Experience The Best Of The Gulf Coast More Affordably At This Alabama Paradise

The Gulf of Mexico is a stunning place to visit. It's the largest gulf in the world and is home to all sorts of natural and cultural attractions including islands, pristine wilderness, beaches, forts, and shipwrecks. With such amazing sights, it's no surprise that it's a popular destination. Unfortunately, you can expect some pretty high prices to go along with the popularity. 

One destination in particular, Dauphin Island, is an affordable option you can't find anywhere else. It's roughly an hour away from another stunning coastal escape in Alabama known as Gulf Shore, and offers impressive and comparable beach views, but for a cheaper cost and with fewer tourists to compete for space. Dauphin Island is a small piece of land just a few miles south of mainland Alabama. 

It isn't large by any means. It's 14 miles long and even at its widest point is less than 2 miles wide, completely surrounding you by the gulf's water. Despite its rather small size, there is plenty to do, including exploring aquariums, bird sanctuaries, and historic sites. You also have the option to relax on the beach, swim in the gulf, and more. While this is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts, those looking to relax on the beach and spend time in the ocean will also enjoy themselves. 

Dauphin Island is the perfect destination for those who enjoy birdwatching and biking. There are plenty of animals to see on there, as it's not only a popular resting spot for birds, with The Audubon Bird Sanctuary taking up a fairly large portion of the island, but marine life too. It is a barrier island, which means that it's filled with important habitats like lagoons, tidal flats, estuaries, and bays where many endangered species have made their homes. If you like to explore the world on two wheels, the Dauphin offers a bike trail that runs from one side of the island to the other. It takes you alongside the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, allowing you to see some amazing migratory birds just like you'd see at the best birdwatching destinations in the United States. 

Dauphin Island also has several historical sites to visit. One is Shell Mound Park, which is an old archeological site with hills of shells dating back to 1100 CE. It's thought that these shell piles, and others found along the Gulf Coast are areas where several groups of people came together, traded, and had a big feast to celebrate. 

There is also a newer, but more impressive, historic site known as Fort Gaines. This location has been on Dauphin Island for over 150 years and because of the constant erosion and shifting of sand, it is considered one of the most endangered historic sites in the country.

There are two ways to get to Dauphin Island. The first is by driving across a bridge starting south of Alabama Port and over the Mississippi Sound. The second is by taking a ferry, which runs from Fort Morgan and through Mobile Bay. 

While Dauphin Island isn't the cheapest vacation, it is fairly affordable. Hotels cost somewhere around $200 a night on average, though some of the nicer ones are closer to $300, and there are short-term rental homes and campgrounds to stay at as well. Most of the attractions are fairly cheap, with public beaches costing $5 per car, free entrance to the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, and other places like The Alabama Aquarium, previously known as the Estuarium, are not much more than $10 a person. While not one of the best zoos and aquariums in America, it is highly educational and full of animals living in the area that you might not otherwise get to see. 

Like with most vacation destinations, it can be easy to spend a lot and have an expensive trip, but if you look at some of these cheaper options, you can save quite a bit and Dauphin Island can be an affordable Gulf of Mexico trip. Even the ferry is pretty cheap, costing no more than $20 per vehicle and $6 per person. Young children in strollers and pets get on for free.