Mobile, Alabama at a Glance

Location: Southern Alabama
Access: Mobile Regional Airport, Mobile International Airport [opening in 2027], Interstates 10 and 65, Amtrak Mardi Gras Service
Hotel Rooms: 6,000+
Contact Info: 
Visit Mobile
251-208-2000
mobile.org

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center

Built: 1993
Exhibit Space: 317,000 square feet total, including two exhibit halls (50,000 square feet each)
Other Meeting Spaces: 16 meeting rooms, two 7,750-square-foot ballrooms, and 45,000 square feet of outdoor/river terrace areas

Meeting Hotels

Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel

Guest Rooms: 373
Meeting Space: 39,438 square feet

The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa

Guest Rooms: 238
Meeting Space: 28,539 square feet

Holiday Inn Downtown Historic District

Guest Rooms: 206
Meeting Space: 10,000 square feet

Who’s Meeting in Mobile

AL Dept of Education – MEGA Conference

Attendees: 3,000

Distinguished Young Women – National Finals

Attendees: 2,500

International Pentecostal Holiness Church

Attendees: 3,500

 

Located on the head of Mobile Bay in the center of the Gulf Coast, the city of Mobile, Alabama, offers more than 350 years of maritime (and other) history, natural beauty and some of the South’s most vibrant cuisine and culture. The former French colonial capital is easily accessible for meeting planners and attendees. The “Gateway to the Gulf” is situated at the intersection of Interstates 10 and 65, Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service runs twice daily to and from New Orleans, and the new Mobile International Airport is scheduled to open in spring 2027. In the walkable downtown, visitors will find a light-filled, waterfront convention center with a river walk, outdoor terraces and magnificent river views along with state-of-the-art meeting amenities.

“Mobile has so many incredible things for groups to do,” said Ashley Rains, senior public relations and communications manager for Visit Mobile. “There are more than 50 restaurants within several dozen downtown blocks, many of which can accommodate groups. Our new airport will only be a two-minute drive from the center, and Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service drops people at the doorstep of downtown.”

Destination Highlights

As the 12th-largest port in the nation and Alabama’s only deep-water port, Mobile’s maritime history has shaped the city in countless ways. The most visible testament to this history dominates the skyline at Battleship Memorial Park, which is anchored by the enormous USS Alabama. The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf speaks more to how the Gulf of Mexico and the port of Mobile were integral in the founding of the city and how it’s grown to be an important hub of United States commerce.

Mobile celebrates the 325th anniversary of its founding in 2027, and visitors will find seven enchanting National Register Historic Districts in downtown and midtown, including De Tonti Square, Church Street East and Oakleigh Garden. Magnolia-scented streets are lined with moss-dripped oaks shading proudly maintained homes with restful front porches and carefully tended gardens.

Mobile’s culture runs deep. The city is home to America’s first Mardi Gras observance, which was celebrated in 1703, a year after its settlement. Visitors can learn about this rich history at the Mobile Carnival Museum. Beyond parade season, the city maintains a robust cultural calendar, with festivals and performances throughout the year and well-regarded opera, symphony, theater and ballet organizations. The historic Saenger Theatre, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2027, is home to more than 100 performances annually.

Distinctive Venues

Mobile is known as “Azalea City” and explodes into a profusion of color each spring. For planners who want to treat their attendees to a classic venue bursting with botanical beauty, the lavish grounds of the 1855 Bragg-Mitchell Mansion showcase live oaks and azaleas at one of the region’s most elegant homes. The mansion is available for private luncheons, dinners and tours.

Overlooking the water and Cooper Riverfront Park, the ship-shaped National Maritime Museum of the Gulf provides an unforgettable venue filled with interactive and immersive displays and activities that provide numerous event spaces for receptions, classes and presentations. The 3,200-square-foot Grand Rotunda can accommodate a reception for 250, while the 1,361-square-foot Gulf Theatre has seating for 75. For a unique event drenched in all the colors of Mardi Gras, the Den at the Mobile Carnival Museum can accommodate 200 people for a reception and 150 people for a seated dinner, in addition to a grassy lawn where groups can put up event tents.

After the Meeting

After the event, there’s no limit to the activities attendees can enjoy. Rains recommends that visitors take advantage of Mobile’s walkable downtown to take in the multiple restaurants and entertainment venues convenient to the convention center, as well as the waterfront.

“Groups really love the waterfront,” Rains said. “Cooper Riverside Park is back open to the public after extensive renovation. It’s on the waterfront and runs basically from the convention center all the way to the National Maritime Museum, and it’s a beautiful walkable space with green spaces, statuary, benches and a small amphitheater.”

She also recommended that attendees enjoy a sunset dinner cruise on the Perdido Queen Riverboat, which can accommodate up to 130 guests.