectic than that other place, but still amazing fun. I went to a Mardi Gras party and a night Mardi Gras parade. Both were a really good time!
2. BBQ, BBQ, BBQ: If you consider yourself a foodie, then Alabama is a great foodie destination. Heck, even if you are just a BBQ fan, then you have to visit Alabama and see how their BBQ measures up to what you have back home. Trust me, it’s amazing.
3. Beaches: Alabama lies on the Gulf of Mexico and has so many miles of sugar-white sandy beaches. There are so many different locations of beach that give you the ultimate beach getaway, deep sea fishing expeditions, or other great beach vacation experiences.
4. Family Friendly Destinations: There is so much to do with the family in Alabama. Whether you want to study the history of Alabama, see the Space Center in Hunstville, or just check out the old plantations and food there is something for everyone in the family.
5. Not Your Typical Vacation: This is my favorite reason why Alabama rocks. It’s not your typical tourist destination. They have so much pride in their state! You can soak in the music, the food, the beaches, and all that Alabama has to offer. You can stay in one area or take a road trip and visit the whole state. Vacations like this are the ones that the best memories in my book! Plus, Alabama has your back with these great apps to help you plan your trip!
When you are planning your next vacation, make sure you that you remember that Alabama pretty much rocks as a vacation spot. You never know what adventures you might run into!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Alabama Tourism. The opinions and text are all mine.
Kiwi says
You know whats funny? I been to Mardi Gras several times in New Orleans but I did hear it originated in Alabama. I need to go to the Bama version and see how it compares!
Seattle Travel Blogger says
I think a vacation to Alabama would be lovely! Beaches and bbq sound great!
Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says
I’m always on the lookout for great barbecue places! We’ll have to take a visit some day!
Shawn says
It’s a beautiful state. 1) I wish it didn’t take 4 hours to cross Georgia to get there and 2) I wish I had a travel buddy to go with me.
Crystal says
That looks like such a fun destination! I have never been to Alabama, but I’m adding it to my bucket list.