A family home built in 1882 by a local fisherman on the Bon Secour river. A beautiful estate well…read morekept throughout the years. Offering tours for $5 or come in to look around. Now available as a wedding venue as well. With various rooms being used as a Bridal and Groom suite. A large outdoor backyard with a pavilion in construction. This place is gorgeous, offering a glimpse at old life in the south. Improvements are constantly being made to keep the legacy of the Swift-Cole family living on.

Swift-Coles Historic Home, in Bon Secour, AL, initial construction was in1882, is a 6000 sq ft…read morestunning old home with 3500 sq ft of porches with swings and fans, love it. It's filled with beautiful period antiques, some which are familiar to me from my granny's home, that immediately transported me back my childhood. The grounds are beautiful with large Magnolia trees and 120 yr old Live Oak trees with Spanish moss everywhere and there's Azaleas, Hydrangeas and a variety of other plants and shrubs. The grounds all around are meticulously maintained giving the property vibrant look and appeal. Originally it was the home of Charles and Susan Swift and their 11 children, it was purchased in 1976 by Nik Coles. Before his death in 2007, he bequeathed the home to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission. In 2009 the home was opened to the public and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A debt of gratitude is owed to Mr. Nik Coles for his contributions in saving one of the most colorful and outstanding examples of the turn of the century Gulf Coast architecture in our community. The Swift-Coles Historic Home is now open to the public for summer tours. The guided tours leads visitors through the 16 room historic tidewater mansion and grounds to experience how life along the Bon Secour River would have been nearly 100 years ago. There's lots of legends and lore about this place being haunted, many about the deceased displeasure with the renovations. I have been here several times and the last was recently with #1 son and my neighbor Claudine for a late night paranormal investigation with Panhandle Paranormal Group. It indeed was very cool! For more information about tours and current events call (251) 949-5550 or visit their Facebook page at: https://facebook.com/Swift-Coles-Historic-Home-544364585730248/ Bottom line: A lovely piece of history, it's not Mount Vernon but it's lovely.

It is amazing place BEAUTIFUL so many flowers and plant it like a fair tail but the are a lot of…read morewasp and bats but is amazing please go check it out

We were in the Mobile area and decided to visit this expansive estate. Azaleas and camellia were…read morethe primary bloomers in mid-March, but there were other things to see in the gardens. Bellingrath is not among the gardens giving reciprocal admissions. After we paid, we were given a map and a brief explanation. Many of the garden paths are shady, while others are wide open. There are areas where there are lots of mosquitoes. Sunscreen and bug repellant are recommended for your visit. We enjoyed the water features, bridges, and the beautiful reflections. The so-called Asian-American garden near the end of the tour had some interesting hardscape but wasn't well maintained. The greenhouses were definitely worth a visit. There were lots of plants for sale during our visit. We didn't visit the Bellingrath Home Museum, which had an extra charge. All in all, we got some exercise and saw beautiful scenery during our visit. I'm guessing the gardens will be much nicer beginning in May. Hopefully the roses will be blooming by then.

My husband and I went on the Ashes to Ashes tour with Todd yesterday. It was super informative and…read morehe covered a lot of info in the hour and 1/2 walking tour of the graveyard. I would definitely attend another.

I've been on two different tours with Todd and am looking forward to my third. After moving to…read moreMobile and gathering as much of the history from books as I could endure a friend and I joined Todd on his Sunday walking tour. It was great. His stories brought to life all the dry facts I had read. Almost a year later I joined Todd on his Mardi Gras tour. Having experienced two Mobile Mardi Gras hearing his tales brought it all full circle and the how's and who's were answered. I would recommend these tours to anyone, local or guests. They are informative without being overwhelming. My next tour will be one of his evening tours and I'm ever so looking forward to it!

Bienville Bites Food Tours, guided by Chris, delivers exceptional kindness and…read morehospitality--particularly memorable during my visit to The Noble South, a standout Southern farm-to-table restaurant in downtown Mobile. Chris crafted a warm experience. Chris's kindness and attention to detail set him apart. The atmosphere is relaxed yet welcoming, and his team consistently goes above and beyond--from handling my unpredictable situation with grace, he was great. The Noble South, where the delightfully rustic, Southern-inspired menu made a lasting impression. The farm-to-table concept shines with high-quality dishes--whether shrimp and grits or inventive vegetable sides--all in a beautiful, open space flooded with natural light. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, and the restaurant's cozy atmosphere complemented the delicious food. If you want a taste of Mobile's best food--paired with local history and genuine Southern kindness--Chris's Bienville Bites is a must. The Noble South alone is worth the price and Chris's personal touch make it unforgettable.

Date night with Chef Tony Reynolds‍ Mesquite Smoked &…read moreBraised short rib over cheesy mozzarella polenta paired with a charcuterie and an Alabama mule. The presentation was great, it was on the rooftop of the battlehouse and we got to see the presidential suite. Definitely recommend Bienville Bites Food Tours!

I'm a wedding artist and I drew caricatures here at a wedding last year…read more If you like beautiful pictures, this is the place for you. This wedding was set outside and had a gorgeous view of the bay. Since we were there during the golden hour (the hour before sunset) many of my pictures turned out to be some of the best I've ever taken. Beautiful venue, well run and seamless, highly reccommend.

I got married here about a year ago and I would love to share my thoughts and feelings on this…read morevenue. The venue is very pretty however the management is horrible. They said there would be someone there to help assist and to answer any questions and that was a blatant lie as the only "employee" worked on his truck and sat in his truck the whole time. The minute the wedding was over (about 8:30pm) the same guy that worked on his truck starts freaking out that nothing is torn down. Yes we were a bit late getting everything undone from the wedding that was rained out but it's not like they had another party that night. They caused so much unnecessary stress to the entire day i'm grateful for my husband and my photographer that took over everything because these people were hell to deal with. So yeah, it's pretty but is it worth the stress of shitty management? Not in my opinion

3/27/2025: This was my favorite part of the historical tour downtown. This piece is a guided tour…read more Aiden was very detailed and had a full knowledge of the history of Pensacola. We started in a home built in 1805, then went to the oldest church in Florida built in 1832, then saw 2 additional homes. One was from 1871 and the other from 1890. I don't want to give too much away in my review, so the best thing I can suggest is to not miss this part! When Aiden detailed the past for us, he used words as current descriptions and like he was the one who was performing the daily tasks. It was a nice touch. To see how people lived long ago is amazing. When you walk into the area of the first home, you'll see a woman tending the garden, a man wood working, a woman playing the flute, and another woman playing the violin. It was like a little play. I've been vacationing in Pensacola since 1975 when I was 2 months old. I love the beach but this is the first time I saw the history it holds. Very impressed. The guided tour takes about an hour. You can only see these homes and the church by purchasing a ticket for the tour. It's a bundle ticket that also gets you into the self guided museums. $12 for adults. Highly recommend!

The most adorable street here in The City of 5 Flags, Adams St, sits Pensacola's gorgeous little…read moreHistoric Village. Anchored by the tall white steeple of the old Christ Church, also known as "Christ Church" which was built in 1832. It's one of the oldest surviving church buildings in Florida & has the cutest little cottage on the planet right behind it. Services/events are still held there & you can actually rent the Church & cottage for weddings/events. Historically, in 1822 Pensacola had just recently been acquired by the United States and with this acquisition, came a surge of missionaries. In 1828, Father Ralph Williston arrived in Pensacola & with some of the town's Protestants supporting him, Williston acquired a charter & the property to build Christ Church. It is Gothic revival, absolutely gorgeous, has a long torrid history that is worth a read & is def a must visit. Also the best preserved example of post Civil War Classical Revival architecture in the Pensacola Historic District is the Yellow "Dorr House" built by Clara Barkley Dorr in 1871 for her & her five children. Her sister in law, "Clara Dorr Moreno" was named after her, as she was part of the Moreno family that lived across the street. The Moreno 'shotgun' cottage that stands there today was built by Don Francisco Moreno for his daughter LaPearle, one of the youngest of his 27 chidren by three wives. The house was a gift for LaPearle on the eve of her marriage to Octavius Smith. It contained no kitchen, as the newlyweds took their meals in the main Moreno home which once stood on the very same lot. A great deal of Pensacola's heritage began with the Spanish Moreno men who rebuilt the Spanish population here in Pensacola, following the British departure of 1781. Local Legendary Spaniard "Don Francisco Moreno" is rumored to have been Pensacola's wealthiest man. Some reports suggest that "the Don" became the community's primary banker. True to Spanish Pirate style, strictly dealing in gold, that he hid under his bed, or maybe, somewhere X? That is the "Key" question. There is also the local Legendary Pirate stories of "Billy Bowlegs" who preyed & pillaged booty from the Spanish Conquistadors who shipped through the Gulf of Mexico here, until 1838. Bowlegs is said to have stored hundreds of thousands worth of silver & gold booty on his personal schooner. Eventually rumored, to have hid his vast Pirate treasure of gold & silver on a sandy island off the northern Gulf Coast. and/or on "Perdido Key." AKA The "lost KEY." As I have wrote about this before, Pensacola has recently been discovered, to be the VERY FIRST established city in modern America. The City of 5 flags, historical era, begins with the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors who sailed into the bay in the 15th century. Six years BEFORE Spanish Conquistadors explorers arrived in St Augustine, Florida, in 1565. In 1559 Tristan de Luna & his mateys established the very first settlement at Pensacola Bay, the first multi-year European settlement, in what is now the continental United States of America. Abandoned for many years, in the late 17th century, the Spanish Conquistadors returned to find a more developed Pensacola, they battened down the hatches to hornswoggling an outpost, from which to defend their claims to Spanish Florida. Pensacola's idyllic, strategic but isolated "KEY" position, combined with the continued European rivalries playing out their "wars" in North America, lead to Pensacola changing hands among the Western powers a number of times. At these different times over the years, it was held by the British, the Spanish, the French, the United States & the Confederate States of America. Hence, the city of 5 flags. The Historic Village of Pensacola, AKA Pirate'cola, is def full of intriguing history. It's nine acres located exactly, in the original Spanish & British forts, in downtown Pensacola. I highly recommend you purchase a "One Ticket, Seven Days to Explore" ticket that enables you to leisurely visit all of the museums, participate in self-guided tours of all the historic homes. And you can even interact with period-dressed living history interpreters at some of the buildings. What I find most fascinating about Historic Pensacola Village is; every door, from the Dorr house to the Moreno Cottage to the 1810 Watson house, the street flags, even the entrance sign, has a giant symbol of a "Key." Perhaps it's just a symbol, a symbol of a "lost key." Or maybe, it's a reminder of a "key" to a Spanish Pirate treasure lost, lost here on the Gulf of Mexico. Lost on "Perdido Key." Highest Recommendations

We stopped by on the boo brunch tour and it is a beautiful home and museum…read more We heard stories and the hosts were great and did an amazing job informing us of the history of the home and stories of the resident ghosts.

What an amazing tour! I came on a Saturday morning just after they opened for the day. Street…read moreparking in front. The railings are all so beautiful and well maintained. The lady giving the tour was very knowledgeable and friendly. I loved that they knew the history and presented it well. Reasonable admission price. I liked that at the end you got a mug of hot tea and cookies.

I have been trying to do more things in Mobile and decided to come visit. Reasonable tour price,…read morevery friendly tour guides. I like how there are sections representing each of the different owners of the area, and the spot where the hole is cut in the floor to see the original jail flooring. I would recommend for anyone in the area.

It was a nice visit but 99% of the items in the house are not original. They are items from…read moredifferent places and times that were donated. All are historical items so they were beautiful. If you are going to make the drive then make sure you visit all the museums in that location the same day.

What an amazing piece of history! Just walking through all the tunnels and between various areas…read moreyou get a real sense of what it was like when the fort was in use. It's quite harrowing. I wish I'd had an extra hour to look at all the artifacts and read everything in the museum, but with three kids under four, no way. Definitely plan to spend a half day here. There are restrooms and access to the beach, but no food (and no food allowed in the museum).

Great little family pit stop. Learn some history View the…read moreocean and oil rigs. Take pics of cannons and be astounded by what they had to do in 1600's to survive It's crazy.... Human race has come so far yet not. .. Technology is super interesting....