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I think the perfect family/kids weekend could be found on Dauphin Island, Alabama. This beautiful little island is some place that should not be missed. It's located in the Gulf of Mexico, just a short hop over a high bridge from the mainland. You can also get there by ferry. Besides the fun things to do on the island, you are within easy driving distance of several great places to visit.
When we were there, we rented a house with some friends and their children. This gorgeous four-bedroom house had it all. It was perfectly decorated, had a fully equipped kitchen, two full bathrooms, a washer and dryer and an outside shower. We were located at the farthest point west that you can live on the island. Past us to the end of the island was acres of undisturbed sand dunes. The house was on stilts with a super view of the ocean, which was about fifty yards from our back deck.
You could eat on the island at your choice of seafood places, or drive into Mobile for any kind of food. The trip to Mobile is a scenic drive through quiet, minimally populated areas until you get to the outskirts of the city. You can find anything you are looking for in Mobile. They have a water park for the family, a zoo and too many shopping opportunities to list. The best most interesting way to get back to the island, is to take the ferry across the bay. It takes about twenty minutes and it's worth every one of them. We saw all kinds of different seabirds, fish, dolphins and unfortunately, oil rigs. That was the only down-side to whole visit, the oil rigs that pop up in your view from just about every angle. The only nice thing I can say about them, is they are pretty at night with all their lights. We also saw a large number of fishing and shrimping boats during our great visit. Speaking of shrimping boats, Bayou Labatre, Alabama, of the "Forest Gump" movie is only about a 15 minute drive from the island.
There is an estuarium and a bird sanctuary on the east end of the island. You can go there and learn all about the wildlife and preservation of the estuary, the area where ocean meets fresh water and land. They have a huge number of aquariums with all kinds of fish, sharks and rays. You also can see the little glow-in-the-dark jelly fish that give off a great light show. They have turtles, alligators, horseshoe crabs and shellfish. It was great and the kids absolutely loved it. They got to touch a horseshoe crab!
Our visit wasn't entirely about the kids, it was also romantic. We walked along the moon-lit beach, listening to the surf and watching the little ghost crabs run across the sand. It was also wonderful to raise our window at night and drift off to sleep with the sweet ocean breeze caressing our faces. I never saw a mosquito or any other insect on the island. I loved drinking my coffee on the deck while the sun came up behind me and I watched the ocean light up.
I can't wait to get back to Dauphin Island, Alabama. It was a small slice of heaven that we all enjoyed immensely. So, if you enjoy being a little off the beaten path and spending quiet time with your family, this is the place to be. It doesn't matter if you rent a house or a condo, you are in the perfect weekend getaway spot for your family. |
