Dauphin Island is a small, quiet, quaint destination with no commercialism. I stayed with my husband and 4 adult children ages 19-26. Here is our take:
Pros: This condo was great; spacious, pretty, comfortable, everything you need plus plenty of living space, plenty of bed and bath space, and a fabulous balcony! There is plenty of easy parking in the garage attached to the complex. The pool area is very large. All in all - the complex itself was wonderful. There are cute boutique and souvenir shops, pizza, ice cream and a couple restaurants in walking distance and several more within a mile or two but choices are rather limited. Beautiful white, soft sand, no trouble finding a spot on the beach.
Cons: Even though it's definitely ocean front, the complex sits so far back that it is a loooong walk to the water. The water is not pretty, like most gulf waters, and there are natural gas rigs along the horizon a few miles off shore that definitely taint the view. The gym has very limited hours. The nearest grocery is somewhat small and 25-30 minutes away. We attempted to get off the island one day for something to do, ended up in Mobile, which frankly, doesn't offer much. Gulf Shores is well over an hour away and the fastest route is via a toll ferry. That said, we did not venture there. So, if you don't find what you want on the island, you're in for quite a jaunt.
I wish I could pick this condo complex up and move it to a better beach and much closer to the water.