History
Fort Gaines
A brick fort on the east tip that saw action in the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay. Walk the walls, tunnels and cannons with views across the bay.
📍 51 Bienville BlvdGet directions →Dauphin IslandThings to Do
Civil War forts, world-class birding, hands-on sea life and plenty of water to play on. Small island, big days.
HistoryNatureOn the waterFamily fun
Island adventures
Make a day of it
Most attractions sit on the Eastside within a few minutes of each other. Filter by what you are into.
Family
Alabama Aquarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab
The island's public aquarium, long known as the Estuarium — coastal habitats, touch tanks and a living marsh boardwalk. The best rainy-day option on the island.
📍 102 Bienville BlvdGet directions →Nature
Audubon Bird Sanctuary
Trails and boardwalks wind through maritime forest, a freshwater lake and dunes. One of the top migration stops on the Gulf, especially in spring.
📍 211 Bienville BlvdGet directions →History + nature
Indian Shell Mound Park
Shaded trails around ancient shell middens left by Native peoples, under big live oaks. A short, cool walk on a hot day.
📍 830 Iberville DrGet directions →On the water
Mobile Bay Ferry
Ride the car ferry across the mouth of Mobile Bay to Fort Morgan. Watch for dolphins and pelicans on the way.
📍 112 Bienville BlvdGet directions →Family
Isle Dauphine Golf Course
An 18-hole course on the island's west end, open to the public. Golf on a barrier island is a different game — the wind is the hazard.
📍 100 Orleans DrGet directions →On the water
Dauphin Island Marina
Slips, fuel and the launch point for most of the island's charter fleet. Also where to book a fishing trip.
📍 650 Lemoyne DrGet directions →Park
Cadillac Square
Shaded pocket park between the ferry landing, the aquarium and Fort Gaines. Good picnic stop with the kids mid-loop.
📍 661 Bienville BlvdGet directions →On the water
Kayak & Paddleboard
Paddle the calm back bays and marsh, or cross to Sand Island on a flat day. Launch at Bayou Heron Park and go early, before the wind picks up.
📍 Bayou Heron Park & Kayak Launch, 1514 Cadillac AveGet directions →On the water
Fishing & Boating
Charters run out of the marina, public boat launches put you on the bay, and the island hosts the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo each July. The nearest public pier is off-island at Cedar Point.
📍 650 Lemoyne DrGet directions →Family
Bike the Island
A bike path follows Bienville Blvd, so you can pedal between beaches, lunch and the sanctuary without moving the car.
📍 Along Bienville BlvdGet directions →Nature
Spring & Fall Migration
Birders come from all over during migration, when tired songbirds land on the island after crossing the Gulf. Bring binoculars.
📍 Audubon Sanctuary + Shell MoundGet directions →Before you go
🕘
Check hours
Attraction hours change by season. Confirm before you drive out.
☀️
Beat the heat
Do outdoor sites in the morning. Save the aquarium for midday.
🦟
Bring bug spray
Trails and marsh get buggy, especially near dusk.
💧
Pack water
Shade is limited at the fort and on the beach trails.
Birding and fishing are the two things this island is genuinely known for. The Audubon sanctuary is one of the Gulf Coast's most reliable migration stopovers — the birding guide covers timing, hotspots and where to park. The fishing runs from Gulf surf and calm back-bay water to charters out of the marina, and every July the island hosts the largest saltwater tournament in the world: see fishing on Dauphin Island.
Hungry after all that?
Fresh Gulf seafood, a famous bakery and waterfront bars.