Brunch - Bistro St. Emanuel
Our first stop was Bistro Saint Emanuel for brunch. The restaurant is located near Fort Conde and is part of the Fort Conde Inn. The Fort Conde Inn is a boutique historic hotel that we can't wait to stay at.
Seeing the Inn decorated for Mardi Gras made me want to book another weekend getaway asap.
Bistro Saint Emanuel was fantastic! Sierra, our server, made sure that we were taken care of and was super sweet. I would go back just to talk with her again.
Bourbon Pecan French Toast...YUM!
The menu is filled with southern brunch classics and fun twists you don't usually see on coastal Alabama menus. My husband had poutine with Conecuh sausage and an egg. He said it was delicious.
I had the eggs benedict with potatoes and cleared the entire plate it was that good. Everything was cooked fresh to order and tasted amazing. Sierra mentioned to us that we needed to come back for dinner and experience their steaks.
One great thing about dining at Bistro St. Emanual during Mardi Gras parade season is you can pay to park in their parking area for the parades.
It was an easy walk from the restaurant parking past Fort Conde to the Mobile Mystics Parade.
Mobile Mystics Parade - Downtown Mobile
We suggest arriving early for the parade and bringing a camp chair to relax in. This will allow you to find a comfortable space and meet your parade neighbors.
During Mardi Gras parades, we all become family for an hour or two. If you haven't been to a parade before, don't be surprised if you suddenly block a child's head from being hit by a beaded necklace or pack of ramen.
Mardi Gras parades are all about community, having fun, and ensuring everyone knows what's flying through the air.
The Mobile Mystics Parade was amazing. We have been to Gulf Shores-Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parades, along with a couple in New Orleans, but this was our 1st Mobile parade.
WOW! That's all I can say. I kept looking at my husband, telling him how in awe I was that the parade was as big as it was. Multiple mystic societies parade one after another, so you can enjoy an excellent Mobile Mardi Gras parade experience.
The Mardi Gras floats were terrific. I learned that they changed each year based on the year's theme.
Make sure to bring sunscreen and sunglasses for the parade. My nose is a bit pink from sitting outside for a few hours and not reapplying sunscreen before the parade.
You will also want to grab a bag for all the throws you catch. We saw a box of ramen fly through the air during the parades, and giant stuffed animals. You never know what is coming off a float.
After the parades, we enjoyed a bit of people-watching before heading back to the car to head to the hotel for check-in.
The Battle House Renaissance Hotel
The Battle House Hotel has been on my hotel bucket list for a while. I kept hearing how amazing the hotel is and that I needed to check out the lobby.
As soon as we walked into the historic lobby, my jaw dropped. Woah! The domed skylight is unbelievable. The lobby is a piece of art that you can sit and relax in.
We highly suggest planning time to relax in the lobby and watch the Mardi Gras fashion show of people walking through. Mardi Gras is one of my favorite people-watching events.
You will see all sorts of purple, gold, and green ensembles, along with tuxedos and ball gowns, as people head to Mardi Gras Balls.
We stayed in a king room on the 7th floor in the historic section of the hotel. I have a room review in our Battle House Hotel Review post with tons of details on the hotel.
Bienville Bites Food Tour - Order of Foodies
One of the coolest tours you can take in Mobile, especially if you are a foodie, is a Bienville Bites Food Tour.
I have heard about them for the past couple of years and was excited to join a special Mardi Gras tour. The Bienville Bites Order of Foodies Tour is the perfect way to learn more about Mobile Mardi Gras, dine of delicious Mardi Gras-themed food, AND get to watch a night parade from a balcony at The Battle House Hotel.
The tour started with a delicious Hurricane cocktail in the Crystal Ballroom. Our fantastic tour guide, Bella, introduced us to the history of Mobile Mardi Gras.
I learned so many new things about Mobile Mardi Gras. I didn't realize the official colors of Mobile Mardi Gras are gold and purple. You will notice that green is not an official color since it was introduced in New Orleans years later.
Our tour group walked down to Mardi Gras Park, a few blocks from the hotel to learn more about Mardi Gras history and the associations that are part of the event.
This was an great opportunity to get a photo in front of the Mardi Gras tree. We headed back to the hotel for the highlight of the night...more parades.
Bienville Bites Food Tour partners with The Battle House Hotel for this event and others. Executive Chef Tony Reynolds created an amazing Mardi Gras food spread.
Chef Tony's Menu
- Chicken and Conecuh Sausage Jambalaya
- Pickled Crudite Jars featuring Carnival Cauliflower, Bloody Mary Aioli Dipping Sauce
- Mini Muffulettas with House-Made Focaccia Bread
- Joe Cain’s Hot Crab & Artichoke Dip w/Butter Crackers
- Smoked Bacon Dip w/House Chips
- Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sliders
- Home-made Battle House Moon Pie
- Battle House Apple Butter King Cake
I didn't know that apple butter king cake was a thing, but I am thankful I had the chance to try it. YUM!
They also had chocolate moon pies that the hotel made that were beyond delicious. I am so glad I tucked one in my bag for a midnight snack after the parades.
I didn't realize they lower the MoonPie over Mobile sign before every parade. It was so fun watching the MoonPie drop down the side of the building.
Order of Butterfly Maidens, Krewe of Marry Mates Parades
Watching the Mardi Gras Parades from a balcony is a Mardi Gras bucket list moment we all need to experience.
It was such an incredible perspective to see the floats from above. You get to see the artistry and work that has gone into crafting the floats for the parade theme.
I must admit that the part of the parade that had me most in awe was watching the City of Mobile clean-up crew hit the streets right after the parade.
I stood in awe, watching as the clean-up crew immediately followed the parade in a choreographed dance, moving confetti and garbage to the road so the sweepers could pick them up.
In minutes, the road went from being covered in confetti, garbage, and miscellaneous Mardi Gras paraphernalia to being sparkly clean. It was awe-inspiring watching the work being done to restore Downtown Mobile to its typical clean streets.
Parades Watched - Order of Butterfly Maidens, Krewe of Marry Mates
Check out the Bienville Bites Downtown Mobile Food Tour Here
Day 2 - Explore Mobile, Alabama
We had planned to start our 2nd day in Mobile early so we could see as much as possible while in the city.
I will admit that the Battle House Hotel bed was so comfortable we slept in and enjoyed a quiet relaxing morning. The bed is soft as a cloud and embraces you in a warm hug that is really hard to pull yourself out of.
It was raining when we woke up, so we made coffee in the room and relaxed for a bit. We are already talking about booking a staycation at The Battle House Hotel soon.
Bringing a new book and spending a weekend relaxing while soaking in all of the hotel amenities.
The roof top pool looks perfect for a warm Alabama Gulf Coast day. There is a pool bar, lounge chairs, and a large pool calling my name this spring.
The Trellis Room in The Battle House Hotel has a breakfast and brunch menu that is filled with options. They also offer a breakfast buffet with tons of options including made to order omelets, pancakes, Conecuh sausage, fresh fruit and yogurt, and more.
We had planned to go to the USS Alabama or possibly Bellingrath Gardens but the rain made us reconsider our days plan.
Visit Mobile has a Mobile Mardi Gras Experience Trail that you can download to your phone. Since it was raining and we wanted to continue learning more about how Mardi Gras started in Mobile we decided to work through the different stops on the trail.
Stops on the Mobile Mardi Gras Experience Trail include the Mobile Carnival Museum, Joe Cain's Home, Mardi Gras Park, History Museum of Mobile & Colonial Fort Conde, and Bienville Square.
When you visit each location you can check in on the trail app and earn points. Once you earn 600 points you can get a really fun Mobile Mardi Gras strand of beads.
Depending on the weekend that you visit, you may be able to enjoy a few more Mardi Gras parades in Mobile. There is always something fun happening in Mobile during Carnival season.
