This is a little craft that I made out of driftwood and coquina clams. It’s probably not Pinterest-worthy but its value lies in the memories that come flooding back when I look at it. Memories of a lazy morning on Dauphin Island – combing the beach for a good piece of driftwood and different sizes and colors of shells. The best part of that day? My 13 year old son was with me. The same kid who was usually bent over an Iphone with earphones on his ears spent over an hour walking the peaceful beach with me and most importantly talking with me. This is the beauty of Dauphin Island. There aren’t waterparks or arcades to provide “easy” entertainment. We aren’t over scheduled on our vacation. Instead, we spend more time appreciating nature and appreciating each other.
Some other family quality time that we’ve found on Dauphin Island:
- Riding bikes to the West End Beach
- Buying a kite at a souvenir store and flying it on the beach
- Swimming in the gulf or the pool
- Sitting and just watching the waves and birds
- Taking a walk to get ice cream
- Riding the car ferry to Gulf Shores (ok – we did go to an arcade while there!)
- Visiting the Estuarium at the Sea Lab
- Taking a walk through the bird sanctuary
- Finding the shell mounds and goat trees and reading about their history
- Visiting Fort Gaines
- Playing cards and family games late at night (and running out to the Circle K for snacks and slushees)
- Getting ice cream at the Billy Goat Hole Café
- Watching the sunset on the beach and seeing who can get the best picture