Mobile 2010 – Day 3 (Downtown Mobile – Fort Conde, Exploreum, Trek to Wintzells)

For our final day in Mobile, we were going downtown to visit the Exploreum (Science Center similar to the McWane center). We first stopped and Fort Conde, a replication of an old fort, which is also the official Welcome Center of Mobile. It was fairly neat and they had several displays of very old stuff. We did get our picture in the jail area. We then went in the gift shop and get directions to Wintzells, which we were told was a local favorite for lunch.

But prior to Wintzells, we walked the one block over to the Exploreum. You may also notice that the shirt Davis is wearing in the picture above is different than his souvenir shirt through the remainder of these pictures...this is due to a severe nose bleed in the van that morning that had us panicked for awhile, and him with a very nasty shirt. Oh well, we made it and he got a new "cool shark shirt."

We began in the smaller children area and had a blast because we basically had the area all to ourselves. Then we let the kids play in a large ball area that was pretty cool, and it gave magan and I a chance to sit back and rest.

The bigger kid section of the science center was also very neat. The first floor was devoted to the human body, and it had several fun exhibits and activities to help learn about the body. The giant beating heart and skeleton riding a bicycle were a little much for Dave, but Sam had a blast. Both boys could not get enough of the “Sounds your body makes” display…and yes they pressed the “fart” button several times to hear the loud amplified cheese being cut. This display also had a “burp” and “pee” button.

The upstairs section let the kids design their own roller coaster, and then they got to ride it. This was really fun, and the kids rode several times. The seats did not move, but watching the ride made you fall sideways a couple of times. It was then time for lunch, so we headed out…and I wish I would have gotten a picture of the small contraption I had to ride down to street level with the stroller. It was probably not designed for the doublestroller, and after my bottom pushed the alarm several times because I just barely fit, I am guessing they were happy to see us go.

Wintzells was an 8 block walk through downtown Mobile, which was really great and pleasant. It reminded magan and I a little of Savannah. On the way, Davis and Belle fell asleep, and Sam got to ride on my back for the whole way. Good Food, Good atmosphere, good bread pudding.

The way back caused Sam to be a little restless because he was the only one without a nap. But Magan corrected this by bribing him that he could have a little bag of gold he wanted back at the welcome center if he made it back without complaint. Not another word or problem from him the whole walk back. And he was so proud of his little bag of gold and gems, and he is still carrying now back from the trip in his Indiana Jones bag.