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Things to Do Dauphin Island

Looking for a place to spend the summer on Alabama’s Gulf Coast? Head to Dauphin Island and enjoy the small-town charm, scenic beaches, rich history, and breathtaking sunsets we are famous for. Boardwalk Realty is here to help you plan your vacation and determine what to do on Dauphin Island during your visit. So, whether you are looking to lounge at the beach or attend one of the island’s annual events, we offer the perfect properties to experience everything Dauphin Island has to offer. 

Beach Days

There’s nothing like spending your summer vacation at the beach. Soak up the sunshine at Dauphin Island’s beaches with your family and enjoy swimming, beachcombing, kite flying, wildlife watching, building sand castles, and sunset strolls. 

Water Activities

One of the best ways to experience summer on our island is from the water. Head to Dauphin Island Marina, rent a pontoon, and cruise around the water while fishing and taking in the sights. Or let someone else take you around with a sunset tour from the marina. 

Sign up for a fishing charter and let a local guide take you to the best fishing spots around Dauphin Island. With licenses, lures, baits, and rods included, you will have everything you need for a fun and exciting day on the water. 

Summer Events

Every summer, Dauphin Island offers special events for the whole family. Head to East Beach for Free Family Move Nights every Thursday and Friday from the end of May to the beginning of August. Attend the monthly Sunset Concerts at Historic Fort Gaines and listen to live music.

July also brings the largest fishing tournament in the world to Dauphin Island: the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. Experience a weekend of fishing competitions and live music with your family. 

Check Out the Island’s Top Attractions

  • Visit the Alabama Aquarium and learn about the marine life of Mobile Bay while exploring the visual and interactive exhibits. 
  • Walk through the nature trails of Audubon Bird Sanctuary and see hundreds of bird species together. 
  • Learn about the rich history of the island at Historic Fort Gaines. 
  • Pirate’s Bar & Grill is the perfect place to hang out in the summertime. Grab dinner in the restaurant and head outside to enjoy the beach, listen to live music, or swim in the pool. 

Stay in a Dauphin Island Vacation Rental this Summer

Book your Alabama summer vacation on Dauphin Island and discover the perfect place for family fun on the Gulf Coast with Boardwalk Realty. We offer Dauphin Island vacation rentals throughout the island to accommodate groups of all sizes. Stay close to the beach and enjoy amenities like outdoor decks, fully-equipped kitchens, spacious bedrooms, and charcoal grills. Reserve your vacation home online or contact us at 1-877-861-3992 to speak with our team directly!

Located along the east end of Dauphin Island, Fort Gaines has guarded Mobile Bay for more than 150 years. Pay a visit to our island’s historic site and uncover Georgia history during your stay with Boardwalk Realty. Step back in time and see the original cannons, blacksmith shop, kitchen, and tunnels. Discover the Fort’s role in the Civil War and the Battle of Mobile Bay by reading the informative signs scattered throughout the grounds. Plan your visit and read on to discover the significant sites and events at Historic Fort Gaines:

Things to See at Fort Gaines

Built in 1821, Fort Gaines features many buildings and historic artifacts that can still be seen today. Grab a self-guided brochure at the entrance and see features like:

  • Gun mounts, firing stations, ammunition magazines, range finders. All of these were used to protect Mobile Bay during the Civil War. 
  • Tunnel system that leads to the Northwest Bastion, the best-preserved bastion at the Fort with features like ventilation ports and ammunition rooms. 
  • A bakery that once housed ovens and several storerooms. You can still see a few of the ovens that were used by soldiers today. 
  • Latrine, accessible from the tunnels. It was one of the first “flushable” latrines that sent waste to sea twice daily. 
  • Blacksmith Shop, where any forging for the Fort took place. Today, you can watch local blacksmiths make crafts like horseshoes and handles. 
  • Quartermaster office where supplies, food, and uniforms were kept. Today, it is used to store historic artifacts for visitors to see.
  • Kitchen Courtyard that was used to prepare meals for the soldiers.
  • The orderly room where organizational and administrative management of the Fort took place. Today, this area is used for the restrooms.
  • The Guardhouse Building was built to hold soldiers, prisoners, and guards. Today, it is the site of the Fort Gaines Gift Shop.
  • Anchor from U.S.S. Hartford, Admiral Farragut’s flagship during the Battle of Mobile Bay. 

Annual Events at Fort Gaines

In addition to self-guided tours, Fort Gaines also offers several exciting events throughout the year. Every summer, the Fort hosts monthly Sunset Concerts, where you can listen to live music. During the spring, you can observe the Battle of Mobile Bay anniversary during Thunder on the Bay. And during the fall, you can attend the October Renaissance Festival. 

Dauphin Island Vacation Rentals

Whether you are a history buff or just looking for an educational outing for the kids, Historic Fort Gaines is a great addition to your Dauphin Island getaway. Want to learn more about local history during your stay? Take the Mobile Bay Ferry and visit Fort Morgan just across the water. At the end of the day, return to your Dauphin Island vacation rental with Boardwalk Realty and unwind!

Leave the car at your Boardwalk Realty vacation rental and easily get around Dauphin Island on a golf cart rental. Reserve your golf cart with Island Time Cart Rentals and drive to the island’s beaches, restaurants, and attractions. Whether you need to pick up groceries in town or just want to enjoy the sights of the island at your leisure, golf carts are the perfect addition to your vacation!

Dauphin Island Golf Cart Rentals

With Island Time Cart Rentals, you can enjoy free golf cart delivery and pickup at your vacation rental. All their golf carts are fueled or fully charged, so you can start your adventures when you arrive. These carts accommodate six passengers and include foldable seats to transport your beach gear, coolers, and groceries easily. Before booking, please familiarize yourself with their rules and regulations.

Golf Cart Rules

  • Golf cart rentals are low-speed vehicles that must comply with all the normal roadway laws.
  • Wear shoes at all times
  • Wear seatbelts at all times
  • Do NOT take your golf cart on the beach
  • You must be over 21 to operate a golf cart and have a valid driver’s license.

Where to Go on Your Golf Cart Rental

Whether you are looking for transportation or want to cruise around the island, there are several destinations to take your golf cart:

Reserve Your Dauphin Island Vacation Rental Today

Book your Dauphin Island golf cart rental and enjoy free delivery to your Boardwalk Realty vacation rental. Island Time Cart Rentals are delivered between 10-11 am and are picked up between 9-10 am the following day. Browse our Dauphin Island vacation rentals and find the perfect basecamp for your Alabama beach getaway today!

Book one of Boardwalk Realty’s Boat Dock properties and explore the waterways around Dauphin Island during your stay. Reserve a Dauphin Island boat rental and chart your own adventure in the Mississippi Sound, Mobile Bay, or Gulf waters. Launch your boat from your vacation rental and spend your time on the water fishing, wildlife watching, swimming, and watching the sunset. Experience the Alabama Coast with us and make unforgettable memories on the water this summer!

Dauphin Island Boat Dock Properties

Boardwalk Realty offers ten vacation rentals with boat docks on the island, offering easy access to the surrounding waterways. Launch your boat from the dock and have a perfect summer day on the water, fishing, swimming, and sightseeing. Take advantage of additional amenities like fish cleaning stations, outdoor showers, swim ladders, and deck areas. Please note that the boat and jet ski lifts visible in the pictures are unavailable for guest use.

Dauphin Island Boat Rentals

Head to the Dauphin Island Marina and reserve a boat rental for the duration of your stay. They offer six, eight, and ten-passenger pontoon rentals. Gather your family for a day on the water and check out these activities:

Fishing

Dauphin Island is a paradise for anglers. North of the island, Mobile Bay offers fantastic inshore fishing. Cast your line for white trout, ground mullet, and flounder in the bay. South of the island, you can access the Gulf for some epic deep-sea fishing. Target species like red snapper, amberjack, and king mackerel.  

Wildlife Watching

Dauphin Island provides a critical habitat for an array of wildlife species. During your boating adventures, keep your eyes peeled for birds flying over your head and dolphin pods playing in the bay. 

Sightseeing

Cruise along the coast of Dauphin Island and enjoy some sightseeing past the Indian Shell Mounds, historic Fort Gaines, and Sand Island Lighthouse. Bring a picnic and find a spot on the water to watch a scenic sunset.

Explore Dauphin Island with Boardwalk Realty 

Whether you are traveling by boat or need to reserve a Dauphin Island boat rental, Boardwalk Realty offers the perfect basecamp with our Boat Dock properties. Stay at Sunset Key and enjoy convenient access to the Mississippi Sound, or choose Dues Paid and access the Mississippi Sound, Mobile Bay, and Gulf Waters from your vacation home. If you need assistance finding the best boat dock property, please contact us at 1-877-861-3992. 

No visit to Dauphin Island is complete without visiting the island’s top attraction, the Alabama Aquarium. This aquarium, operated by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, offers visitors an inside look into the key coastal habitats of Alabama. Plan a visit and learn about the unique ecosystems surrounding our island through the 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall and guided excursions led by local experts. Stay with Boardwalk Realty and discover everything the Alabama Aquarium has to offer during your visit:

Dauphin Island Sea Lab: Alabama Aquarium

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a marine research and education center, operates the Alabama Aquarium. Dauphin Island, surrounded by Mobile Bay, the Mississippi Sound, and the Gulf of Mexico, offers the perfect destination for marine research. The lab’s mission is to share information about ocean life and conservation with the public. The aquarium allows visitors to get a firsthand look at local marine life and learn about DISL’s work.

Things to Do at the Alabama Aquarium

Purchase tickets for the Alabama Aquarium and learn about Alabama’s coastal habitats through these attractions:

  • Stroll through the 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall featuring species of Mobile Bay including drum, pipefish, and the diamondback terrapin. 
  • Visit the 7,000-gallon stingray touch pool and pet a live stingray! Species include Atlantic, Blutnose, and Cownose Stingrays. 
  • Explore the Living Marsh Boardwalk.

Alabama Aquarium Education Opportunities

The DISL also offers education opportunities and excursions for an additional fee. Fill out a reservation form or contact [email protected] for more information!

  • Boardwalk Talks is a series where you can learn about the current projects DISL is working on and a broad range of science topics.
  • Salt Marsh Excursions allows you to become a marine scientist for the day by learning how to collect samples and specimens from a salt marsh. 
  • The Beach, Dune, and Maritime Forest Excursions allow visitors to explore all three ecosystems. Visitors can also get an up-close look at wildlife by using nets and digging for moles and ghost crabs.
  • R/V Alabama Discovery Excursion takes you on a two-hour boat ride around Dauphin Island with a professional DISL educator. 

Book Your Dauphin Island Vacation Rental Today!

There is plenty to do on Dauphin Island beyond the Alabama Aquarium. Enjoy miles of beachfront, exceptional fishing, outdoor exploration, and historic sites. Choose Boardwalk Realty to host your getaway and stay in one of our Dauphin Island vacation rentals. Check out our specials and save on your upcoming Dauphin Island vacation!

DAUPHIN ISLAND WEATHER
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