Dauphin Island, Alabama, is one of our favorite places and traditions, and we treasure the week we spend there every summer. We also go often for day trips, even well into the fall. We love Dauphin Island for its humble simplicity—as much for what it isn’t and doesn’t have. Because the island differs from many other beach destinations, knowing what to expect is key. Here’s a helpful roundup of information. Be sure to come back tomorrow for my full guide to what to do and where to go, eat, drink, shop, and pray on Dauphin Island.
1. Groceries before or after? There are only a handful of shops on the island and zero big, comprehensive grocery or department stores or pharmacies. The primary grocery and goods store, Ship & Shore, also sells fishing poles, bait, and mass-produced souvenirs, so as you can probably imagine the grocery and toiletries selection is minimal. We end up running to Ship & Shore for little things here and there—a bag of chips, a pack of gum, ice—but we get our major groceries and necessities on the way down to the island at one of the stores in Theodore (about 45 minutes from the island proper). If you’re especially frugal or particular about brands, avoid frustration at the limited selection of items marked up higher than typical retail by pre-purchasing.
2. Bike or car? I’m not exaggerating when I say we park the car upon arrival and don’t turn it on again until we leave. The island is small, so while there are obviously roads if you choose to drive from place to place, biking everywhere is very doable. A dedicated paved bike trail runs the length of the island alongside its main boulevard. You can bring your own bikes or rent them. Like most everything on the island, bike rental companies are very low-key, casual operations usually without any platform other than a personal phone and maybe an occasionally updated Facebook page. Sometimes the campgrounds also rent bikes. You can also rent e-bikes and golf carts if that’s more your style.
3. Pool or beach? Although the primary attraction is the beach, I highly recommend finding accommodations with a pool. It’s so nice to have a rotation from beach to pool, and inevitably some of the group prefers pool to beach. The pool is also great for after dark when swimming in the Gulf isn’t wise, plus you can play games in the pool that aren’t really feasible in the surf. We would not book a place without pool access.
4. This beach or that one? Dauphin Island has three primary public beaches: West End, Public Beach, and East End. There are also tons of private beaches along the residential and rental rows, but you need to be an owner or renter for access. I’ll give more extensive notes on pros and cons of each public beach tomorrow, but quickly:
East End: This is our most-visited beach because the bike path extends all the way here; it’s just past historic Fort Gaines with rocky outcrops that foster calm, almost pool-like water and plentiful, adorable hermit crabs.
West End: The bike path doesn’t run all the way to the West End; you can still bike there but you’ll be in a lane with regular traffic, which we prefer to avoid. This beach is probably the least populated and the locals always remind us that it’s the best one for seashells.
Public Beach: This beach is the only one with shelters, picnic tables, restrooms, and showers, plus beautiful sand, fun surf, and interesting dunes and tidepools. However, you’ll have a long walk from the parking lot, down the pier, over the dunes, and across the sand to reach the water.
Pro tip: none of these beaches have any concessions, so bring your own! Also, all of them technically charge a few dollars for access, but many times there’s no one there collecting the fees (or they just wave us in).
5. Sunrise or sunset? Dauphin Island is dubbed the “sunrise and sunset capital of Alabama” with good reason. Both are stunning and surprisingly colorful! You’ll see skies of rose and ochre at sunrise, then of deep pink, violet, and indigo at sunset.
6. Beach house or hotel? There are very few hotels on the island (this may be the only one?), and we have never used a hotel there. You can find a plethora of Airbnbs, Vrbos, and private rental condos. We strongly prefer renting a full home for a week at the beach, especially for meals, laundry (a must for a beach trip), and personal space. If it’s your thing, there is also a popular campground and an RV park.
7. Sit down or take out? Dauphin Island remains surprisingly undeveloped. You won’t find many restaurant options here, but that’s okay because you will find seafood that was caught just a few hours earlier. We order takeout steamed shrimp dinners every night from Skinner’s Seafood—delicious and affordable. We also love the excellent Lighthouse Bakery for breakfast and brunch (the cinnamon rolls are divine) and Billy Goat Concessions for our daily rations of milkshakes and ice cream (they also serve pretty good paninis but terrible coffee). There are a few other sit-down restaurants offering seafood and other bland basics, but I don’t think any of them are really worth the expense. When Skinner’s is closed, we order good takeout pizza from Island Rainbow. Pirate’s Bar and Grill has decent grilled chicken salads and burgers, but I’d only order from there if Skinner’s was closed. Getting a table also tends to take a bizarrely long time. We have tried most of the other restaurants on the island and would not return to any of them.
8. May or August? We’d go to Dauphin Island any time and have, but if you can time your trip for early summer, do. Later into summer, the Gulf gets increasingly warmer and muckier. There’s also a higher risk of storms.
9. Fashion or function? This is not the place for your resort wear. I usually can’t resist packing a “real” outfit or two, but I never end up wearing anything but a swimsuit, old cut offs, maybe a cover-up shirt, and pajamas. And, of course, my trusty Saltwaters.
10. Excursions or exploring? What we love about Dauphin Island is precisely the lack of noise and spending. Instead of mini-golf, amusement park rides, flashy boardwalks, novelty shops, entertainment venues, mindless shopping malls, and a zillion excursion options, you’ll have to make your own recreation. Hunt for seashells, jump off the rocks, explore the Audubon bird sanctuary, catch and release hermit crabs, splash in the waves, try to spot dolphins. You can tour a historic Civil War fort, visit the no-frills sea lab and estuarium, and ride the Mobile Bay ferry, but that’s the extent of “attractions.” And that’s exactly why it’s wonderful.
Remember to come back tomorrow for my full guide to what to do and where to go, eat, drink, shop, and pray on Dauphin Island. A bientôt!
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