The Grand Bay Welcome Center located on I-10 at the Alabama / Mississippi state line is more than a pitstop on the way to the beaches. From the lighthouse on top of the welcome center to the mosaic sea creatures in its floor, this roadside stop showcases the beauty and culture of Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
Travel and lifestyle website Only In Your State featured the welcome center in its March 25, 2024, article The Country’s Most Impressive Rest Stop Is Hiding Right Here In Alabama. Writer Lisa Battles noted that one of her favorite displays is the festival finery worn by Mardi Gras royalty in Mobile, home of the nation’s first Mardi Gras.
In 2023, the center welcomed 22,163 visitors during the March spring break and 121,795 during the summer vacation period from May through June. “So far this year, we have already exceeded our spring break visitor count,” said Grand Bay Welcome Center Manager Emily White. “We are expecting summer traffic to be increased from last year as well.”
The Grand Bay Welcome Center is operated cooperatively by the Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama Tourism Department.
To read more about this partnership see Rest areas, welcome centers make stopping a “Sweet Home Alabama” experience.
