I recently visited Dauphin Island on the Gulf Coast of Alabama. It’s a town I often hear about when hurricanes come around but one I knew literally nothing else about. I decided to check it out to see if I think it’s worth visiting, and what I found was actually a nice surprise! So I’ll list my recommendations in case you’re ever interested in visiting it yourself.
Photograph the Birdhouses
Assuming you’re driving into Dauphin Island from Mobile, this is one of the first things you’ll see when you’re entering town. They’re a group of colorful fishing houses that have become one of the town’s most recognized features. There’s nothing to do here, but it’s worth a stop to take pictures.
Head to the Dauphin Island Fishing Pier
The Dauphin Island Fishing Pier is one of my favorite things there. It’s an old fishing pier that is now entirely over land due to hurricanes pushing sand onto the shore. It’s also the access point for Dauphin Island Beach which is definitely worth spending time at.
Explore Pelican Peninsula
Pelican Peninsula is a strip of beach that juts out from the rest of Dauphin Island Beach. It’s about 1.5 miles long, and I highly recommend walking it in its entirety. It’s especially nice early in the morning as there won’t be many others out, and you’ll feel like you have the whole beach to yourself.
See the Western End of the Island
The western end of the island has an even longer stretch of beach that goes for about 9 miles from the nearest parking lot. And the road there passes through some scenic areas. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit due to hurricane relief work, but the little bit I did see before getting turned around was very nice.
Go Hiking
Dauphin Island has plenty of areas to go hiking between the reserves and many bird sanctuaries. Indian Shell Mound Park is neat, but small. My main recommendation for hiking is to head over to the Audubon Bird Sanctuary toward the eastern end of the island. There are plenty of trails, both boardwalk and dirt, and there are some nice overlooks at the lakes and swamps.
Visit the Alabama Aquarium
The Alabama Aquarium is small, but it’s worth a look. I enjoyed it more than I expected to. My favorite part of the aquarium was actually the stingray touch pool, where the stingrays would literally swim up to me, wanting to be touched. It was definitely a cool experience.
Wander Around Fort Gaines
Fort Gaines was an important site during the Battle of Mobile Bay in the Civil War. And I really enjoyed wandering around the fort to discover its many secrets. One room I came across was completely filled with sand making it impossible to stand upright. They don’t advertise it, and I’m not even sure I was supposed to be there, but there were no signs saying otherwise.
Take the Ferry to Fort Morgan
If you have the time, you can take the ferry to Fort Morgan near Orange Beach. You can drive your vehicle onto the ferry or just go as a pedestrian. I barely missed it and didn’t want to wait another hour before the next opportunity, but if the timing’s right, this would be a fun detour. Alternatively, you could enter Dauphin Island via the ferry from Fort Morgan rather than driving in from Mobile. Either option would be fun.
I hope this helps you if you’re planning to visit Dauphin Island! And if you’ve been, and I missed something, please let me know so I can add it. Thanks for reading.
Tyler's Travels 