Home to less than 2,000 permanent residents, Dauphin Island is the crown jewel of the Gulf Coast at the southern end of Alabama. This area offers a relaxed lifestyle, world-class fishing, superb seafood, a historic Civil War fort, Native American shell mounds, beach shelling, the Bird Sanctuary, and local arts and crafts. Newcomers can also look forward to camping and motorhome get-a-ways, pier fishing, and beautiful sugar-white sandy beaches. Named for the place “where dolphin play,” Dauphin Island is actually a barrier island located 33 miles from Mobile. This family oriented community offers outdoor like fishing, camping, swimming, and bird watching while preserving a serene living environment. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab, founded by the State Legislature in 1971, is distinguished as Alabama's marine education and research center. Located on the eastern tip of a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, the Sea Lab is the home site of the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium.