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from Dauphin Island Life - 2019

Best of Alabama Coasting - Dauphin Island... A Bird Paradise!

How do You Describe a Place Like Dauphin Island?

Some people say it’s “laid-back.” Others use the words “old-fashioned,” “charming” and “beautiful.” And it is all of those things. But let’s start with what Dauphin Island doesn’t have:

l It doesn’t have any traffic lights. Most directions begin with the phrase,

“Turn left (or right) at the water tower ...” l It doesn’t have traffic jams. l It has almost no crime. l There aren’t any “big box” stores or sprawling shopping malls on

Dauphin Island, or even any chain supermarkets. In fact, if you want to attend church with anybody besides Episcopalians, Baptists, Methodists or Catholics, you have to drive northward off the island. Also, a good number of residents commute to jobs in Mobile, which is 30-45 minutes away, depending on what part of the city their jobs are in.

By now, you might be thinking to yourselves, why would people go to so much trouble to live on Dauphin Island? And why do so many people like to vacation there? And the answer is this: Because the tradeoffs are priceless.

l You’ll encounter one breath-taking sunset after another. Dauphin Island is trademarked as “the Sunset Capital of Alabama” for good reason. Plus there is the tranquil lifestyle, water and beaches almost everywhere you look, and a high-rise bridge which offers such a spectacular view of the island that even long-time residents still say “wow” when they cross it.

l There are miles of sidewalks and biking/walking/jogging paths.

l The local populace is friendly and welcoming.

l The island is awash in history. Long before Europeans arrived in 1699 -- hundreds of years before -- Native Americans came and went on the island; and long before modern-day folks were opening oysters on the island, the Indians were steaming and roasting them and then discarding the shells at a site now called Indian Shell Mound Park. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places. You also won’t want to miss Fort Gaines, which played a key role in the Civil War’s Battle of Mobile Bay.

l There are birds everywhere (think “eco-tourism”). Dauphin Island is home to a 137-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary, which draws bird-watchers from all over the country. The National Audubon Society calls the island “globally important” in bird migrations; and it has been voted the “Birdiest Small City in America” several years in a row.

l As for its sparkling sandy beaches, Dauphin Island is about 14 miles long and surrounded by water and beachfront. The Mississippi Sound is on the north side, the Gulf of Mexico is on the south, and there are small bays, inlets and bayous all over the place. Boaters will find easy access to marinas as well as public and private boat launches. l It’s hard to say which kind of boating – sail or power – is the most popular. In April of every year, locals play host to the Dauphin Island Sailboat Regatta, billed as the largest one-day point-to-point regatta in the United States. (The regatta marks its 64th anniversary in 2019.) Then, in July, there’s the annual Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, held over a period of three days on – you guessed it – Dauphin Island. It celebrates its 86th anniversary in 2019. Don’t have a boat? Not a problem. Dauphin Island is loaded with places where you can cast a line or cast a net from piers, pilings and beaches. l Tuckered out from all the fishing, boating and beaching? Dauphin Island restaurants are ready to serve you a tasty tropical beverage and all the fresh oysters, shrimp and crabs you can eat. And when we say “fresh,” we don’t mean “fresh from the Mekong Delta.” Our seafood comes right out of Mobile Bay, the Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. We promise you won’t taste better seafood anywhere. l Oh, and here’s a little secret: You may think that New Orleans is the “birthplace of Mardi Gras,” and the folks in New Orleans would certainly like you to think that it is. But it isn’t. The birthplace of Mardi Gras is Mobile, Alabama, just up the road from Dauphin Island. Mobile held its first celebration in 1703, whereas the first recorded Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans was in 1837. And guess where Mobile’s Mardi Gras season kicks off every year: on Dauphin Island. The Krewe de la Dauphine always Need more information? Go to dauphinislandchamber.com and townofdauphinisland.org hosts the region’s first parade of the year. Come see how much fun you and 40,000 other people can have on our little barrier island in the middle of winter! l There’s more to a Dauphin Island vacation than beaches, boats, fishing expeditions and restaurants, of course. You can golf; ride the Mobile Bay Ferry; rent bicycles, kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards; take a nature tour, a dolphin watch boat ride, a lighthouse cruise and/or a sunset cruise; browse and buy in a number of unique, locally owned gift shops and boutiques; visit the island art galleries, where you’ll be impressed by the high-quality paintings, pottery, woodworking, jewelry and other items produced by local artists; and check out the walking, hiking and biking trails that span the island. Written by Frances Coleman

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