Bellingrath Gardens nice if you enjoy the floral, formal type garden settings. South of Mobile, can do this if one is on their way to Dauphin Island.
Two forts near Mobile Bay are actually in much better condition than Ft. Pickens at Pensacola. Ft. Pickens was partially destroyed by an accidental munitions explosion way back in the WW I era I believe, and there are a lot of parts of the fort unstable and not open to the public. Mind you, you can find the cell where Geronimo was housed at Ft. Pickens.
They also saw much more action during the Civil War. Ft Gaines, on Dauphin Island, and Ft. Morgan, across the bay from Ft. Gaines. Both very nice, and well maintained forts. Scenes of Admiral Farraguts "Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead" during the battle of Mobile Bay.
Shoot, hit all three spots. Start on the east side with Ft. Morgan, ferry across to Dauphin Island, where the landing is almost next door to Ft. Gaines. Then north off the island to Bellingrath Gardens.
And please stop by and see the USS Alabama and related on-shore displays nearby. Lots of airplanes and I believe even a few tanks on display. Well worth seeing.
