Fort Morgan State Historic Site — Attraction in Dauphin Island

This was a gem of a find for our family day! My husband and I kind of played it free on a day trip with our three young children Orange Beach and around nap time for our smaller boys, we decided to go for a semi long drive so they could nap, so we searched for things to do and found the fantastic Fort Morgan! We drove straight to it and absolutely loved the difference in scenery from our hometown, and when we got there we were pleased to find that admission is basically nothing 😀 sixteen dollars for my family of five and that granted access to the entire fort (excluding dangerous marked off places) the museum (which sadly we missed because we were unaware of its closing time), as well as beach access. The history (for someone like myself) left the most beautiful ancient scent that called me into every room and through every arch. The calcium build ups on the walls, the stalactites and stalagmites that presented themselves in almost every corner of the fort served as not only a beautiful work of art from Mother nature, but a wonderful visualization as to just how long those old bones have stood and the stories those dripping brick walls hold. The old architecture that is put on display here is stunning and its amazing to think just how grand of a structure this was in its own time, and how intimidating of a force it once was. History buff or not, Fort Morgan truly is a sight to see that is friendly for all, including pets and children, and is very affordable for any budget. Worth the visit, pieces of history like that won't be...

The place was really cool to visit. Although living as a history nerd, it would have been nice to have more information about the fort.

Maybe a tour but not the kind where they literally read off the signs in front of you.

For example- where did they bury the troops who were lost in battle. Why did they have the ammunition stored so far away from the fort itself. Are there before and after pictures of when it was discovered to what it looks like today?

History is something that holds value in my belief and as a young person I would like to gain more knowledge of places like this. I grew up living history and in a military family and walking through forts and old bases always gives me a connection of home.

The museum had many fascinating artifacts and relics from the time of war and the information was well given in there.

The walls at the fort were beautiful and we'll structured and I admired the work that was done many years ago.

But for those who aren't interested in my boring history. There is a large cannon that is up by the walls of the fort, as well as an anchor and a brick walkway that holds the name of the first soldier who died on duty.

There are no wheelchair accessible areas within the fort, it is all stairs. Also the stairs are extremely steep so be very cautious while visiting. There are many little hallways you can enter if you are uncertain. If it is not allowed I can assure you it will have a...

Awesome and unusual fort located on a sandy spit of land near Gulf Shores. Accessible by car via ferry or road, or a short hike from the ferry by foot.

This is an “explore on your own” place, which is fantastic for kids young and old, but it also needs a lot of maintenance and help. Despite proximity to New Orleans, Mobile and Pensacola, the fort doesn’t appear to get enough visitors to pay for the repairs that it desperately needs. In addition to repairs resulting from its location and style (the earthen roof has caused extensive water problems in the rooms beneath, as explained by one sign), there is a woeful lack of signage throughout the place. A small booklet explains the larger pieces of the fort, but most of the time, I had no clue what I was looking at. Was this large room used for munitions? Living quarters? Toilets? Who knows!

As with any “explore on your own” place, there are obvious dangers where a little common-sense can go a long way. Don’t spoil the fun for future visitors by climbing up something that probably isn’t meant for climbing. Have fun, don’t get hurt, and be nice to the employees.

Rip Tides: the beach was closed when we visited due to a young man drowning earlier due to a rip tide. It’s a gorgeous place for swimming and fishing, but please check out the national weather service tide forecast before getting...