Dauphin Island Beach Rentals

Oct 13 2023

Although most of your time on Dauphin Island will be spent at the beach, there are plenty of other things to do during your vacation. Explore the Dauphin Island shopping scene and find the perfect souvenir for your Alabama getaway with Boardwalk Realty. Whether you are looking for Dauphin Island merch, locally made gifts, or original art, there is something for everyone!

Beach Planet

Visit Beach Planet for all your beach and souvenir needs! Their souvenir collection includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, jewelry, hats, and much more.

Dauphin Island Heritage & Arts Gallery

Shop for local art at the Dauphin Island Art Gallery, including painting, photography, pottery, printmaking, and fine jewelry. The gallery represents more than 40 local artists, along with books by local authors and handmade gift items.

Dauphin Island Sea Lab Gift Shop

After learning about the key habitats of coastal Alabama at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, visit the gift shop! Shop from various gifts, including t-shirts, jerseys, jewelry, reusable drinkware, backpacks, bags, patches, stickers, and plush animals.

The Happy Octopus

Stop at The Happy Octopus, a locally owned beach boutique with something for everyone! Find apparel, accessories, and shoes for your unique style here.

The Hippie Fish

The Hippie Fish is a new boutique on Dauphin Island, offering trendy clothing so you can look your best on vacation. They also feature jewelry, trinket dishes, ornaments, and paintings made by local artists.

The Sandbox

The Sandbox has been providing Dauphin Island souvenirs for nearly 50 years! Stop in and bring a piece of Dauphin Island home with their decor and apparel.

The Silver Pearl

The Silver Pearl is an independently owned gift shop offering home decor, apparel, and local art. Their t-shirts feature artwork designed by the owner and operator, along with cutting boards, notecards, matted prints, and more!

Plan Your Dauphin Island Getaway Today

Explore the Dauphin Island shopping scene and find the perfect souvenir for your Alabama getaway. Stay with Boardwalk Realty and choose from our Dauphin Island vacation rentals ranging from one to six bedrooms. Save money with our vacation deals and book your Dauphin Island vacation today!

Sep 29 2023

Along the Gulf Coast of Alabama, you will find beautiful Dauphin Island, a popular destination for both vacationers and migratory birds alike. As a Globally Important Bird Area, Dauphin Island is among the top places in the country to witness fall and spring migrations! Boardwalk Realty invites birders to visit our coastal paradise and discover the diverse habitats that entice hundreds of species to the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary. Pack your binoculars, grab your birding checklist, and start your birdwatching adventure today!

When to Go Birdwatching on Dauphin Island

Birdwatching can be enjoyed on Dauphin Island year-round, but the best time to visit is during the spring and fall migrations.

The fall migration usually runs from mid-September through October and is a great time to see shorebirds. But, if you want to make the most of your birdwatching adventure, we recommend visiting in the spring, when neotropical birds fly across the Gulf of Mexico and seek shelter on Dauphin Island. This season lasts March-May and allows visitors to see more than 300 bird species during one visit.

Take a look at this field checklist of birds of Dauphin Island before your visit!

Audobon Bird Sanctuary

The Audobon Bird Sanctuary is a 164-acre nature sanctuary and the best birding spot on Dauphin Island! The sanctuary is home to diverse ecosystems, including maritime forests, marshes, dunes, lakes, swamps, and beaches. Stroll through these ecosystems on the 1,000-foot-long boardwalk and keep an eye out for the neotropical migrants on Galliard Lake. Please read this brochure about the trail systems and bird sighting checklist before you visit the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary.

More Birdwatching Spots in Dauphin Island

Dauphin Island is also part of the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail and offers several more fantastic birdwatching spots on the Bayou La Batre Loop:

Plan Your Dauphin Island Birdwatching Getaway Today

Dauphin Island, Alabama, stands as a true haven for birdwatching enthusiasts and nature lovers! Plan your getaway and spend time at the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary, checking off birds from the checklist. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or a newcomer to the world of birdwatching, Boardwalk Realty has the perfect vacation rentals for your getaway!

Aug 15 2023

There are plenty of places to see fall foliage in Alabama, but for visitors looking to extend their summer, we invite you to visit Dauphin Island! Fall on Dauphin Island is the opportune time to enjoy crowd-free beaches, spot hundreds of migratory birds, embark on fishing charters and attend festive events. Choose Boardwalk Realty as your lodging partner and experience Alabama in the fall with us today!

Fall Activities on Dauphin Island

The mild fall weather on Dauphin Island offers the perfect temperature for outdoor activities, such as:

Enjoy an afternoon at our Dauphin Island beaches! Depending on the weather, you can enjoy swimming, beach strolling, shelling, watersports, and more!
Fall is one of the best times to embark on a Dauphin Island fishing charter! Hit the waters with a local guide and target species like Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi, King Mackerel, Grouper, Amberjack, and more!
Witness the fall bird migration on Dauphin Island at the Audubon Bird Sanctuary! Explore the 130-acre sanctuary through maritime forests, marshes, and dunes while keeping an eye out for over 400 bird species!

Fall Events near Dauphin Island

Make your fall getaway on Dauphin Island extra memorable by planning it around one of the fall festivals in the area. If you are interested in attending any of the events on Pleasure Island, we recommend hopping on the Mobile Bay Ferry.

Visit Fort Gaines, a crucial site for the South during the Civil War, for the annual Fall Festival. Enjoy a day full of food, games, candy, music, pumpkin patch, and fun contests!
Historic Fort Gaines also hosts a Renaissance Festival every October for visitors who want to experience a day of life in the Middle Ages.
Make the 20-minute drive to Bellingrath Gardens & Home for their annual Boo at Bellingrath! This family-friendly event will include trick-or-treating, scary stories, live music, and food trucks.
Visit Fort Morgan for unique fall events like haunted history tours, cemetery walking tours, and living history tours.

Book Your Alabama Fall Getaway on Dauphin Island

Experience Alabama in the fall with Boardwalk Realty and escape the everyday! Browse our collection of over 40 vacation rentals on Dauphin Island and find the perfect property for your group. Whether you are looking for gulf-front, bay-front, or pet-friendly properties, we have you covered. Please contact us at 1-8777-861-3992 and let our rental experts help you create Dauphin Island memories this fall!

Dec 28 2022

Enjoy blue skies and moon pies during our annual Dauphin Island Mardi Gras celebration! Kick off the Gulf Coast Mardi Gras season with Boardwalk Realty this January and witness several family-friendly parades roll down Bienville Boulevard. Here are the top things to know about this year’s Mardi Gras celebration:

Dauphin Island Mardi Gras 2024 Events

Krew De La Dauphine Mardi Gras Parade, January 13, 2024, at 1 pm: The first Mobile area parade of the year presented by the oldest Mardi Gras group on the Island!
The Peoples Parade, January 20, 2024, at 1 pm: Enjoy watching the People’s Parade or if you’re interested – join it! Interested parader’s can find the parade rules and application on the town website. Sign up in advance and join the parade fun!
The Mystic Krewe of Salty Paws January 27, 2024, at 10 am: Witness the adorable fuzzy four-paw parade of The Mystic Krewe of Salty Paws. You may even leave with a new companion as this parade doubles as an adoption event for rescue pets!
M assacre Island Secret Society Parade, January 28, 2024, at 6:30 pm: Witness Dauphin Island’s only nighttime event, revisiting scenes of our Island’s past.

Alabama Mardi Gras Parade Insiders Tips

Dauphin Island parade goers should arrive early to secure a parking spot along the parade route that follows Bienville Boulevard from the east end of Bienville to just past the 1500 block of Bienville on the Island’s west end. Here are a few Town of Dauphin Island parade etiquette rules to remember for 2024:

You’re not supposed to reserve a parking space before sunrise on the day of the event, and you can’t mark off your turf with rope or tape boundaries.
Once you’ve claimed space with parked vehicles, lawn chairs, or canopies, at least one member of the party must remain on the scene.
Sites should be fully cleaned up immediately after the parade.

There will be many parade attendees from the mainland coming to join the fun. We will have vendors on the Island with fun keepsakes, beads, and silly hats for all ages! The fun begins long before the parade arrives, with families of all ages enjoying time together socializing in our warm and sunny community atmosphere with tailgating and cookouts!

Take time to enjoy the day with local parade goers and maybe even bring a blanket, pack a picnic, and settle down for a nice lunch while you wait for the parade to begin. There will be lots of excitement and frivolity, along with fantastic Mardi Gras beads and throws to catch as you enjoy a great view of the Dauphin Island parades that kick off the Gulf Coast Mardi Gras season!

Alabama Gulf Coast Mardi Gras Season

After the last moon pie is thrown on Dauphin Island, the Mardi Gras season continues in nearby Mobile, AL, with parades rolling downtown through the final day of Mardi Gras, known as “Fat Tuesday,” on February 13, 2024. Check out Mobile Mask for information on the 2024 schedule, parade routes, and events.

Stay on the Parade Route with Boardwalk Realty

Boardwalk Realty offers several Dauphin Island vacation rentals, and it’s not too late to join the fun! Bout Time, Shore to Please, Toes in the Sand, Sunset Key, and The Beach House have available dates for the Mardi Gras season – check them out today and join us for Dauphin Island Mardi Gras!