The Longest Beach in Alabama Is 14 Miles of Paradise

Despite Alabama’s coasts being battered by storms in the last few decades, desirable vacation spots are still thriving. There are bustling spots with tons of touristy things to do, and there are quiet locales where one can dig their feet in the sand and forget about the outside world for a while. Which one should you choose? The longest beach in Alabama is 14 miles of paradise, and we’re going to fill you in on the details now.

What is the Longest Beach in Alabama?

The longest beach in Alabama is the beach on Dauphin Island. The area is known as the “The Sunset Capital of Alabama” as the sunsets are breathtaking due to the island’s low elevation and the views are unobstructed. It’s also considered an underrated paradise because the water is clean, the weather is mild, and the sand is white.

While some of the other barrier islands in the region are longer than Dauphin Island, the 14 miles of beach on the island is the longest uninterrupted beachfront in Alabama. There are only about 2 thousand permanent residents on the island, so this destination is less crowded than some of the more popular Alabama beaches.

Where is Dauphin Island?

Dauphin Island is in Mobile County, Alabama, and it is the southernmost point of the state along the Gulf Coast. It is considered a part of the wider Mobile metropolitan area with Mobile’s city center located approximately 37 miles away.

3 miles to the north of Dauphin Island is Mobile Bay. The island serves as a boundary between the Gulf to the south and Mobile Bay to the north. To get to Dauphin Island, you can take a ferry from Gulf Shores, or you can cross the 3-mile-long Dauphin Island Bridge on Highway 193.

Dauphin Island: Amenities on the Longest Beach in Alabama

While Dauphin Island feels like an oasis away from big city life, it does have modern amenities that make a stay at the beach comfortable. There are companies offering water tours and equipment rentals. There are also a few restaurants and roadside motels a short distance from the beach.

Houses on stilts get as close to the water as possible, and a lot of these houses are vacation rentals. This means that if you’re planning to travel to Dauphin Island, beach views right outside of your bedroom door are obtainable.

The East End Beach offers up spectacular views of the Gulf. The best shelling to be had in the area is on West End Beach. Every year, there is a Mardis Gras parade to kick off the Catholic Lent season. Lighthouse Bakery is a local staple that serves breakfast to people on Dauphin Island every morning.

Popular Animals Found Around Dauphin Island’s Beach

Spotting common bottlenose dolphins that cruise close to the shore isn’t uncommon at Dauphin Beach. Most of the beach is dog-friendly, so choosing Dauphin Island if you’re looking for pet-friendly accommodations is a good bet.

Sea turtles sometimes visit the beach. Some of the turtle species that have been spotted include loggerheads, hawksbills, leatherbacks, green sea turtles, and Kemp’s Ridley turtles.

There are also snakes present on Dauphin Island. Some of these snakes are eastern kingsnakes, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, eastern coral snakes, and gulf marsh snakes.

Fishing off of the coast of Dauphin Island is some of the best around. This is because there is an artificial reef system in place. Common fish that anglers seek out include cobia, redfish, mackerel, sheepshead, red spanner, tripletail, and speckled trout.

While alligators don’t make a habit of lounging on the beaches of Dauphin Island, they can tolerate saltwater environments long enough to appear once in a while. In 2023, a large alligator was spotted and photographed by beachgoers. The pictures went viral on social media.

Birds on Dauphin Island

Migrating birds are attracted to Dauphin Island because it’s one of the first landmasses they find on their journey over the Gulf between North and South America. The Audobon Bird Sanctuary is a 164-acre oasis on the island created for these migratory species, and over 347 species take advantage of this island sanctuary every season.

Some of the bird species that take advantage of Dauphin Island’s location include piping plovers, oystercatchers, red knots, cerulean warblers, seaside sparrows, loggerhead shrikes, mottled ducks, and brown pelicans.

Plants Found Around Dauphin Island

The island’s east is wider than the west, and it hosts pine trees and saw palmettos as part of a maritime forest. This forest is subject to deforestation, however, due to storm damage. This damage has left the remaining trees open to saltwater spray exposure which is killing the remaining trees.

Some common plants found on the island include Spanish moss, resurrection ferns, toothache trees, yaupon shrubs, devil’s walking sticks, and Isabella’s fig trees. Some of these plants have medicinal properties. For example, the leaves of the toothache tree cause tingling and numbness when chewed.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Alabama Aquarium

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Alabama Aquarium are located at 102 Bienville Blvd on the east end of the island, and it is open from 9 to 5 every day. It costs 14 dollars for adult admission and 6 dollars for kids. The site is closed on major holidays.

Its mission is to teach the public about the Mobile Bay Estuary system and other Alabamain coastal features near the island. Habitats addressed by exhibits include the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, the Barrier Islands, Mobile Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico.

There is a large stingray touch pool that is a favorite with children. Atlantic stingrays, cow nose stingrays, and bluntnose stingrays share this exhibit. There are over 100 species on display from various habitats within the larger Alabama Watershed.

Indian Mound Park on Dauphin Island in Alabama

On the north shore of Dauphin Island sits Indian Mound Park. The park is named after the prehistoric shell middens created by indigenous Americans as early as 1100 CE. They were still in use during historic times, but in 1830, the Creek and Choctaw tribes still using the area were forcibly relocated to Oklahoma.

This park is about 11 acres in size with trails throughout. There is also an oak tree on site that’s believed to be around 800 years old. There are also plant species in the area that are not Alabama natives. They were most likely planted by Native Americans who brought the plants from Appalachia and the Yucatan Peninsula.