Total distance covered: 35,186 miles at the end of all stages of this RV road trip (Simon & Susan Veness)
On the final leg of their RV tour of the US, Simon and Susan Veness drive the Alabama coast to find sprawling state parks, white sands and the ‘happiest place on earth’ after a year on the road.
Bienville Square in Mobile, Alabama, was an unexpected hive of activity. The TV cameras were busily filming, the historic fountain was flowing and the city’s landmark park was positively buzzing with energy on this Friday afternoon.
Sadly, it wasn’t in honour of our arrival in this charming location, but it was a major occasion, with the reopening of the 200-year-old Square after a four-year recovery from the ravages of Hurricane Sally in 2020. And it was easy to see why the locals were cock-a-hoop at the rebirth of their central icon. This gem of a park boasted graceful oak trees, elegant flowerbeds and the cast iron 1896 fountain, lovingly restored to former glories, making for an urban oasis of exquisite proportions.
Mobile itself also proved an enchanting discovery at the start of the final month of our grand year-long RV tour of the US. Established in 1701 as the capital of French Louisiana, it glittered with colonial heritage, full of historic districts that each seemed to have their own version of Bienville Square, an enticing mix of those twin 18th-century city icons Savannah in Georgia and New Orleans in Louisiana.
Dinner in Mobile came from Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, with a very decent pint of Guinness and a blackened shrimp po’boy that was as good as anything we had in New Orleans.
As we reluctantly broke camp for the 78th time on our cross-country voyage, we felt we had left plenty of sight-seeing highlights unseen and ... would be eager to return to this most pleasant of seaside settings.
Simon and Susan Veness, along with their dog Ruthie, traveled the U.S. in their RV and chronicled their year-long journey. You can read their article about the entire last leg of the adventure, including this recap of their experience in Mobile, in this article.
Total distance covered: 35,186 miles. RV parks and overnight stops: 83. States visited: 23. National Parks: 16.
Explore downtown
They say the heart of any city is its downtown and ours is beating loudly.
Things to Do
So much to explore. So much to see. Don't miss out on the fun.
Calendar of Events
We're born to celebrate so come celebrate something you love, with us!
Suggested Itineraries
Explore Mobile on your own terms.