Dauphin Island, AL: An Idyllic Beach Vacation

Written by Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach


Part ofrepparttar fun of vacationing on Dauphin Island is driving there. Coming east on IH-10 from Houston, you will watchrepparttar 134162 landscape change dramatically as you experiencerepparttar 134163 states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and finally Alabama. And then you can easily include Florida while you’re there, too. As you near your destination, you’ll see men wearing big white boots for clamming, known locally as “ Baldwin County Nikes”.

You’ll drive through casino land, then, turning south from Mobile, enter beautiful Baldwin County, AL. To me,repparttar 134164 roads are exceptional andrepparttar 134165 scenery peaceful and pastoral. I love that there are both trees and water, andrepparttar 134166 farm country is very peaceful.

Dauphin Island, AL is a barrier island located about 30 miles from Mobile, AL. It’s 17 miles of white sand beaches with some ofrepparttar 134167 most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen, and is surrounded by Mobile Bay,repparttar 134168 Gulf of Mexico andrepparttar 134169 Mississippi Sound.

How to get there? Here is a map: http://dauphinisland.cc/map.htm . You can get there by ferry or by car.

First colonized inrepparttar 134170 1600s, it was named “Dauphin Island” in 1707, afterrepparttar 134171 heir torepparttar 134172 French throne (dauphin = prince). At this time it wasrepparttar 134173 capitol ofrepparttar 134174 Louisiana territory, which you’ll recall atrepparttar 134175 time was about two-thirds ofrepparttar 134176 United States.

In 1954, a bridge was built connecting Dauphin Island torepparttar 134177 mainland andrepparttar 134178 Dauphin Island Park & Beach Board was created. The sand dunes which had coveredrepparttar 134179 walls of FORT GAINES were excavated, piers built and recreational amenities begun. Fort Gaines is now an historical site you’ll want to visit when you’re there.

Once you enterrepparttar 134180 island, part of your adventure can be driving through Tupelo Gum Swamp. Here is a photo: http://chris.dauphinisland-info.com upelo.html .

THE AUDOBON BIRD SANCTUARY Dauphin Island was recently named one ofrepparttar 134181 top four locations for viewing spring migrations by Wild Bird Magazine, and one ofrepparttar 134182 ten most important sites for migrations globally. Located atrepparttar 134183 Eastern end ofrepparttar 134184 Island, it includes 64 acres of maritime forest, marshes, and dunes, including a lake, a swamp and a beach.

THE DAUPHIN ISLAND SEA LAB The Sea Lab is also located onrepparttar 134185 eastern end ofrepparttar 134186 island, spanning it north-south, and is a five-minute walk fromrepparttar 134187 Mobile Bay Ferry and Fort Gaines. An educational facility, it includesrepparttar 134188 Estuarium / Public Aquarium (http://estuarium.disl.org/ ), with touch tanks (“Get hands-on experience with aquatic animals”), a living marsh walk, and a weather station. For map and driving instructions, go here: http://www.disl.org/location.html

EXCURSION CRUISE Along with swimming and fishing, you can take a two-hour excursion cruise (http://gulfinfo.com/cruises/index.html ) starting in Little Dauphin Bay and heading east past Fort Gaines,repparttar 134189 Ferry landing andrepparttar 134190 Sea Lab. You’ll then enterrepparttar 134191 Gulf of Mexico where you can seerepparttar 134192 shrimping, and, saysrepparttar 134193 captain, sometimes dolphins will come play alongsiderepparttar 134194 yacht. You’ll also cruise near an oil field platform. A 3-hour cruise is also available.

Top Ten Most Searched Cities in 2003 for Online Hotel Listings

Written by Katie Glaser


Top Ten Most Searched Cities in 2003 for Online Hotel Listings

January 19, 2004, Virginia Beach, Va. – RoomSaver.com,repparttar Web’s most comprehensive source for hotel discounts, today announced that RoomSaver.com’s (www.RoomSaver.com) most-searched cities for discount hotel coupons in 2003 were Orlando, Fla. and Las Vegas, Nev.

Recent data showrepparttar 134161 top ten most-searched cities on RoomSaver.com in 2003 were Orlando, Fla., Las Vegas, Nev., Miami, Fla., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., New York, NY, Kissimmee, Fla., Los Angeles, Cal., San Diego, Cal., Tampa, Fla. and San Francisco, Cal.

While RoomSaver.com features a national listings database as well as Canadian provinces, this information corresponds with markets that are historic strongholds for RoomSaver.com’s affiliate travel guides, Traveler Discount Guide, Travel Saver Guide, U.S. Travel Guide and Travel Coupon Guide. Additionally, these top destinations correspond with those that are characteristic of International travelers, according torepparttar 134162 “Top 10 U.S. City Destinations for International Travelers, 2000” fromrepparttar 134163 Travel Industry Association of America (TIA).

"We are very pleased that search activity on RoomSaver.com is increasing," said Brad Petersen, business development manager of RoomSaver.com. "This shows that more and more travelers are usingrepparttar 134164 Internet as a key resource when searching for hotel discounts."

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