Dauphin Island Campground | Alabama

Dauphin Island Town Campground, RV Review

We spent two nights and days on Dauphin Island and RV camped at the Dauphin Island Campground on the east end of the island. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the facilities of the campground and the charm and attractiveness of the island community.

Read on to see what we liked (and didn’t like) about camping and vacationing on Dauphin Island.

dauphin island east beach
A path from the campground leads to the East beach of Dauphin Island.

What to Like About Dauphin Island RV Campground

Maintenance
We found it a decently maintained campground with paved roads, immaculate washrooms, excellent shower facilities, and a general tidy grounds.

Wi-Fi
The park has a large indoor pavilion with strong Internet service. RV travelers generally find the “free Wi-Fi” offered at campgrounds provide sketchy service, low speeds and frequent blackouts. Not so at Dauphin Island Camp – generally pretty good.

Bike Trail Convenient to Dauphin Island Attractions.
Adjacent to the campground is the Dauphin Island walk/bike path that runs from one end of the island to the other, joining many of the points of interest one would want to visit. But even off the bike trail to get to some of the attractions, riding on the city streets was pretty safe. The traffic away from the main drive (that is adjacent to the bike path) is quite light and motorists are in no hurry to get anywhere. In fact the overall atmosphere of Dauphin Island is quiet, no rush, chill-out enjoy the flow of things. No high-rise condos, not much in the way of glitzy tourist attractions.

Number and Condition of RV Camp Sites.
The campground offers 150 sites with electric service and water; 75 of these sites also have sewer hookup. An RV dump station is available for those without sewer hookups. While the roads within the park are paved, the generally level campsites are grass covered and sandy. Most sites get some shade during parts of the day.

Our site got shade in the afternoon. Our site had 50 amp service and water.
The washroom facility and maintenance was top notch, among the best we’ve experienced

Visitor Attractions – Things to Do, Places to Visit on Dauphin Island

Children’s Play Area.
The large children’s playground is enclosed, perhaps so the gate can be locked during quiet hours. Lots of playground features which I suspect also serves to keep the kids from playing in the campground streets.

Campground Store and Laundry.
The camp store offers a variety of typical RV or camping needs, a modest grocery section, and souvenir items like T-shirts, etc. There’s also a laundry facility as part of the bathroom/shower complex. The enclosed Pavilion has a modest lending library and Internet service which was stronger than most you find at RV campgrounds.

Location
One of the most notable features of the campground is its location at the Eastern end of the island, remote but not out of touch with island attractions. The walking/bike path circles the North edge of the park. We were able to bike to everything on the island we wanted to see or visit. Immediately east of the camp is the Audubon Bird Sanctuary that has a number of nature and hiking trails. There’s a walking path directly from the campground to the Sanctuary. The East Island Public Beach is immediately South of the campground and there’s also a path from the campground to the beach. Other nearby places of interest are the pedestrian fishing pier, Historic Fort Gaines and the Alabama Sea Lab’s Estuarium, both within walking distance.

dauphin island campground map
Dauphin Island Campground Map

What Not to Like About the Dauphin Island RV Campground.

Not a whole lot “not to like” . . . but there are a few.

Campground Website
The Campground website is very modest, offers sketchy information and there is no online reservation system. They do have an email address: campground@dauphinisland.org and the camp office phone # is 251-861-2742. The minimum reservation is for 2 days and a non-refundable deposit is required. If you call for reservations have the above map handy for information on available sites.

Popularity, Scarcity of Available Sites
We were there mid-week and were able to get one of the few sites remaining available. Had to pay an upcharge for a 50 amp site with a sewer due to the shortage. But considering all the pluses, we weren’t unhappy about paying a higher rate.

Note: September and October 2020 hurricanes Sally and Zeta created some storm damage on the Island, including felling several trees in the campground. As of this writing the trees have been cleared and the damage repaired.


Booking a site at Dauphin Island Campground: Dauphin Island Campground Website

Links to Dauphin Island Visitor Attractions

See our Dauphin Island visitor attractions article for pictures and information on interesting things to see and do on the island.

Audubon Bird Sanctuary Boardwalk
Many hiking and nature trails in the Sanctuary next to the campground
dauphin island east beach
A path from the campground leads to the East beach.

More Links Interesting things to See and Do on Dauphin Island

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Your Scenic Travel Guide: Ross Reinhold