“If you lived next to Alabama’s beautiful, underrated Gulf Coast, you’d probably be a little friendlier, right? That seems to be part of the case with the residents of Mobile, which made its debut on our friendliest cities list this year. This southern port city fell onto many travelers’ radars in 2024 when Amtrak unveiled its Gulf Coast service, connecting Mobile to New Orleans (with a string of charming Mississippi towns in between). It’s now easier than ever to visit this slice of Alabama—and just in time, as the city has begun respectfully highlighting its past through cultural moments such as the Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park and Clotilda: The Exhibition, a landmark show telling the story of the last ship carrying enslaved people through the lens of its survivors.”