About Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island offers an authentic taste of the beautiful Gulf Coast. It is a quaint, small southern town with a strong marine culture, an eclectic mix of locally owned shops and galleries, and laid-back restaurants that serve delicious locally harvested seafood. You’ll also find miles of uncrowded, pristine beaches, excellent fishing and a historic, storied past. Dauphin Island has been designated as the “Sunset Capital of Alabama,” so you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the approaching dusk of day from any point on the island. 

​

Located at the southernmost point of Alabama – 3 miles south of the Mobile Bay – Dauphin Island feels worlds away, but is easy to reach. Just a short drive off I-10, between Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama, the island welcomes you with views from a 3- mile-long high-rise bridge. An automobile and passenger ferry from the eastern shore also offers a dramatic entry point on the eastern end of the island. 

​

This pristine barrier island has long been a beloved destination for visitors and residents alike. Some 1,300 permanent residents inhabit the 14-mile-long island, which is only 1 ¾ miles wide at the widest point. Be sure to visit the Dauphin Island Welcome Center, located at the Dauphin Island Chamber of Commerce. The center is staffed with friendly locals with the latest information for new residents and visitors.

​

A wonderful place to live and an unforgettable place to visit, the entire island has been designated as a bird sanctuary, and thousands of visitors come to experience the annual migrations. And birds aren’t the only species that flock to the island! For years, the island has been a favorite place to live and raise a family. The island, and the extraordinary Dauphin Island Elementary School, represent the ideal small town – a tight-knit community with low crime, a slower pace and wholesome fun. 

​

Exciting attractions are located on the east end of the island including historic Fort Gaines, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Audubon Bird Sanctuary and numerous boat launch sites. On the west end of the island you’ll find our beautiful beaches of sugar white sand, public golf and parks with ancient oaks. Together, they make Dauphin Island a wonderful, relaxed resort destination. 

​

Accommodations include hotels, motels, condominiums and private homes – all available for rental in every season. Laid-back restaurants dot the island and offer fresh seafood harvested from the Gulf waters as well as traditional menu items. Fishing is a favorite pastime and includes shallow-water fishing on the Gulf beaches and from piers on the Mississippi Sound, and exciting chartered deep-water fishing excursions. Swimmers and surfers enjoy the Gulf waves and kites fill the skies above the beaches, floating on Gulf breezes. Beachcombers walk the pristine shoreline in search of treasured shells, while sea birds and ghost crabs frolic on land and sea.

​

Explore our website for great ideas on how to experience Dauphin Island firsthand. We hope to see you on the island soon!

​

Check out some of our informational brochures to learn more about the following!

• Sand Dunes

• Island Sea Turtles

• Local Birds & Fish

• Wetlands

• Maritime Forests 

​