Dauphin Island Beach
Dauphin Island, AL
A barrier island community where the public beach at the west end stays noticeably quieter than the mainland resorts, with a bird sanctuary and boardwalk trail through the dunes just behind it. Locals have been coming here for generations, and the pace of the island has stayed slow on purpose.
Generations of locals have kept this island's pace slow on purpose, the bird sanctuary boardwalk is worth the detour even on a beach focused trip.
How we score beachesThe bird sanctuary boardwalk is worth the short walk even if you're mainly here for the beach.
Dogs are welcome on leash on Dauphin Island's public beaches year-round, except at West End Beach where they are banned to protect bird nesting habitat.
This barrier island shares Alabama's hot, humid summer and June through November hurricane season with the rest of the coast. Locals tend to favor spring and fall for the milder weather, when the bird sanctuary boardwalk is also at its most pleasant to walk.
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