Dauphin Island is an Alabama town located on a barrier island of the same name. The town is part of the Mobile metropolitan area, and the island helps define the mouth of Mobile Bay. Dauphin Island is reached by the scenic, three-mile Gordon Persons Bridge.
History of Dauphin Island
Originally known as Massacre Island, it was renamed to Dauphin Island in honor of Louis XIV of France’s great-grandson and heir, known as the dauphin for the dolphin on his family crest. While dauphin means dolphin in French, dauphin was the title given to the heir apparent of France, Louis XV.
Though the Spanish first discovered and mapped the island in 1519, the French were the ones who mistakenly named it Massacre Island in 1699 after finding a large pile of human skeletons which was actually an Indian burial mound.
At the end of the French and Indian War, Dauphin Island was ceded to the British in 1763. After the American Revolutionary War, Dauphin Island became part of the Province of West Florida, controlled by the Spanish.
It wasn’t until the early 1800’s after Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of San Lorenzo that settlers began migrating to Alabama from the Southeast and took the land away from the Indians.
By the Civil War, Dauphin Island was controlled by the Confederacy and captured by the Union Army during the Battle of Mobile Bay.
Today, this charming bayfront town is known for its laid back and natural setting.
Table of Contents
Pin It
Don’t have time to read this article now? Pin it for later!
Things to Do in Dauphin Island
With all the history, there are many places to visit on Dauphin Island for historians including Indian Mound Park and Fort Gaines. Nature lovers, birders, beach goers, and fishermen will also like this quiet, 14-mile island loaded with sandy beaches and bird sanctuaries.
It is far less crowded than nearby and highly developed Gulf Shores, and the residents are trying to keep it that way.
Stop in the Visitors Center
When headed to Dauphin Island, be sure to stop by the Visitors Center as you come into town. At the T intersection by the lighthouse, turn right and you will find the Little Red School House Community Complex.
The Visitors Center boasts a museum, a free library, a gift shop, wi-fi, and coffee. The staff is welcoming and will provide a fistful of pamphlets of places to see on Dauphin Island. Anyone can take a puzzle or book from the library, and it doesn’t even have to be returned! They just ask that you donate something the next time you visit Dauphin Island.
The Visitors Center will certainly point you in the right direction for an enjoyable vacation on Dauphin Island.
Go to the Beach
With your beach read in hand, visit one of the beaches in Dauphin Island. You can find one on either end, and a few in the middle on the Gulf of Mexico. They include:
- East End Public Beach
- West End Public Beach
- Public Beach
- Hernando Beach
- Dauphin Beach
- Bienville Beach
To reach the West End Public Beach, just drive west on the Island’s main road past the many homes on stilts until you reach the paid parking area. You’ll find bathrooms and a food truck at the entrance and then nine miles of a sandy spit. That’s nine miles one-way!
Don’t do what I did and be a candidate for a Darwin Award. I arrived early beneath extensive cloud cover. I was going to walk for an hour and then turn around as I didn’t have any provisions with me.
For some reason I decided I wanted to reach the end and kept on adding 15 more minutes. It seemed like it wasn’t too much further as I warned myself, this could be very far since there weren’t landmarks to help determine distance.
By the third hour, I got to the end, with a blister rubbing on my toe in my wet tennis shoes. I took them off for the three hour walk back now beneath sunny skies without sunblock on my white feet. By now I was also hot and thirsty.
There was no one on the beach after the first few hundred feet except for a conversation lady with a golf cart who was saving a turtle. I was going to ask for a ride from her, but she yelled at me when my dog Annie greeted her off leash before I did.
So, I kept walking and planned to slip my socks and shoes back on after an hour or so, but I lost a sock in the process. Blisters or sunburn was my choice. I picked sunburn. I’m not sure that was a good idea. UGH, my feet were so red and swollen the next day I couldn’t put on my shoes! I walked around in slippers. A month later, they have peeled twice and now have a tan mark?!?
The worst part is I knew I was setting myself up for all of it. Additionally, I only have a pic of burnt feet to show for it. A grain of sand must have gotten ino my SD card, because I had to reformat it and lost all my pics of the beach and Fort Gaines. Boo!
But my mission was accomplished. I strolled the beach for six hours and 18 miles!! When I got back to the van with Annie, I looked for leashed dog signs since the lady was so mad. I hadn’t seen any by the beach when I started. Well, they were at the entrance to the parking lot and dogs weren’t allowed…Oops!
Oh well, the other beaches allow leashed dogs and the East End and Public Beach also require a parking fee. The East End Beach is located near Fort Gaines and the Alabama Aquarium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, so it is the most convenient for knocking out multiple activities in one day is Dauphin Island.
According to some Google reviews, The Hernando Beach and Dauphin Beach are private, though you can visit Dauphin Beach for a fee paid to the Pirate’s Bar & Grill.
Where to Eat on Dauphin Island
Speaking of Pirate’s Bar and Grill, it is a popular place to eat in Dauphin Island. It has good food ranging from burgers to seafood specials and has a spectacular view. It is also conveniently located next to the golf course.
Play Golf
The Isle Dauphine Golf Course overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and is open every day but Tuesday. Clubs are available for rental and you may use a cart or walk the 18-hole course. More of a history buff than a golfer? Explore Fort Gaines.
Explore Fort Gaines
Fort Gaines is on the Eastern Side of the island and opposite the bay from Fort Morgan in Gulf Shores. Fort Gaines was constructed in 1821 and was utilized by the Confederacy during the Civil War until it was captured by the Union Army during the Battle of Mobile Bay.
It’s 3 million bricks encompass a black smith shop, kitchens, tunnels, a museum and a gift shop. You will also find some original cannons. It features detailed exhibits about the battle which may be followed with an app or by the physical signs.
Fort Gaines is open from 9 to 5 daily.
Visit the Alabama Aquarium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Across the way from Fort Gaines is the Alabama Aquarium at Dauphin Island Sea Lab. The aquarium highlights four key habitats of coastal Alabama. During your visit, you will find a 7,000 gallon stingray touch pool, a living marsh boardwalk, and over 100 species from the Alabama Watershed. The aquarium is open daily from 9 to 5.
Bird Watch
Also nearby the fort and the aquarium, is the Audubon Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary, established in 1961, includes a network of trails that wend through the woodlands. The 164 acre area borders the beach and has a swamp and a lake. Even if you are not a birder, you will like strolling these paths beneath the shade of magnolias, pines, and live oaks.
If you are a birder, then you are in luck. Dauphin Island is the first landing place for neotropical migratory birds coming north every spring. As a result, Dauphin Island has been voted “Americas Birdiest City” for the third consecutive year. This is a birders paradise during the spring and the fall.
Take in History
Along with the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, birders may also look through their binoculars at the Indian Shell Mound Park or the Goat Tree Reserve. The Indian Shell Mound Park is named for the midden mounds made by Indians. Grass and trees have grown over the mounds, so you won’t really notice the shells unless you pay close attention to the trail. But all the ups and downs that you navigate the paths are the mounds.
I met some very friendly local birders at the Indian Shell Mound Park. They said the migrant birds had yet to arrive this mid-March, so the Indian Shell Mound was better for seeing every day birds. I spotted a cardinal during my short walk appreciating Indian culture and history. I also found out about the Goat Tree Reserve from them. It is a very small tract of land with a short trail and a giant tree that goats used to climb. It reminded me of seeing the goat tree in Essaouira, Morroco.
With parks, beaches, historical sites, and other natural attractions, Dauphin Island is the perfect place for vacationers looking for a quiet and outdoorsy getaway.
Where to Stay on Dauphin Island
You will find plenty of Vrbo” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow”>VRBO options, some with their own fishing dock, for reasonable prices. Or consider the Inn at Dauphin Island, for a three day weekend in Dauphin Island. ETB
Ohhh, sunburnt feet, ouch. But you’re still recommending it!
Yes. It’s hard to believe you can find a quiet beach town in the US. So many of the pretty beaches are built up!
We visited Dauphin Island last year and LOVED it. It really is a lesser known gem with a great blend of beach town and southern charm. 🙂
Yes. I’m glad I finally made it! I was meant to go in 2022, but plans changed.
Where’s the pic of your burnt feet?!?! Funny not funny. That was one heck of a walk.
Sparing you my burnt feet pic! 🤣