Alabama’s Dauphin Island is a barrier island 3 miles south of Mobile Bay. It is about 14 miles long and 1.75 miles wide. Dauphin Island attracts visitors to its white sandy beaches for short vacations and plays host to snowbirds escaping winter temperatures. It offers an abundance of activities for outdoor lovers. To reach Dauphin Island Beach, visitors must traverse the 3-mile-long bridge that connects it to the mainland.
Public Beach
Dauphin Island’s public beaches feature the 850-foot Dauphin Island Pier, a system of connecting boardwalks, steps leading to the beach, playgrounds, picnic areas and public shower and restroom facilities. The community allows deep-sea saltwater fishing along the beach as well as boat fishing on open waters. Other beach activities include jet skiing and swimming.
Parks and Recreation
In addition to activities along the beach, Dauphin Island has public parks for golf, volleyball, tetherball, skateboarding or picnics. Skateboarders must adhere to park regulations by wearing proper protective equipment. The island's parks boast oak trees that provide shade or have man-made structures to project visitors from the sun. The 18-hole Isle Dauphine Club Golf Course is the only golf course on the island.
Natural Attractions
Dauphin Island contains an estuary where the Gulf of Mexico and freshwater on the island meet, so both saltwater and freshwater marine life can be found around the island. Dauphin Island's primary natural feature, however, is its bird sanctuaries. Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary, the island's largest sanctuary, covers 164 acres and is part of the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. Depending on what time of year you visit, you can see thousands of birds migrating to South America. Bird sanctuaries consist of trails canopied by pine, magnolia, oak and gum trees amid marine forests, marshes, swamps and lakes.
Historic Attractions
The beaches of Dauphin Island once served as the home of American Indian peoples before Spanish explorer Alonzo Pineda discovered it in 1519. Different nations, including the French and the British, also claimed this island. Several wars, including the American Civil War, affected its coastal beaches. At the beginning of the Civil War, Confederate troops took over Fort Gaines and occupied it for three years. During the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay, federal troops landed on Dauphin Island and seized the fort. Dauphin Island's attractions -- including the Historic Fort Gaines, Indian Shell Mound Park and Sand Island Lighthouse -- commemorate the historic people and events that shaped it.
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