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Vacation Rentals on Dauphin Island

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!

As a Globally Important Bird Area, Dauphin Island is one of the best places for birding in the Southeast. Plan a fall getaway on Dauphin Island and witness hundreds of birds take shelter on our island during the annual fall migration. Grab your binoculars and use the resources from Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries to find the best information on local birding spots, conservation efforts, and birding checklists. Bird watch from anywhere on the island or seek out the hot spots at East End, Pelican Point, or the Audubon Bird Sanctuary. With over 350 bird species reported here, birding on Dauphin Island is the perfect addition to your vacation with Boardwalk Realty. 

Dauphin Island Fall Migration

Birding on Dauphin Island is fantastic year-round, but the spring and fall migrations have been described as the “stuff of birding legend.” During the fall, shorebirds make a pit stop on Dauphin Island to prepare and get ready for their long trans-gulf flight. This results in a high diversity of species passing through, providing incredible birding opportunities. If you want to join local research efforts, you can sign up for Coastal Bird Banding through the Audubon Bird Sanctuary in October. 

Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries 

The non-profit organization Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries preserves the island’s valuable habitat and manages several protected places open to the public. Download the birding checklist and see how many birds you can check off while visiting these birding locales:

Pelican Point

Located just south and east of Fort Gaines, Pelican Point is a popular spot to see seabirds in the early morning or late afternoon. Look for birds on the beach, jetties, and the underbrush by the parking area. Common species here include black-bellied plover, ruddy turnstone, gulls, terns, and brown pelicans. 

Audubon Bird Sanctuary

The Audubon Bird Sanctuary offers 164 acres of phenomenal birding amidst woodlands, swamps, marshes, dunes, and beaches. Explore the sanctuary’s diverse habitats and spot migrating passerines in the oak grove and herons at Galliard Lake. 

Shell Mound Park

Visit Shell Mound Park for the best passerine bird watching on the island. Explore this 11-acre site and see migrant birds in the oak trees and native vegetation. Nearby, you can find even more fantastic passerine birding at Goat Tree Reserve and Cadillac Square. 

West End Park

Head to West End Park and walk along the beach to see large numbers of gulls, terns, shorebirds, and wading birds. See least terns and plovers in the dunes and shorebirds like reddish egrets in the tidal pools. 

Fall Vacation Rentals on Dauphin Island

Plan your getaway from mid-September through October and experience the fall migration on Dauphin Island. Head to the island’s birding hot spots or enjoy birding from the comfort of your Dauphin Island vacation rental with Boardwalk Realty. Book one of our Gulf Front or Bay Front properties and watch the birds from your deck or from the beach steps away!

Get off the beaten path this summer and visit Dauphin Island, a hidden gem on the Alabama Gulf Coast. If you’ve never visited the Gulf Coast, you may ask yourself, “Where is Dauphin Island?” Boardwalk Realty is here to put our island paradise on the map by providing visitors with an inside look into where we are located, how to get here, and what to do when you arrive. Book your vacation home on Dauphin Island and visit the Southernmost point in Alabama to discover pristine beaches, incredible birdwatching, rich history, and exceptional fishing!

Where is Dauphin Island?

Dauphin Island is located at the southernmost point of Alabama on the Gulf Coast, just three miles south of Mobile Bay. It is part of Mobile County and is just 37 miles from the town of Mobile. The island is also surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico to the south and the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay to the north. 

How to Get Here

Getting to Dauphin Island is easy via the Dauphin Island bridge or the Mobile Bay Ferry:

  • If you are traveling from Mobile, Montgomery, or Birmingham, we recommend accessing the island via I-65. If traveling from the west, I-10 is the route to follow. Get to the island from the Gordon Persons Bridge, the sole road connecting to the mainland.
  • If you are traveling from the east, the best way to access our island is via the Mobile Bay Ferry. Save travel time and get across Mobile Bay in just 40 minutes! The ferry offers daily transportation to and from Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan, weather permitting.

What to Do

Now that you know how to get here, you may be wondering what to do when you arrive:

  • Relax at 7 miles of pristine sugar white sand beaches of Dauphin Island.
  • Visit the Audubon Bird Sanctuary and experience some of the best birdwatching in Alabama.
  • Discover the island’s rich history at Historic Fort Gaines, a crucial site for the South during the Civil War.
  • Visit the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Alabama Aquarium and learn all about the marine life of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico through visual and interactive exhibits. 

Book Dauphin Island Vacation Homes

Now that you know where Dauphin Island is located, it’s time to plan your beach getaway with Boardwalk Realty. Browse our collection of Dauphin Island vacation rentals and find the perfect basecamp for your group. Explore everything our island has to offer and immerse yourself in the small-town charm of Dauphin Island. If you need assistance finding the right property, don’t hesitate to reach out at 877-861-3992!

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. 

At Boardwalk Realty, we know no vacation is complete without your pet by your side. That’s why we offer nearly 40 pet-friendly Dauphin Island rentals so everyone (even your four-legged friend) can enjoy our beach paradise. Save money on boarding your pet and spend time playing at the beach, exploring our nature trails, and dining at outdoor patios together. So, pack your leash and prepare for some tail-wagging fun on Dauphin Island!

Dauphin Island Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals

Browse our pet-friendly vacation rentals on Dauphin Island and find the perfect property for your getaway. Please read through our pet policy rules below before booking with us:

  • Guest must notify us of pets at the time of booking and complete the Dog Registration form before arrival.
  • A non-refundable pet fee is required per dog. Amounts vary by property.
  • Properties may have additional limitations on dog size, breeds allowed, and the total number of dogs permitted.
  • No pets are allowed on any property that is not advertised as pet-friendly.
  • Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations and flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives.
  • Dogs are not allowed on property furnishings.

Dauphin Island’s Good Neighbor Pet Policy

Pet owners are required to abide by the town of Dauphin Island’s Good Neighbor Pet Policy during their visit. 

  • Follow the island-wide leash law, which requires your dog to be properly restrained at all times.
  • Pets are not allowed on West End Beach since this section of the island serves as a critical bird nesting habitat. 
  • Pet owners must pick up after their pets and properly dispose of waste.

Things to Do with Your Dog on Dauphin Island

  • Take your dog to East Beach or Middle Beach for a day of fun in the sun. Stroll up and down our sandy shores together.
  • Explore three miles of dog-friendly trails at Audubon Bird Sanctuary, winding past maritime forests, marshes, dunes, and swamps. 
  • Visit Fort Gaines and walk through historic sites with your pooch. Even the museum is dog-friendly!
  • Refuel from a day of adventures at Islanders Restaurant and sit out on the dog-friendly patio. 

Book your pet-friendly Dauphin Island rentals with Boardwalk Realty and escape to the beach this summer. If you have any questions about our pet policy, don’t hesitate to call us at  1-877-861-3992.

DAUPHIN ISLAND WEATHER
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