Hands-on activities along the beach byway

Everyone vacations differently. Some folks plan their day around their meals. Some wake up early to get the most out of their day, while others indulge and sleep in late. Some seek adventure and some relish relaxation. If you prefer playing an active role in your vacation instead of being a passive observer, there are plenty of ways to have a hands-on experience while vacationing along Alabama’s coast. See for yourself!

Visit the Estuarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab

The Estuarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab highlights coastal Alabama’s four main habitats and the plants, animals and other natural resources found in the area. The 10,000-square-foot exhibit hall boasts visual displays and engaging educational activities where guests can learn all about Mobile Bay, one of the nation’s largest estuary systems. If you’re feeling brave, interact with stingrays at the touch pool, then take a walk down the Living Marsh Boardwalk or peer into the 31 aquariums featuring more than 100 different species!

Tour the interactive GulfQuest Museum

Test your coastal knowledge when you visit GulfQuest National Maritime Museum in Mobile, just a quick detour off Alabama’s Coastal Connection. This non-profit museum’s mission is to inspire hands-on experiences with 90 exhibits, theaters, displays and simulators. Enjoy a day of immersive experiences and learn about early settlers to the area and their trade routes, shipwrecks, hurricanes and more in exhibits housed on a replica container ship.

Explore the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center

Both fun and educational, the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort is the point at which the Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley rivers flow into Mobile Bay. The resource center features displays in the Apalachee Exhibit Hall and the Little Bateau Learning Center where visitors can see live animals and participate in hands-on activities for free.

Ready to get your hands dirty? Alabama’s Coastal Connection offers a number of ways to actively participate in educational experiences along the byway.