Mobile Bay Ferry Reviews

Why drive all the way around a bay, when it's more fun and scenic to take a ferry? Sure, it's not cheap, but you're saving gas instead of driving around the bay.
It was running about 15 mins late today, but at the Dauphin island side, there's a cafe and some seating in the shade.
No proper dolphin sightings for us.
Picking up on a previous review - while our ferry wasn't full, I can't see how you can't exit your vehicle. There was definitely space to get out and stand in deck.

You can walk on vs taking the car for $6 a person. If you are going to the fort or the Audubon Bird Sanctuary you can walk easily from the ferry. No charge for the return trip on the same day. If you take the car, the return on the same day is just for the car. No charge for the passengers.

We waited for over an hour as the ferry was busy and we missed getting aboard the ride we'd hoped for, but fortunately we were in no hurry. There are restrooms and a snack shop at the Ft Morgan location. We enjoyed our ride to the island and even saw a dolphin. It was a great way to cool off on a hot day!

The ferry was on time. It was a nice smooth ride. Price is great. Heads up- where the ferry docks on the island- there isn’t much there. You will need a mode of transportation- your car or your bike. We were just gong to walk, bit so glad I asked a lady that had been there before because we would have turned around and got right back o the return ferry.

There is not much to see along the way, but the crew is efficient and know how to get everyone loaded properly. It takes about 30 minutes from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan.

You may stay in your vehicle (with the ignition off) or get out and look around during the ride. They alternate pick ups between the small (fits approx. 18 cars) and large ferries. You can also get on without a car. They recommend getting there 30 minutes prior to departure and they aren’t joking since space is limited!

Admission is $15 per vehicles (under 22 ft) and $6 per person for ages 4+. We were able to bring a cooler and stroller along in the car, which made the trip to the aquarium a bit more convenient with little ones.

This was my second time using the ferry. Such an outstanding service with wonderful people. How they maintain updates on service during bad weather and any other possible dredging issues is amazing.

Thank you Mobile Bay Ferry !!!

TheBigRideforEB.com

Mobile Bay Ferry - Simple Fun.
We rode the ferry from Dauphine Island across to Gulf Shores. Easy load/unload procedures. Smooth, quite ride that provided great views of oil platforms and lighthouse. We saw several dolphins as we docked on GS side. Would happily do this again!

No reservations but when we drove up late we got one of the last spots without a wait. 30 minutes is about right got a ferry ride. Time to walk around and get a good view of the fort and the island. Saw some dolphins. Fun if there is no wait.

I agree with some of other reviews, that its seems a bit "pricey"... But if it's something you have never done, i do recommend it as worth doing. I am glad we did, even if its something that wont be a regular part of our trips.

I also agree that schedule is important, so plan for it and arrive early. There are of course risks with trying to get the last run, or if the weather is rough. These two factors can be inconvenient (as we ended up having to drive around the bay thru Mobile)... But this is just how it is, there are very valid reasons for it and it doesn't warrant pouting about or giving bad reviews.

It was a beautiful sunset ride snd drive through Orange Beach. Because it is a Ferry the wheelchair friendliness is limited but the limited number of vehicles on the ferry made it possible for my husband to be able to maneuver around and enjoy the sunset from all around the ferry. The sunset views of the island and the oil rigs were very beautiful and worth the fare to see in person. I recommend going on a sunset Ferry ride when you can it has beautiful views and it an be a romantic moment with your significant other.

If you’ve never been on a vehicle ferry before, this is a good first-trip experience. The crossing is about 30 minutes and provides a view of oil well platforms, which are surprisingly close, as well as passing boats, including the other ferry. It’s okay to get out of your car and walk around the ferry, but there aren’t bathrooms or snacks. This is more of a utilitarian ferry than an excursion ferry. Nice smooth on and off ramps. We crossed from Dauphin Island on the Marissa Mae Nicole. Tourism wise, this ferry didn’t have a tall viewing platform, but there is one plaque about marine life. We only saw sea gulls and pelicans. Look for the small plaque on the rail to stand where President Barack Obama stood in 2011. Efficient staff with few bumps loading and unloading. Don’t rely on the Facebook times on the Dauphin Island side. Get in line when you arrive. We were across the Bay before our Facebook posted departure time.

We had a wonderful experience riding the ferry to Fort Morgan from Dauphin Island and back again. The staff were friendly and the ride was fun - waaaay more enjoyable than the 1 hour 40 min drive from our rental house to LuLu’s in Gulf Shores. We spotted dolphins as we ferried along and enjoyed the breeze. Their website will update periodically with information about wait time, if they’re backing up or good to go, etc.

This is a popular activity and is a good experience. However, there is a limited number of spaces on the ferry. You must buy a ticket for the ferry and wait in line to board. The wait may be longer than two hours. If you get out of line, you lose your spot. There's a small snack bar at the ferry.

20 minute ride each way for $5 seemed like a decent deal to me especially with many attractions being within walking distance of the ferry dock.

Nice views of the natural gas wells and interactions with some big boats.

Lots of birds to watch also.

Easy access and friendly staff. Made day trip to gulf shores during our fall break camping trip to dauphin island

This ride across the Mobile Bay takes about 45 minutes. Cars need to line up 30 to 45 minutes before actual departure time. Price was a little steep compared to other ferries I have ridden, but it was also a little longer than some of them. This ferry does not hold very many cars. Almost everyone got out of their car during the ride to get a better view as we crossed the bay. Pedestrians and bicycles are also permitted to ride this ferry.

Took my children and grandchildren total of 21 of us on the ferry over to dauphin island.some stayed on the island to sightsee but many of us rode right back to the fort morgan side just having so much fun riding the ferry.my husband and i even rode another day by ourselves.very enjoyable

Worth the trip from Gulf shores! Take the drive around mobile bay on your way back for twice the adventure.

The ferry team keeps the ferry on schedule. They guide you on and off with a smile and efficiency. On windy days you can be completely soaked by the end of the ride. I highly recommend it.

We rode from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. We arrived and immediately proceeded onto the ferry with no wait. We parked and got out to stretch our legs during the ride. You’re parked pretty tight, which is understandable. It was a tight squeeze to get adults out of the vehicle, as we were parked next to a full size truck.
It was pricey, in my opinion. It was $48 one-way for one vehicle with six adults and two children under 5. It only cut twenty minutes off our drive to destination, but we had several in our group that had never ridden a ferry before.

Super long wait (3 hrs) and then rode backwards the whole way to Mobile. Most people on the ferry were able to get out of their vehicles and enjoy the ride, however- we and others were parked so tight we could not- faced backwards for an hour. It would be beneficial to somehow find how long the wait is before you wait in line 3 hours!

The ride from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan was so smooth and easy. We took the first ferry out (8am) - got there at 7:40 and that was plenty early. It was right on time and boarding on and off was easy! The return trip in the afternoon filled up over an hour early, so that was a little frustrating but that wasn’t the fault of the ferry. Just be sure to get there early if you really want to get on at a certain time.

Misting rain, thunderstorm out to sea, choppy water and a great ride. Grandkids ages 5 to 11 loved the experience of getting out of the car to go to the observation deck. A little expensive unless you are using it as transport between Dauphin Island and Ft. Morgan. Nothing to do but ride and look but sometimes that's the best experience

Fun trip from fort Morgan over to dauphin island and back.

Cost $6 each for same day return. Went out on the smaller ferry which noticeably had a bit more sway that’s the bigger one (with observation decks) that we returned on.

Crossing takes around 30 mins and we saw dolphin, pelicans and came fairly close to a couple of gas rigs .

Try the milkshakes at the cafe on the dauphin island joining point. Yummy

Beautiful way to save time and relax while enjoying the view across the bay. We got to see quite a few dolphins playing while we cruised.

We had planned a family day trip to Gulf Shores,AL what a very scenic route to take . This was not our first time but it was for friends who were tagging along on our trip. They absolutely loved it and would love do it again...by the way the children will love it too!

WOW!!! What a great excursion crossing Mobile Bay today. The drive along Ft. Morgan Road to the ferry was just beautiful- lagoon and Gulf Water views were incredible. The houses, condos, and businesses were so unique as we drove along the winding road. Mobile Bay is surrounded by such a diverse animal life and history abounds in its waters. This is a must adventure along the Gulf Coast of Alabama. It was worth the $27 toll fee. Employees were so friendly aboard the ship. Great day!!!

Used this service several times, its a straightforward process to get on and off with your vehicle. Only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was that it can be a bit unpredictable as to whether or not both ferries are running. This recent time they were not, which makes for a pretty long wait, especially on the fort Morgan side where there were about 100 cars waiting to board (about 4 trips on the ferry) which made for a lengthy process.

Enjoyed bird watching and spotting some dolphins while on our way to Ft. Morgan. The easiest way to get to the other side of the bay.

We didn’t do any research about this before we drove to the ferry, so we didn’t know that they only run 1 ferry during the “off season” and that the slots fill up fast. There is a sign (with tiny print, so look up on line) with times. Once getting a spot you have to walk up and pay at a booth. When we got there the ferry slots were already filled, so we drove to Fort Morgan. When we got back the ferry was loading again, so we had to wait another 1.5hours to get on the next ferry. We were going to eat at the restaurant next to the ferry, but it was closed for the season. The ferry itself was nice. It has a raised deck on both sides for viewing. We didn’t spend much time on the island bc we were afraid we wouldn’t get a slot on the next ferry and it stops running at 6:30. We will definitely do this again if vacationing near here, but next time we will park the car and just walk on the ferry.

We took ferry from Dauphin island to Gulf Shores. Nice scenery. Makes it nice to sight see without driving.

We had a blast on the ferry ride to and from Fort Morgan. We walked on instead of driving. Wish there were seats for walk on's. The attendants were very friendly and helpful. It was breathtaking scenery. And only $6 for adults!!! Can't wait to go back!!

We traveled on the ferry for fun. It was neat to ride the boat and our young daughter loved being out on the water.

A fun adventure. Ferry costs $15 a car for both passages. $6 per adult for r/t. The trip requires about 35-minutes with an additional 5-minutes to drive on and drive off. There is a viewing platform on board if one wishes to enjoy the views and smell the bay. The drive from Gulf Shores to the ferry is 20 miles. The Civil War forts at Ft Morgan and Ft Gaines are interesting.

Staying on Dauphin Island and wanted to check out Gulf Shores so we boarded the ferry and headed on over. Was a quick 30 minute trip. We planned so that we only had to wait about ten minutes before boarding. Took the ferry back home as well. A bit pricey. $49 in total for four people. But was something fun and different to do.

We took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. We only had to wait for about a half hour to load. Long enough for all to take a bathroom break. Loading was extremely fast. The trip across Mobile bay was awesome the kids got up on the observation platforms and enjoyed watching the pelicans flying beside us and diving for fish. We did not see any dolphins but there were oil rigs and a few boats to view. The unloading at Fort Morgan was fast. The crew and everyone involved with loading and unloading were very friendly. I would recommend this to everyone.

We wanted to check out Gulf Shores for the day so decided to take the 8:00 a.m. ferry. Easiest thing we've done in years! Drive on... paid the fee and relaxed for half an hour until it was time to drive off. Same experience on the return trip. So if you're undecided...just do it!!

My family enjoyed riding the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island. I would highly recommend taking your car on the island because there is plenty of walking to do on the island to get from one side to the other if you choose to walk. We chose to drive which was half of the fun seeing our vehicle on the ferry being transported!

My husband and I took the ferry to fort Morgan and back just to enjoy it. After storms earlier in the day the weather was a little choppy, but we were able to roll the windows down and get on the observation deck and just enjoy the fresh air and sunshine

While on Dauphin Island, had heard about Fort Morgan, which to drive there would be over 2 hours. However, you could catch the Ferry and be there in 40 minutes. Sounded like a plan to me. The ferry staff were nice and well groomed. From Dauphin Island side, you are supposed to have at least the driver remain in the vehicle while it waits in line. This was not enforced, as there were at least 5 cars in line that had no one in them, as they seemed to be at the coffee shop across the road. They all returned in time to drive onto the ferry when they needed to, so no harm done I guess. But if you aren't going to enforce rules, why have them?

You are allowed out of your vehicle while crossing to the other port and that was especially nice. You can go up to a 2nd story viewing platform. It was nice watching the birds as they flew around, diving to eat, etc. The ferry does close if there are high winds, or other weather conditions, so you can check their web site before planning your journey across the water.

After getting off near Fort Morgan, and then touring the Fort, I went back to Dauphin Island on the ferry again. You get a discount if you ride twice in one day, so that was nice. Had I known how close Fort Morgan was, I probably would have left my vehicle on Dauphin Island and just rode as a passenger on the ferry. but I didn't know that going into it.

They are no chairs or benches on the ferry, so you either have to sit in your vehicle, or stand for the trip. There are no refreshments or anything either, but I don't think they mind if you have brought your own either. From the Fort Morgan side there is a large building which says it has cold beverages, food, etc., but when I went to get something, the place looks like it has closed up shop, they just forgot to take down the "open" sign in the window. There are soda machine available for some beverages.

The wait was short this time but we went on a Wednesday morning. Check about oversized vehicle a head of time cause it's not a big ferry. You can get out and move around if you want. Fare is based on one way trip.

This was a fun way to travel on our road trip.There were lookout spots on both sides of boat. Stay in your car until they are finished loading the cars and then you can get out.The ferry schedule is on the website mobilebayferry.com. The cost for a car/truck was $18.00 plus driver and $6.00 per passenger. Plan on getting to ferry 30-45 min before departure. There is a snack/beverage stand right by the ferry to pass the time.
/

The Mobile Bay Ferry ride between Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan has given rise in my 71 year old mind to many early days of my youthful visits to Alabama's Gulf Coast. The sunset, the sea gulls, the stately pelicans sitting atop the wooden beams in the bay - that's about as close to Heaven in my mind, as I can get on this earth. Whenever time permits, I will always take that route to or from my destination .. it's just what I love about my home down south.

Cost- research your cost. It’s a time saver but a costly one. $55.00 round trip for a family of 5.
It was difficult to get out of the vehicle which was a bummer because if you were not one of the lucky front or rear cars you were too close to the car next to you. The ride is nice about 35-45 minutes.

Fun ferry ride across the bay. Easy ride watching the seagulls and pelicans surround other boats trying to get an easy meal.

This was our kids’ first time to ride a ferry so it was a fun experience for them. We even saw some jellyfish while looking over the side. The only down side is it’s all open-sun and you can’t have your vehicle on for a/c so it’s a pretty hot ride, about 35 minutes. It would be nice if they could install a shade over the bench seating areas that look over the sides of the ferry.

When we arrived, there was NO sign saying that we must stay at the booth. Apparently, a storm the night before had blown it down. A few cars, including us, drove right into the parking slots to wait. When the ferry from Dauphin showed up, a man in a red mini cooper came FLYING off of the ferry. He unlocked the gate and yelled, "I don't know why you are here!! You all have to turn around and get back in line at the gate!!" It was hateful. I was embarrassed for my children. We didn't know that we had done wrong. He was full of rage. We turned around and got our car in line to pay, only to have him yell at us again. This time, I apparently pulled my credit card too soon from the device. He yelled, "I don't know why you pulled it out so soon! Now it won't work!" He had me do it again. He was AWFUL. We finally went through and had the best time. Whoever is the person driving the red mini coop and manning the ticket booth might need some stress relief... Also, we thought that it was $18 per car, but you add $6 for every child. No worries there, but we didn't read the fine print. We had the best trip over. Luckily, we just roll with it and had fun.

My wife and I took the Mobile Bay Ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island. It was a beautiful day and the water was calm. Enjoyed the many things on the bay. It was prompt in loading and docking. The price is a bargain. Arrive well in advance as it is first come. I highly recommend tajing this ferry on a nice day.

Very nice workers. Very efficient. Was chilly but recommend you get out of the car and enjoy the trip- just take a coat!

We were camping at Dauphin Island and opted to take the ferry to Fort Morgan for a day trip. Upon departure there was mild fog but nothing to rant on about. We spent the day at the beach and got lunch. We made sure to be back for the 5:45 pm departure time however upon returning to the loading dock it appeared closed. I should note the weather outside was absolutely beautiful (no fog or inclement weather whatsoever). We called the mobile ferry number only to learn that the ferry had been closed the remainder of the day as of 11:50 am. We were then forced to take a 2 hour drive from Fort Morgan back to Dauphin Island in beautiful weather knowing the ferry could operate as there was zero fog, rain, winds etc. NEVER AGAIN!! Thank God we didn’t ride the ferry without a vehicle. We would have been stranded overnight. We did call and voice our concerns to Mary who showed little interest in our comments or concerns.

Picture of the “fog” or “inclement weather” attached.

If you get to take the ferry at all! We knew the google time was not realistic but thought taking the ferry in lieu of gulf shores would be a wash and a fun thing for the kids. Wrong! When we got there the line was really long. No worries as we are used to long lines at the Galveston ferry going to Bolivar. We decided to drive ahead and talk to an attendant - thank goodness! We were trying to get the 4:15 ferry, and the attendant advised us that as long as the line is we would be unlikely to get the 6:30 ferry, and may not get the last ferry of the day. We ended up turning around and going trough Mobile. Total additional driving time vs. going through Mobile in the first place: an additional 2.5 hours. So why would anyone wait in the line knowing this? We figured out it's a cult thing. Like waiting in line for 3 hours at a bar for a special drink that the bar next door makes the same without a line.

In reading the reviews, I had concerns about how long it would take to load/unload, but found that they were very efficient. The loading process never took more than 15 minutes. They only cancel when the weather is rough and who would want to be out in open water during that time anyhow? I do recommend that you walk on (as a person and/or bring a bike) because it seems that the cars had a hard time making it on to the slot they wanted --always more cars than what they could hold, but usually could make it on as a walkon, plus only $5 round trip if you don't bring a vehicle. Duaphin Island on the other hand is pretty lame, so the ferry is the better part of the trip.

Always make sure to check the ferry website for departure times because a lot of people use this service and space is limited. We arrived 40 minutes early and was nearly at the end of the line to board (with vehicle). During the summer months, they use two ferries each way, so the wait isn't quite as long. A very nice ride, get out of your vehicle and watch from the upper decks or along the railing. Staff is very friendly.

My family took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan during our recent vacation for a day trip. We thought we'd visit the Gulf Shores area for a change of pace, so we took our car.

You are allowed to leave your vehicle during the ferry ride (about 40 minutes total to load, make the trip, and unload), as long as you wear a mask. You'll enjoy lots of great views and photo ops of various sea birds, and you'll get a much closer look at the oil rigs dotting the gulf.

Ferry personnel are friendly and helpful.

Be sure to check their Facebook page for daily info; if the weather is bad, they may be closed for the day or for part of it, and you don't want to get stuck with a long inland drive if you miss the last ferry!

Great alternative way to cross Mobile Bay. An adventure in itself. Great views of Bay.Board either Fort Morgan or Fort Gaines docks. Avoid all the beach traffic to Baldwin beaches.

Took the ferry over to visit Fort Morgan and grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately the storm closed the ferry before we departed so we had to drive back the long way.

Costly but we look at as entertainment! The ride is always fun! It is on time. People are nice and professional.
Always call for times as they sometimes only run one and the wait is long! If you have the time go for it!!

The ferry cost us 36 dollars to go over to Fort Morgan with a car and four passengers. The trip back was discounted to $18. So it is a little pricey. It was a nice ride though. It took about 35 mins.

This was an easy thing to do and was a lot of fun. We couldn't get out of our car, but we were located near the side of the boat so we had a great view crossing between the two bodies of land.

We thoroughly enjoyed the ferry boat ride! It was so interesting to see the pelicans and oil rigs. My family very much enjoyed the ride. On Dauphin Island we enjoyed the aquariums.

Great fun trip across the bay. Remember to save your receipt for a discount on the way back and check Facebook for the ferry schedule. The day we rode only one ferry was operating so we came back several hours earlier than planned to make sure we would have a spot back. They also quit taking pedestrian passengers due to threat of rain in the afternoon so be aware if you aren’t taking a vehicle across. Saw several dolphins too which was a hit with the kids!

Good way to get to gulf shores for a day or fort Morgan. Takes about 40 minutes. A bit high but will save time so enjoy the ride.

I drove from Orange Beach to Ft.Morgan and took the ferry across Mobile bay to go to Bellingrath Gardens. It saved many miles and a lot of traffic. Be sure to check their Facebook page to see if they are running as weather shuts them down. I did the return trip also.On a warm day it is fun to get out of your car as you travel across. They also take walk on passengers. Discount coupons are available in
advertising booklets

We took the ferry one way just because we had never been on a ferry boat. We saw lots of dolphins that followed us the entire trip. Passed and oil rig tool. Very enjoyable trip and experience!

$2 disocunt from visitor's bureau. $15 for car and one plus $6 for 2nd passenger. Would do it again.

We rode the ferry from dauphin island to gulf shores. They charge an amount for the car and then $6 per person ($36 for one way). Keep your receipt and they will only charge you $13 for the return trip. It was a fun, smooth ride on the way over but very rough on the way back due to a storm. Beware, if bad weather kicks up, they will shut down early - trust me, you do not want to be on here during a storm. All in all it was a convenient option that saved us 2 hours of driving.

This was awesome! I've always wanted to ride on a ferry. We were headed to Fort Morgan from Dauphin Island. I read the prices and everything I needed to know from their Facebook page. It was easy to get in line, pay, and get on the ferry. The staff was super friendly too! If you ever get the chance, take the ferry! Great views and a ton of fun!

A little on the expensive side for such a short ferry ride. The staff were friendly which was nice..

The ferry loaded the vehicles on and off quickly. There are basically two upper areas for pedestrians to stand and watch during the 40 minute ride. No seating there; could sit in your car or maybe on the steps? At both piers are shaded areas and picnic tables to wait at.

Got to the ferry about 30 minutes before it left on a Thursday morning. The ferry gets full, so make sure you get there early. Nice and enjoyable ride, efficient service.

Family of 8 took the ferry over to Ft Morgan. We say dolphins swimming and diving alongside the ferry on both trips, going over and coming back. The grandkids LOVED it!

We got a suggestion to do this from the Orange Beach Visitor Center attendants. We like to bike, so we drove to Fort Morgan, got our bikes out, and took them on the ferry. Tickets were $5 and the bikes were free. We knew to bring jackets, it gets pretty chilly out there! There were no seats to sit on. After riding around Dauphin Island and watching a parade, we took the return ferry. Thoroughly enjoyed it and the service was excellent!

As others say...make sure you arrive early...especially during high season...depending on size of vehicles, more or less than 'average' may be loaded. Trip is pleasant and fast....maybe 20-25 minutes on the water. Great view of bay, lighthouse, drilling platforms (ugh) and if lucky, dolphins and various marine birds! Nice day trip to take bikes over ($5 per person), bike around island, enjoy Audubon park and recharge at the fantastic Lighthouse Bakery before heading back across!!!

We just made the 2:00 ferry and were the last car on, we left right on time and arrived in Fort Morgan on schedule. Trip was enjoyable but can't imagine the wait times in season, this ferry only holds 28 cars.

This was our first time on a ferry. We took it over to Fort Morgan. Nice views and quick way to get to the fort.

A relaxing and lovely way to get to Dauphin Island. There are usually dolphins accompanying the ferry and everyone gets out of their cars to enjoy the open waters without buying a boat.

We arrived about 15 minutes before the ferry was scheduled to leave. There were only 3 or 4 spaces left so we were lucky. You should probably get there much earlier. Anyway it was our first ferry ride and very enjoyable. We got out of our car. The cars fit pretty tight and I didn’t think I had room to open the car door so I climbed out the back. Turns out there was room and getting back in I made a scene with my car alarm going off. Lol. It was very organized and saved lots of time. Recommend!!

Ferry ride is a must. If you stay at For Morgan, the ferry ride will save you about an hour and 45 minutes going around through the tunnel and going down hiway 59.
Just don't wait until later afternoon to take it..... take the ferry at about noon and then stop at Tacky Jacks at Gulf Shore Marina for lunch while they get your beach house ready.

What’s not to like about a ferry ride. I go out of my way to take a ferry when traveling. On a trip from Dauphin Island to Ft Morgan they loaded the outer two lanes with cars, then after a considerable wait loaded a large truck with an oversized camper down the middle lane. Unfortunately my door was blocked by the camper. The only way out of the car was to climb over the console. Even though I am a mobility limited senior, I was able to climb out. I asked a crew member walking by about the need to allow enough room for people to evacuate cars in case of emergency. Without breaking stride the crew member mumbled “ you got out didn’t you”. So much for public safety.

Was nice and left on time but it is very expensive. Workers were nice. It was cool to walk around when it was going.

We stayed in Gulf Shores and planned a trip to Dauphin Island's bird sanctuary. I parked my car in the lot and we walked onto the ferry because the sanctuary is close to the dock when you arrive. It costs $6 each for a round trip ticket. The other option is to drive and it's $14 per vehicle each way, plus the fee per person. The ride was very relaxing as we watched the birds and fish along with many oil rigs in the bay. The trip takes about forty minutes and the Dauphin Island port has a nice snack shop serving cold drinks and sandwiches. We recommend!!

Fun trip, lots to look at.
Go on the upper deck, its not as hot up there.
Quick to get everyone loaded and everyone unloaded.
My car sits low and scraped getting off the ferry on the Gulf SHores side, keep that in mind.

This beats the heck out of taking I-10 to Mobile and then driving down to Dauphin Island. Efficient, smooth, and reasonably priced -- you can turn off your engine and have a look around. We saw pelicans and dolphins from the ferry -- plus, it's just nice to be on the water. An easy half hour, and no white-knuckle traffic in the tunnel.

First time we had used the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island. We got a $2 off coupon at the Alabama Welcome Center...they charge per car and per person. Ride takes about 40 minutes. They want you to arrive 30 mins early so you can get in line and pay.....right now it is credit card only. The ferry holds about 28 cars and for our 930 am trip there were only about 10 cars aboard....but I can see where busy summer vacation time the ferry line could fill up fast. Nice ride across....they let you get out of the car. I thought they advertised a bathroom, but did not see one on ferry. All doors to the "cabin" said "crew only". There are bathrooms and a small snack bar right near the payment kiosk.

Our little one wanted to ride on a boat and when we started pulling out into what he thought was water he started to get worried until he realized we were safe. He really enjoyed it as much as we did. It was a fun experience to have with our little one and I would like to go back and do it again.

Our family was on the smaller ferry & the side of vehicle was too close to the side for some of us to get out. We enjoyed our ride but we didn’t return by ferry but chose to drive back to Orange Beach.

We paid our fare and lined up in pre-marked parking spots. There is a snack shop and bathrooms next to the loading zone and an area to watch the locals loading and unloading their personal boats while you wait for the ferry.
The ride took approximately 30 minutes and we have seen dolphins swimming next to the ferry and you get to observe well platforms in the bay as you ride by.

Ridden the ferry many times and always come back. Never know what you are going to see when going across. Fish, barges, oil platforms, and more. You just never know.

This was a WONDERFUL trip across the bay with the family. The grandkids loved the ferry ride on the big boat, and I LOVED it too! We were able to see fish, birds and turtles, and even jellyfish of all sizes right beside the ferry.

Fun trip across the bay...you can get out of your car and wander around enjoying the ocean breeze and seeing the sites...plenty of birds to get great pictures of.

My mom had this bright idea for us to go across this ferry over to the Estaurium. But never again!!! They only run them every two hours or something so we had to wait forever for the boat to arrive and there is nothing to really do while you wait. Then they cram up all on this tiny butt boat where I was scared my car was going to get scratched or damaged by the people or other cars since we were so crammed.

My kid got sea sick. I just hated this. So much so that even though we paid to ride it back I said screw it and we drove the 2 hours back instead.

Fun trip over to to Fort Morgan!! Took about a half hour and it was a pleasant trip. Be warned that once you arrive at Fort Morgan, it is approximately a 25 minute drive to Gulf Shores.

Drove from Gulf Shores to Fort Morgan to load on the ferry. Get there early and observed some of the history on the ground while waiting for our ferry to load the car. The ride over to Dauphin Island was very choppy (went during a storm), however the trip back was calmer and we walked around the ferry and seen the views on the return trip. Little pricey, but cheaper than driving back up to Mobile, Alabama and back down the other side of the bay, to only have to return again.

Ferry was a fun experience for the family. Staff was courteous and always left right on time. The bigger ferry is nice as it has lookouts up stairs for a good view & picture opportunities.

We took the ferry from Gulf Shores near Fort Morgan across to Dauphin Island. They are able to accommodate up to 28 vehicles every trip. We saw some dolphins on the trip and just enjoyed the 30-40 minute ride.

The Mobile Bay Ferry is a wonderful option - if and when it's running. We've been going to Fort Morgan for four years for spring break and last year was the first year we made it onto the ferry, this year we did it again. Worth every penny and I do appreciate their concern for safety in not running the ferry if the weather is choppy at all.

VERY IMPORTANT - they do not sell tickets ahead of time, and the schedule varies from day to day depending on weather and demand. So check their Facebook posts for daily times, look at recent days to see how many ferries are running, on which schedule, if they are accepting walk-ons, etc. If you want to drive on, get there very early! Sometimes more than an hour early. There are things to explore on each side of the bay while you wait for your time slot to roll around. It's better to be early than late!

You almost always see dolphins on the 30 minute ride across Mobile Bay, so it's even a nice and inexpensive dolphin tour if you walk on and come straight back. But whichever way you're coming from, Fort Morgan (on the FM side) and Fort Gaines and the Alabama Aquarium at Dauphin Island are great places to visit. Best seafood on Dauphin Island is Skinner's Seafood. Enjoy!

We visited Orange Beach for a week in late August and decided to hit up the Estuarium on Dauphin Island as a break from the beach and because my 4 year old is obsessed with ocean creatures. Please note the ferry times--I did and still we had to wait a LOOOONG time because only one ferry was running because they can't get the parts for the other one right now (Thanks, Covid!) I'm not a local, but maybe there is a way to find out the adjusted schedule on a daily basis. Also, be prepared to spend a bit on the ferry ride. It cost $18 for the car+driver and $6 per extra person in the car over 6 years old. And you get to pay $13 for your car on the way back. So yeah, with 1 driver + 3 adults in the car it cost us $50 just to go to/from Dauphin Island. Did I see this on the website before going, yes, but I misunderstood that if you paid for the car you also had to pay for everyone in it. The ride was fine--what you expect from a ferry ride. It was nice to see the wildlife. Next time I would just go as a pedestrian to save some $$$ or drive around the bay to get there.

We decided to use the ferry due to the good reviews.
We used it for fun and paid the $6 fare both ways to travel there and back.
The breeze from the heat was a welcome distraction.
We only had to wait 30 mins for the ferry and it was still fairly busy in September.
Unfortunately, we didn't see any dolphins

This was my first experience taking a ferry with my vehicle. It was a great ride and the ferry was on time. I discovered though, I can't sit in a vehicle while it is on the ferry.

Great way to get from orange beach to dauphin island but the last boat runs around 630pm. If you don't catch it in time, you are forced to take a 1.5 hour detour.

An excellent way to travel. Ride is about 45 minutes and will save you an hour or more of driving time. The staff we interacted with were very nice and helpful if you have questions. The ride across the bay provides a chance to see birds, dolphins, big ships, etc.. If you are coming or going to Ft Morgan area the ferry is a great trip!! Would certainly recommend the ferry!!

Was happy to see at the end of August they were still running 2 ferry's which makes for less waiting. (Goes down to one after Labor Day) Not sure what to expect, we got there about an hour early only to find out this late in the season it wasn't necessary.
We left Fort Morgan and think it was about a 20 minute to half hour pleasant float over to Dauphin Island. Saved a lot of drive time and missed out on all the crazy traffic around Mobile.
Highly recommend it.

I came here after staying on fort Morgan. It was an easy way to return home to Texas while beating out the traffic around Mobile.

The experience was really nice. I stayed in my vehicle most of the time to prevent sea sickness.

Take the ride. Better then driving around and always fun on the water. Of course weather determines the fun level.
On time and efficient. Good price for the ride

This was our first adventure with a ferry, it was alittle windy but loved the views and the quick trip.

The ride itself was good and I'd never been on a ferry before. The one downside is how confusing the pricing on the website is. We ended up paying a lot more than expected.

We boarded from the Ft. Morgan side and took the ferry to Dauphine Island across the bay. The ride was pleasant and scenic. The ferry only holds 28 cars so get there early during the busy season.

We were misdirected to the ferry by apple maps. The map told us to go here for a quicker route on our way from Houston to Gulf Shores. I am glad we did though b/c this was a cool experience. The ferry runs every 45 minutes and takes about 30 to 40 minutes to cross. While crossing you get to see a few oil rigs and the forts from both sides of the island. Would for sure go back when we have more time next time.

The trip is a little pricy it cost us 24 dollars to go one way with two people and one car.

We woke up in Pensacola and fell asleep in Dauphin Island thanks to the Mobile Bay Ferry. Driving our minivan on and off the ferry was easy but note that the tide could impact clearance issues with larger vehicles. They do not take reservations; service is on a first-come, first-serve basis. We arrived at Fort Morgan about 30 minutes before departure for the 40-minute ride. Efficient service! We noticed a VERY long line on Dauphin Island to return to Fort Morgan the Saturday we were there (this was around 5 pm).

An ideal way to cross the bay and get into Gulf Shores pretty quick. We do it all the time. Fun ride..

Before you go, gain a familiarity of the schedule, pricing system, and locations. The cost of a round-trip ticket for 2 passengers in a standard-sized vehicle is $37.00. Cash and credit are accepted. The ride each way is about 35 minutes and less than 5 miles. Lavatories and snack bars are available near each parking lot. Note that reservations are NOT accepted. This is a first-come and first-serve business. If you are towing a boat or trailer, etc., call ahead for the pricing. Depending upon how you are guided to park your vehicle on the ferry, you may or may not have enough room to open your doors to exit and stand in the boat. I did observe some people who drove vans exit through the rear to get a view. Look for the herons, pelicans, bottle-nosed dolphins among other things. When you arrive at Dauphin Island, don’t count on the map that suggests public transportation is readily available to take you to the main points. Nope. Not happening. Bring your own vehicle if you want to have the autonomy to see the parts of the island that are accessible to you.

first time on a ferry, enjoyed it immensly. sure made a diffrence than the drive down the first day!

Took my twin girls from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island by ferry. It was a nice trip. Lasting memories.

We took the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island and back. Not our first trip to the island but first time on the ferry. Everyone was super friendly and knowledgeable of the ferry and the bay. A fun experience.

If you have never been there, you must go. The vacation homes for rent around the island are the best you can rent no matter where you stay. The ferry is a fun trip.

First thing you have to realize about the ferry, is that it is a for profit ferry. That's not a problem during the summer when business is good. But in the winter when it runs at a loss. They seem to use any excuse not to run. It is utterly unreliable. It's too bad that the state of Alabama, unlike Texas, & Arkansas, does not run the ferry as part of the tax supported highway system. For vacationers it's an interesting ride, & I recommend it. But for locals, & touring bicyclists, who depend on it, it can be very inconvenient.

We rode the ferry to Fort Morgan and back. Two adults, a 6 and 2 year old cost $24 for the first trip and the return trip was $13 the same day. Gulf shores was about 30 minutes after we got off the ferry.

Ponder the marvels of Mobile Bay's deep well natural gas production with bottom pressures of 10,000 - 20,000 psi as you cross the bay between Dauphin island and Fort Morgan / Pleasure Island. On a pleasant day, the ferry ride is a lovely short cruise; otherwise, has elements of an adventure. Either way, well worth the transport fare and the experience. Expect a modest wait time. During peak season, early arrival at ferry landing is recommended.

Nice ride good sightseeing Good view of the bay it's actually neat to see the oil rigs and bring g ships.

The ferry wasn’t going first thing when we arrived-waiting for inspection- so do call ahead but after that it was interesting quick and reasonable. Ps don’t wander around while waiting for the boats-snakes snakes and more icky snakes

We took the Ferry after visiting Dauphin Island for the day. It was a very pleasant to get across Mobile Bay. It takes about 35 minutes. When the summer rush is over there's only 1 ferry working but we didn't have any problem getting the time we wanted. Reasonable price for car with 2 people. Very friendly ticket ladies.

We look forward each September's camping trip to Gulf Shores Al. One favorite activity is taking our bike to Dolphin island on the Mobile bay ferry. The cost for you and bike is cheap. The trip offers great views of the bay, views of the gas drilling platforms, and some closeups of birds following the ferry. Biking on the island is fun also. It gives you the chance to stop at integrating spots and read the informative signs about the history of the place. There are good resturants to enjoy lunch on your trip. If you have time see Fort Gaines or the Esturary laboratory and sea life exhibit. Thanks

We drove to Dauphin Island to visit the sea lab and decided to ferry back to Ft. Morgan. This was a very exciting trip for us and I recommend it at least once for everyone! You park your car and get out to walk around the ferry for the fantastic views. Will do it again.

This is the location for a seafood “jubilee” that only occurs in two (2) places on Earth: Mobile Bay and Tokyo Bay. That’s it. Your flouting over it. This rare phenomenon lasts only a few hours as crabs, fish and shrimp rise during a lunar tide sequence and cover the coastline with a bounty. Helpful TIP: This ferry will take you to either side of the Jubilee just in case you’re on the boat when it occurs. Think about all the seafood dishes you can on this trip!

We were staying in Fort morgan,Al and decided to visit Dauphin island for Valentine's day. Some of the tourist books have a 2.00off coupon for ferry. It was a great trip the crew was so nice. I wish they would have told some history. No where to sit but you could stand. We sat in car. We saw a Navy destroyer and the sailors stood on board with hands behind backs. It was a great greeting. We saw other she too. One guy locked his keys in his car. No problem the staff had a way to get in quickly.

Get in line early enough. this is great way to cut across bay and the hour and 45 minute drive between island and Gulf Shores/Ft. Morgan. Get to see the bay and interesting mode of travel.

It was a definite time-savor to get from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. We got there a little late to get on the 11:00 departure, but luckily for us there was space and we just made it. The gentleman at the booth was very friendly and got us through quickly so we could make it on. A little disappointed on how they charge their fares. I understand paying by the vehicle.... or paying by the person if you walk on.. but paying for both is a little ridiculous. We did enjoy the ride however and will do it again.

Fun trip from Daulphin island to fort Morgan and back the water view is great you can stay in your vehicle or stand outside and look at the birds and oil rigs and Daulphin’s

Worth taking the ferry over to Dauphin Island from Gulf Shores. While there be sure to visit Fort Gaines and the estuary. Relaxing beautiful ride over. Be sure to get to ferry at least an hour before departure as they fill up fast. We had a picnic lunch while waiting. Fun day!!

We decided to take a different route to Gulf Shores this year. We're took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. My advise would be to get in the left lane as soon as possible. The right lane is not for ferry traffic. It is for boaters putting in and residential. There is a small sign that is posted too late on the road. People zoom by on the right wondering why the left lane is so long, then they attempt to get in the left lane at the last minute and of course the people who have been waiting in line are thinking I don't think so. We witnessed a fight & the guy at the toll booth said it gets worse. We waited 1 1/2 hours in August for a 12:30 ferry. Ended up on a 1:15 ferry. I just recommend patience and the left lane. Oh, and stay to the left of that lane. Some huge boats are pulled down that little road!!

This is my third time in ferry! It took 40-50 minutes from Dauphin island to Fort Morgan. As usual ferries are pretty noisy. But you will definitely enjoy ride. We spent lot of time in beach!!

We drove to Dauphin Island from Fairhope and enjoyed taking the ferry back to Fort Morgan. It gives you a good view of the oil rigs that are near the island. I was disappointed that the car was parked so near the side of the ferry I couldn't get out of the car for the ride. Very efficient crew and a smooth ride.

I’m always impressed with how professionally operated the Mobile Bay Ferry is. They even post daily to Facebook with weather related issues impacting the operation. If they need to reduce scheduled times, it’s posted daily on Facebook. Very professional.

We've tried twice to take the ferry over to Gulf Shores and there were mechanical and weather related issues that prevented us from leaving. The concerning part is that if an issue happens while you are on the opposite island without transportation - then essentially you are across the bay without a paddle - or a boat for that matter. True story - we talked with people who were essentially stranded. I'll still try to go though the next time I'm on the Island! :)

Very easy . Stay in your car and be transported from the western side of mobile bay to the eastern shore on a ferry. Beautiful views. Birds, boats,,etc. disembark at historic fort Morgan then enjoy a scenic drive to gulf shores and orange beach. Fun for family and couples!! Trip takes about 30 minutes

We picked this to do and so glad we did. I went to Dauphin Island as a kid and it was a lot cleaner back then. It looks a lot run down and the beaches were not as nice. However the Ferry Boat ride was fantastic. I enjoyed the ride.

We took the ferry from fort Morgan to Mobile so we could go see the USS Alabama. Taking the ferry was a great decision as you get to relax while seeing the different landscapes and seascapes along the way. It isn’t free but it was certainly worth it. After having driven to Alabama it was really nice to sit back and let someone else steer for a while. Our kids loved it too.

Wow, what a great way to see Mobile Bay! The ferry runs between the two Confederate forts (Morgan and Gaines) that defended the Bay from Union forces during the Civil War. It's about a 30 minute ride, with amazing views of the Bay, the Sand Island Lighthouse, the Port of Mobile shipping channel (you will usually see a HUGE cargo ship entering or departing the Port), numerous drilling platform structures, and hundreds of sea birds. The cost is minimal, about $20 for a car and two passengers one way, and well worth the experience. HINT: be sure and go up to the observation platform during the ride for the best views. Enjoy!

We took the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island. The weather was fantastic and the water was calm. A fine way to get from a to b.

This back to past journey is a must!
Little pricey, but a must do! A trip
To the past you will always remember! Don’t stay in car! Close
Your eyes and dream! Enjoy!

We took the ferry over to Dauphine island to view the bay & see Ft Gaines on the island. We moved past several oil rigs in the bay as we went west. The trip itself took about 40 minutes each way so plan accordingly. The ferry ticket operator gave us a heads up before we departed that the last boat back would be very crowded & that we should arrive in line early so we did. If you miss th ferry, there is a causeway bridge back to the mainland but it is about a 2 hour drive around the bay to get back to Gulf Shores. The fort is located very close to the ferry landing so it is easy to get to.

Ferry on schedule and easy to get on and off. Great ride to get across the bay. Make sure to get there at least 30-40 minutes before. Only so much room and will have to wait for the next one if you are late. Got on at Ft Morgan and shops were closed...this was a Saturday. Also a great way to visit with others taking the ferry.

$18 per vehicle and then $6 extra per passenger!? That is crazy! How can a family afford that. We could not justify it.

Ferry is small. Trip takes 45 minutes. Sit in your car, walk around the deck. Not crowded. Fun little ride across the bay. Give it a try.

The ferry between Fort Morgan and Dauphin Island was so easy to use. I arrived about an hour before the sailing and was the 6th of maybe 30 vehicles. Probably want to arrive early if traveling in the busy season. Everyone from the guy in the ticket kiosk to the deckhands were very friendly. This ferry saved so much driving time.

Great ferry. You pay according to your vehicle and number of people in the car. We like riding our bikes to the ferry which is cheaper and a lot of fun. It's about a 20 minute ferry ride and saves a lot of time over driving around the bay.

First thing about the ferry, you gotta get there early. They can only take about 28 cars, the line fills up fast. We missed it the first day we tried. The ride from Ft. Morgan to Dauphin Island was well organized the loading crew directed everybody where to go. The ride back was not as organized. Not terrible just not much communication, a little confusing as far as loading and unloading the cars. Both actual rides were uneventful, as EVERY ferry ride should be! It was hot as hades when we went, no shade on the boat, you could stay in your car but with the engine turned off. It is about a 45 minute ride across.

My wife and I travelled as pedestrians for $6 each round trip! Arrived on time to pick us up and deposited us ahead of schedule. True for BOTH directions!

Last Tuesday we took the Ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island and back. We’ve ridden it for several years and those running it have always been wise about knowing when it’s safe to run the Ferry and when it should be cancelled. The Ferry schedule is online as are the prices. It’s good to arrive at Fort Morgan at least 30 minutes before the Ferry leaves if you are taking a car across since a limited number are allowed and you have to buy your tickets when you arrive at a booth near the Ferry. Those walking and riding bikes get a cheaper rate. There is a restroom at the Ferry site. About 15 minutes before the Ferry leaves staff direct cars/trucks onto the Ferry to make best use of space. Once the Ferry departs you can get out of your vehicle and go on the upper or lower decks to view the beautiful scenery. The Ferry ride is less than 30 minutes. Staff direct vehicles off the Ferry upon arrival. The Ferry docks near the Welcome Center and not far from the Estuarium, my favorite place to visit on the island. If you aren’t sure if you are returning on the Ferry when you leave Fort Morgan, you can buy a one way ticket. If you decide to return on the Ferry, you can buy a ticket at a booth near the Ferry. If you are driving a vehicle and show your original receipt for the Ferry at the ticket booth, your return trip to Fort Morgan is discounted. This trip is always one of our favorite things to do on vacation. Enjoy!

trip was a bit pricey but it was quiet and low key. We saw some dolphins on the way to
Fort Gaines and back

Take the ferry from Dauphin Island to Ft Morgan. Or you can take it from Ft Morgan to Dauphin island. You can drive on to the ferry or walk on. You can do one way ride or round trip. It is really the way to go. It's about a 40-45 minute ride and the seagulls ride with you. Make sure you get out of your vehicle and stand on the side of the vessel and watch for wildlife or just enjoy the breeze. Kids love this and an awesome experience for all.

Very relaxing! I would definitely get there at least 30 minutes before the departure time. This amazing sunset was taken from the deck

Surprised my dad with a Ferry trip, we saw dolphins and oil rigs and had a blast , the ferry was smooth and very efficient service no issues

This experience was great I highly recommend it. It is a great source of history around the area. It’s makes you feel like you where there when the history took place.

Camping on Dauphin island and decided to take the 11 o clock ferry. Mild fog on the way over. We spent the day at the beach and returned to the dock expecting to load the ferry however all future ferry trips were cancelled due to the fog. The fog had let up at this point and the weather was beautiful. They expect you to check the website to determine if cancellations are made. We then had to make a 2 hour drive back to the campground.

Great service. Runs on time and professional. I do suggest calling the day you want to ride to see if there are any cancelations. They keep the announcements updated. Staff was professional. They give you a price break if you do a round trip in the same day. It takes about 30 minutes to go from one side to the other side. We did the trip in the winter so didn't see too much wildlife. Great sunset view.

Had a wonderful time taking the ferry over to Dauphin Island and back.. It was so simple. We followed the Mobile Bay Ferry on Facebook and had looked it up on line so we knew the schedule and how they were running everyday. Really enjoyed the ride. If you take your car you can stay in it if you like but it was so much more fun to get out and go up to the viewing platform....
Definitely recommend..

Was headed to the ArtSeaLab Festival and looked at the route from Gulf Shores and Dauphin Island. Ferry was a straight shot so that became the plan. Arrived in the lot and queued up. It was a beautiful day and Mobile Bay was nice and calm. The guy at the booth was a friendly guy and very informative when I told him we were first timers. Getting on and off the ferry was painless and efficient. Will do this again.

You know, it gets you across faster than driving around Mobile. But it is no Cape May/Lewes DE Ferry. It is just a ride. Recommend getting your car in the line early if you don't want to miss the boat!

We took the ferry one way - from Dauphin Island over to Fort Morgan, just for the experience of riding aboard a car ferry & to see Fort Morgan - then took the long way around the bay back to Mobile. Arrived at the ferry around 11:00 am & was the 12th car in line. We were lucky - not a long wait, although, according to some reviews - sometimes it can be. Cost seemed a little steep, but haven't been on another one to compare it to.

The ferry has a couple of upper decks that you can get out of your vehicle and climb upon for photos and observation. Saw many oil rigs and some dolphins, in addition to beautiful scenery of the bay, Dauphin Island, and Fort Morgan. The ferry unloaded right at Fort Morgan. Very enjoyable trip & experience!

Rather than join the usual traffic crowding around the north end of Mobile Bay try the water way on the south end. Make sure you have gas in the summer or winter to allow for idle time in the car. The ride is 35 minutes so you might have up to about 80 minutes from parking to exiting at the other end.If you're lucky enough to not get wedged onto the ferry you can get out of your car for most of the ride over, otherwise expect to be stuck in your vehicle. Still the only logical way to see Dauphin Island if you are staying in Gulf Shores or east.

With gas prices rising this is a wonderful way to save fuel. If you are leaving Dauphin island and heading over to Gulf Shores and beyond this is the only way to go. It take you right over to Fort Morgan and then you can continue East from there. The fare is very economical when you consider gas prices what they are. Even if you are not going on to Florida it a fun way to spend a day with a round trip and you don't have to take your car.

After visiting the USS Alabama we decided to take the “scenic” route home and hope on the Mobile Bay Ferry to get back to Gulf Shores. In the winter time the ferry runs every 1.5 hours between Fort Gains and Fort Morgan. The price was reasonable for a car with four people and the trip across the bay somewhat scenic….if you like drilling platforms and morons who feed the gulls. Loading and unloading was a breeze and driving back to Orange Beach from Fort Morgan was a nice scenic drive to boot. Recommended.

This is very efficient for travel when it is not super crowded, and they do increase frequency of trips during busy months. To drive around the bay though through Mobile from either Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island or vice-versa would be very long. The trip itself is very pleasant and is great for seeing the bay from the water and the birds and fishes.

Very efficiently run, on time, friendly staff, and on a perfect weather day. After parking our car on the ferry we made our way up the stairs to a viewing area, it's not large, but had a great view. Watch for little biting bugs while in you car waiting in line.

We tried to ride the ferry to Fort Morgan last week. Arriving around 2 we dutifully got in line. There were many, many cars waiting, but no way evaluate wait time. After 2 hours in line, we had only advanced 100 feet. There were no indicator signs, and there was no one to inform us about the schedule, ferry car capacity, closing time..... Since
I could count over 35 cars in front of us, and it was past 4 we finally decided to head back to the interstate and drive to Fort Morgan. Instead of 2 1/2 hours travel time we arrived in Fort Morgan after 5 hours.

After driving one and a half hours to the ferry we were told, at the gate, that it was full. Also, that the next scheduled time was also full. Not good especially when you have out of state guests visiting. This was coming from the Ft Morgan, Gulf Shores side.

At the beginning of the road leading directly to the ferry site, there is a board with height information posted, well I strongly recommend that availability also be posted to stop the un-necessary last 15-20 miles to the gate. Rotten service when you consider the cost. OK, so call ahead but when you are driving that distance it's likely to have changed by the time you arrive.

Put some posting on the board at the start of Ft Morgan.

My wife and I were on the way to Florida when we took the ferry. We sat in line for about 30 minutes before we could board with our car. It seemed like a long wait but it sure saved a lot of extra driving. It was a fun trip as we got to look around during the 30-40 minute trip. We got to see many oil derricks and dolphins in Mobile Bay on the trip to Gulf Shores.

We left gulf shores and traveled to mobile to see the USS ALABAMA and up on leaving there decided on a side trip to Mississippi. We then decided to head to Dauphin Island to catch the ferry to Fort Morgan. That cut our drive time by about 45 minutes. Yes, we did have to wait in line. There was a 5 ferry and we arrived at 4:15. We parked in the line and got food and drink from the "goat....?" restaraunt. The food was good but for 3 chili cheese dogs, 1 cheese burger and 3 drinks we spent more than $30 but given the fact of proximity to the ferry line and that they were the ONLY place to get food plus it was good and served quickly we say it was good value. The ferry ride was fun as always. We only traveled one way and cost was $36. Vehicle fee plus a per passenger fee and there were 4 of us. The ride was quick, efficient and smooth and was the best option for us. Give it a try!

This was a great ferry ride. It was fairly smooth and a bit chilly. We even saw dolphins as we traveled from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan!

really gotten expensive. $15 for the vehicle, guess they think it comes by itself, oh let's add $6 a person. The person on the Fort Morgan side, 9/21/2022 early morning must have hated his job. Short with people, like he had somewhere else to be. The ride was fine. They cram you in there. It is on time.

I always like to ride a ferry. This one has some really nice sights to offer. You can see ocean going ships coming in and out of Mobile Bay. There several gas platforms out on the bay. They all make for an interesting ferry ride. The practical side of the ferry is that it takes you straight across the mouth of Mobile Bay. You don't have to drive through Mobile to head west.

I’m the morning we got the 10:15 ferry to Dauphin Island. Ferry said it could carry up to 24 vehicles. We were #14 and I think they only got about 20 vehicles in there. Also caught the 5:00 ferry and got there 45 minutes early. Got #7. Moral is don’t cut it too close or there might not be room for your vehicle.

Easy and Efficient setup. I believe they can take 28 vehicles and have an easy to follow marked lines for this purpose with someone helping to direct. Most everyone got out of their vehicles to enjoy the views from elevated platforms or along the side.........or just took a nap.
The ride was relaxing and offered nice views.

If you want to get from Gulf Shores to Dauphin Island, take the ferry. If you are near the beach, you'll save an hour, at least, in traffic. Allow at least 30 minutes to get to the landing from highway 59. Then just sit back and enjoy the boat ride.

It was a relaxing trip from Ft Morgan to Dauphin Island. We timed out visit to Ft Morgan with the ferry time to Dauphin Island. It's a small ferry compared to others but nice altogether. It's worth checking the schedule on the webpage. It was reasonably priced. It's worth taking.

We took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. The first ferry left at 8 o'clock, i believe. We arrived at 7:30, and there were 4 cars ahead of us. We returned to Dauphin Island around 2 from Fort Morgan/ Gulf Shores, and the ferry was not full. We enjoyed going up on the observation decks for a better view of the water, gas rigs & birds. We were hoping to see dolphins, but didn't see any. Some people were feeding the gulls with bread pieces, getting them to even eat it from their hand.

We rode the ferry on a rainy Monday morning and it was an awesome experience. We were traveling home from Orange Beach, AL and decided to take a different route home. We were also hoping to beat the rain that was forecast that day but weren't so lucky. After having drove all the way out to Fort Morgan in pouring rain we were not disappointed and found the ferry running its normal schedule. The staff was friendly & certainly knowledgeable about their jobs. The rain started letting up half way through the trip allowing us to roll our windows down & enjoy the view. It was cool though, riding on the ferry in the rain! Getting on & off the ferry was easy and really enjoyed the experience.

Husband and I took the ferry mid-morning on a Friday. Surprisingly, we only had a 20-minute wait and there were spaces for additional vehicles. We purchased a round trip ticket. Once underway, we got out of our vehicle to stand at the railing to see the views. The water was fairly calm so the ride was easy. Guess we just happened to time our going to and returning from Dauphin Island right because our return wait was again, about 20 minutes. A fun shortcut.

Right on time in both directions. Easy to board and inboard. We enjoyed visiting with other people during the approximately 30 minute crossing. Weather was beautiful and the crossing was smooth. It is so much quicker than driving from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan,but it’s a little pricey.

About a 45 minute ride across the bay from Fort Morgan to Fort Gaines (or Fort Gaines to Fort Morgan). 1/2 price if you are doing a return trip on the same day. Nice view of the bay and all the oil rigs in the vicinity.

If you want to visit Gulf Shores and Foley from the Island this is the best way to do it. It is a relaxing ride that is great for the whole family. On Saturdays make sure you pay attention to the last ferry back to the island because it fills up fast.

Instead of taking I10 East from Mobile, AL to Pensacola, FL we drove to Dauphin Island, AL and took the HMS Ferry across the bay. The car ferry can handle from 18 cars on one ship to 28 cars on another ship they use. Get there 30 minutes to 1 hour early. We arrived at 10 am to catch an 11am ferry and we were able to park in the "# 2 parking" slot. The ride took about 35 minutes and you can stay in your car or get out if the water isn't too choppy. The ferry docks at Fort Morgan on Gulf Shore, AL. We drove up the shore and over to Pensacola. Great drive!

We lucked out and drove up in time to be the last vehicle loaded from Ft. Morgan! My 4 and 5 year old grandchildren loved the fairly short ride over. However, on the return trip we sat in a hot truck for 30 min and then got on a blistering hot deck. This was during a heat wave in July! We did turn off our vehicle and got out to cool in the Gulf breeze. Overall what one would expect from a ferry ride. The ferry ride, Estuarium, and lunch on the island were a good half day excursion. Note there are limited restaurants and on this Tuesday in July the only 2 we found open were on a long wait. Take snacks!

We thought this was a fun way to travel while on our roadtrip.

Apparently time of year really matters- we were almost deterred by all the reviews saying they had to wait several hours to get on the ferry. We took it on Thursday, August 23, and there were only 8 cars and a couple motorcycles on our ride! We pulled up to the Fort Morgan departure site at 2:40, thinking we would get in line for the 3:30 ferry. There were only 3 cars ahead of us in line, so we easily made it onto the 2:45 ferry! I was almost bummed, because we had planned to explore the fort to kill time.

The ferry boarding process was very easy. It was a little odd because once we boarded, we didn't see the employees again. No one explained whether we were allowed to get out of our cars, but once other people did, we did, too. There are 2 second-story lookout points on the boat. The views were pretty, and we saw a couple dolphins. The whole ride took around half an hour. It was pretty smooth, though if you get seasick you definitely should not stay in your car. Also, watch your head, because the seagulls following the boat kept pooping all over!

We would do this again, but definitely only during low season- I wouldn't wait several hours for it.

It’s was very fun, although it made me sick but my family enjoyed it very much. There was a total of 8 of us and we were aloud to leave our cars. But you should use the restroom before getting on the ferry, as there’s were locked.

The drive to Ft Morgan was a nice drive through some residential coastal area. The ride is about 30 minutes and there are many birds flying along with the ferry and you can see how many oil wells are in the gulf while crossing

It was a great experience and good way to get to Dauphine Island but it was best by bike. The line for cars at 10:15 was packed and many cars had to wait but walkers and bikers can always get on. Take your bikes and go over to the island and then you can bike everywhere and always get a spot on the ferry. My husband gets very motion sick and he made it just fine. We biked the trail which is a little over 3 miles out but you can go farther on the road.

We decided to take the ferry, mainly because that’s not ever been an option in land locked Oklahoma. The ride is pretty quick (about 35-40 minutes). The staff has it down to a fine art, loads and unloads quickly. I was able to work from the car while the rest of the family got out and enjoyed the scenery. I kept a strong internet signal the entire time. Glad we did it! Will do it again. Save your receipt for a discount on the return trip!

Quick and easy way to visit Dolphin Island. You can drive your car or just take your bike to visit the island. Don't miss the Sea Lab. During off season, be sure to get there well ahead of the time the ferry is scheduled to leave. Also, check ahead to see if the ferries are running if the weather is inclement.

We took an early boat to Gulf Shores to see the sites and the last boat back to DI. Hassle free way to get around the bay. Saved time and miles. We were able to see dolphins on the return trip and cruised by a cruise ship. Quite the 1 time ferry experience. Seems a bit pricey, but if you save your receipt the discount on the return trip makes it make sense.

The ride across Mobile Bay is always a fun adventure. It also can save time if you time it right. We were able to see several dolphins chasing the ferry

We took the ferry over to Duaphine Island to go to Alabama Aquarium. The Ferry ride was an experience that we shared as a family!

Our trip across the bay to Dauphin Island was quick and painless. Ferry staff was very friendly, pointing out the dolphins to my kids. When returning back to Ft Morgan, they verified car height to save undercarriage scraping due to high tides.

We did a round trip from Dauphin Island to Ft. Morgan. We spend the day in Gulf Shores and Foley. The trip was fun.

Very well run and efficient. Inexpensive way to cross the bay and get some great views and sights along the way.
Well worth the trip!!

Due to heavy fog ferry was delayed but once we finally got to ride it was an easy way to travel. Pricey though.

This was the best way to go across the bay. The crew was very friendly and accommodating. Ship appeared to be well maintained.

Water was a little choppy but it was a fun crossing. Due to Covid, not much open on Dauphin Island but it was beautiful. Saw 2 forts which was cool. Took about 35 minutes to cross the Mobile Bay

Today (10/10/19) it cost $21 for 1 car with 2 adults and 2 kids. Prices are subject to change. I think it’s $16 for the car + $5 for each person over 6 years old (driver is included). So $16 + $5. We are parents + a 4 & 5 yo boys. Driving 2 hours to Gulf Shores with them would eat a lot of our vacation time. Riding the Ferry was a super fun thing to do.

There is a neat café (BGH Cafe or Billy Goat Head Café) right at the Ferry Landing. Coffee, bagels, egg sandwiches for breakfast and hotdogs, hamburgers, BBQ, milkshakes, floats, and even soft serve 🍦 for lunch after a day at the (highly underrated) East End Beach. Sit under the dock to look at tiny blue crabs scurrying on the rocks.

You can sit in your car or get out on the deck, your choice. I preferred the view from my air conditioned car. It was a nice ride. I would recommend to a friend.

If you have never taken a ferry, it is a nice part of your adventure. However, the ferry is very expensive. They charge per vehicle plus per riders in the car. It cost us 36.00, one way. Then 13.00 more to return back. That is the discounted price if it is a round trip and you return the same day. Make sure you plan in advance. You might show up, even an hour early and they may be full and can not take you.

The ferry was fun to ride. We took our bikes and rode over to Fort Morgan and back. It was a nice day trip. Crew was really nice.

We took the ferry from Ft Morgan to Dauphin Island and back again. While up on the observation platform we saw several dolphins swimming by. You can also see the Sand Island Lighthouse from the ferry ride.
It was a nice way to see the bay and Dauphin Island from the Gulf Shore side without driving 2-1/2 hours there and 2-1/2 hours back.

Me, my wife and my son enjoyed the ride ! From Fort Morgan to Daufine island ! The ride was smooth and it took like 35 minutes to get to the island, nice for kids! I highly recommend this !

A beautiful day for a ferry ride to allow a niece a first-ever ride on the ocean. Blue sky day with no whitecaps but a nice little breeze to make it pleasant. Photo ops for the kids and far more pleasant than driving the distance! A great addition to a fun day!

It was a beautiful ride and I got to get out and enjoy the view and meet great people..had a blast...Birds followed us and other people got out and visited and we saw dolphins playing and fish jumping it was something I can't wait to do again

Our family walked on the ferry in order to visit Fort Morgan. It was great in that we didn't wait in any lines. It cost us $6 a person and considering we saw dolphins and pelicans we were completely satisified. The drawback was that the walk from the ferry port to Fort Morgan is quite a hike. I'd recommend going as early as possible in the hotter months and bringing plenty of water for drinking, sunscreen, sunglasses, and maybe a hat. All in all, we walked a total of 3 miles, which was fine for our family. Might not have been great for toddlers or children needing to be carried, although a stroller would have been fine. On the return trip, there were upper decks for viewing which was nice as well.

Just a ferry ride - did not see any dolphins or unusual sites - was a bit pricey and waited 1.5 hrs in line. Can pay with credit card but only after you get in line. It did save a lot of time going west from the peninsula versus driving all the way back to I10 and thru Mobile. If you like Ferry's then do this to travel west but i wouldn't do it in the morning - perhaps evening would be better to see dolphins and enjoy some food on Dauphin. There is a little store and bathrooms by the entrance to get some refreshments.

If you want to get to Dauphin Island from Fort Morgan this is much quicker than driving all the way around Mobile Bay. The ferry was on schedule and we arrived safely with no issues both times. I do feel the fare is a bit pricey at $18 per vehicle and $6 for a passenger, but I liked having more time in my day to enjoy the surroundings instead of driving an extra few hours round trip to get there.

The ride was comfortable. The views of Dauphin Island, Mobile Bay, Sand Island Lighthouse and Gulf of Mexico were spectacular. However, I did not enjoy the diesel engine fumes from the ferry blowing over the cars and passengers.

Great ferry ride from Dauphin Island to Gulf Shores.Greatly decreases travel time between the two.There is a charge to use ferry.You get a discount for same day round trip travel.Save your receipt for the discount.Ferry crossings in walking distance to Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan.

It was great a beautiful day to be on the water. We walked around on the Ferry. It took about an 1/2 hour to get to the Island.

Gerry ride is very much fun. About 35 minutes. Saw boats and oil rigs. A little prices at $24. Very smooth ride.

We took the grandbabies on the ferry to Dauphin Island and they loved it. Someone brought a big jar of cheese ball and. Everyone was feeding the sea gulls. The trip is 45 minutes but it doesn't seem like it we enjoyed watching the birds and seeing all the interesting things in the bay. Great way to spend the afternoon.

We have 2 adults, 2 teen boys and 2 Elem. Kids. For $30 we saw plenty of wild life and had a boat ride. It was a lot of fun to have the freedom to walk around and look through the telescope. There IS a bathroom on board! It took us a little over an hour to get tot Fort Morgan and back. It was very, very cold but we still enjoyed it. If you decide to stay on Fort Morgan to see check out the Fort, definitely take your car...it’s an extra $30 for you car there and back.

I’m now retired and all my life we have visited family in South Carolina coming from Texas. We allways took I-10 through Mobile until this trip. I intentionally went out of my way via the Mobile Bay Ferry and glad I did. It was very scenic and fun being on a boat carrying you and your automobile across Mobile Bay. You past between 2 Civil War forts, Ft. Gains & Ft. Morgan as you travel the waterway. One side of the ferry is Mobile Bay and the other is the Gulf of Mexico, Wow what an experience!

When we need to get to the Gulf Shores area, we always take the ferry. It’s much shorter than going around the bay if you are on Dauphin. It’s also fun to see the dolphins and birds. Keep your receipt if you are returning the same day for a discount.

A nice alternative to a drive. The ferry was clean and on time. While crossing we saw dolphins and several large birds. Going around sunset was spectacular with the colors reflecting off the water. The price does seem a bit high but the ride was terrific so the cost seemed to melt away.

Our only issue was that the ticket seller refused our cash payment "for security reasons" . This practice of only accepting cards is good business for banks.... who did such a great job in 2008...why do we allow this? We wrote to ask for an explanation, and the management immediately responded that they do take cash; the speed of response was very appreciated. So, do insist on cash payment or ask the ticket seller to call the supervisor.

Everyone's 1st time on ferry. It was a great sight seeing experience. The ships and oil rigs....oh dolphins! We completely were satisfied and pleasantly surprised.

Our 1st time taking this Ferry. The staff was nice informing us how the procedure to line up and board the ferry. We were surprised to see so many oil rigs. We had time to get an ice cream and visit with the lady who ran the store. The views from the ferry are beautiful.

I was travelling along the gulf coast, and dreading the turn inland to cross Mobile Bay in the middle of the city when I noticed the ferry. I arrived just in time for the 930a crossing from Dauphine Island to Ft. Morgan. Loading was swift and efficient. There were a couple of viewing platforms either side, and the views were amazing throughout the crossing. Back up the Bay, you could see the city in the far distance and working boats in the foreground. Out in the Gulf, oil rigs dotted the horizon. The forts guarding the entrance to the Bay made for great a vista, and the pelicans kept us entertained all the way across. Thanks to the ferry, I've still never been to Mobile, but I can't imagine the appeal of an interstate and a big bridge when compared to the lovely ferry. Add an hour to your trip and do it. You won't regret it.

We drove our van onto the Ferry to spend the day at Daulphin Island. We had never been on a ferry before so that made it a new experience; however, this was very fun and efficient. We met some really nice folks and did the return trip the same way. Will do this again some day, and to be honest a fun way to travel.

The route we took to get to our vacation rental involved taking the ferry from Dauphin island to Ft. Morgan. We had to wait 1 1/2 hours to board the ferry. The cost was $18 for the driver and our van plus $6additional for each passenger. The ride across the bay was fun but I thought the cost was high.

A really nice way to travel across the Bay and quicker than you could drive. Sightseeing was easier and quite beautiful . Can go by bike as well to explore Fort Morgan...mirror image of fort Gaines.

Great way to view the bay. Inexpensive, keep in mind there are no seats on the ferry, and no bathrooms. This is not a sightseeing tour, it's simply transportation. We were on at sunset it was awesome.

We traveled from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan and on to Gulf Shores and this was an efficient way to do so plus the fun of seeing the bay from the ferry. Staff was friendly.

This was a fun trip and we enjoyed seeing the oil rigs along the way. The ride over turned out to be the best part of our trip as it rained the entire time we were on Dauphin Island so we didn't get to see much.

This was a nice ride across the bay. They were very well organized and got the cars on & off quickly and safely. They have nice elevated areas where you can go to check out the scenery as you go. My only complaint is that they don't give you enough heads up when they're shutting down due to weather. We were watching their facebook page and calling their phone number, but they cancelled the last ferry of the day literally 2 minutes after the second to last ferry of the day. We got there right as the boat left and stopped at the booth to see how early we should be in line for the last ferry and were told that they had just cancelled that last ferry. I studied meteorology for my undergrad and I'm around the water a lot, so I know fog in particular can be changeable, but with some basic weather knowledge and years of operating a boat on a bay, you should be able to give a little more advanced notice so people can make sure they're on the last ferry you're going to operate for the day. It took two hours to drive around the bay. I was thankful there was a way to drive around, but it wasn't the way I wanted to get home. We could have been on that last ferry if they had made their decision just 5 minutes sooner.

My sister and I drove from Gulf Shores to Bellingrath Gardens and then rode the ferry back to Ft. Morgan. It was a great trip, even though it was chilly. Loved seeing the bay and the wildlife. We saw several dolphins. Definitely worth the trip!

My wife and I took the ferry to/from Dauphin Island earlier this week. It was our fourth round-trip, and the ferry made our journey from Pensacola to Bellingrath Gardens more relaxing, enjoyable and scenic. The ferry arrived on-time and left on-time. Its crew were courteous and professional. We counted 14 different states represented by the license plates of the 25+ cars onboard during our trip. We'll take the ferry as often as possible on our trips to Dauphin Island/Bellingrath Gardens.

We were excited to go on our first ferry ride. It was beautiful and worth it. Do not be first in line, your vehicle will get salt water all over it. We had to find a car wash once we got into Gulf Shores :)

We decided to take the scenic route along the gulf coast. We road the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. It was a nice little ride. If you never been so it.

Took this to get back and forth from our day trip to Dauphin Island...Got to see dolphins one of the times...lots of birds...and just all n all an awesome ride to get from one place to another at a good price

Took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Ft. Morgan where we spent the afternoon and a return trip in the afternoon. They trip on the ferry was very pleasant and enjoyable. You can get out of your car and enjoy the scenery as you cross the bay. Cars packed in tight. I wood recommend using the ferry ⛴.

Really beautiful, relaxing ride, even saw a couple dolphins. The ferry we were on actually ferried across former president Obama which was cool. Be sure to arrive early, especially when they only have one ferry running

This is a great way to get over to Orange Beach/Gulf shores without driving all the way over there.. the kids really get a kick out of having their car on the ferry! It's inexpensive, and you can go one-way or round-trip.. the trip over is very peaceful just to watch the water and the dolphins jumping. Neat to see the oil rigs and fishing. .. Dauphin Island is our little piece of heaven so when you get to Orange Beach be ready for a lot of craziness! A pool overpopulated with a lot of restaurants and vacationers.. but worth a day trip for sure!

Lovely ferry across Mobile Bay. We bought a pass that saves a little bit but it’s pretty reasonable anyway. So fun to watch the children get out and enjoy the ride. Great staff too.

The ferry was a very cool ride for us and the kids. The staff were very courteous and professional. Would go again

We want red to not drive all the way over to see the site while staying on Dauphin Island. We took the ferry and enjoyed the weather. Make sure to see if the ferry is running before you make hard plans. Sometimes it will not run due to weather

My husband, 4 year old son and I paid and got on board. We were the only pedestrians. We actually pulled off a few feet and then reversed. They then made us get off the ferry because they said they would not be making a return trip due to fog. We were already prepared to get a ride back to our room just in case, but we had to get off. My son was so disappointed and cried quite a bit. We went to Fort Morgan instead. We had a good time. On the way back to our hotel, we saw that the ferry had indeed come back and was unloading passengers. It was actually very sunny with no fog whatsoever. Our son was sad and I was pretty irritated.

This is a small ferry going from Ft morgan to Dauphin island It is only 35 min long but very enjoyable for the kids if you stand at the upper railing and look out. Kids saw the oil platforms up close. Has refreshment buildings on both sides for lunch or ice cream.

We lucked out and only had to wait ten minutes to board the ferry. You may have to wait since the ferries carry a limited number of vehicles. If you are in Fort Morgan, or Gulf Shores, and want to visit the sea lab on Dauphin Island, you can park your car and ride across as a pedestrian. The Sea Lab is an easy walk from the ferry. So worth the fee!

We were looking forward to this for a long time. Our kids had never been on a fairy. The day that we went the engine needed maintenance, they could take us to the other side but not bring us back. It was a total let down.

We used the ferry on our return trip to New Orleans. Cut off at least an hour over traveling through Mobile. Very affordable. Highly recommend.

Great way to get over to Fort Morgan. Go to the website and read the recommendations. When it says get there early, listen to what they are saying. even this early in the season, the ferry fills up quickly. Great experience riding over. A fun way to travel.

We love the Mobile Ferry! Except the price is so ridiculous now that it makes it hard to keep going back. We spent $30 for a ride across the bay in my husband's truck as a family of 3. If you want to take your kids on a ferry ride, travel to Galveston for the Bolivar Ferry. It's free. I doubt we will do the ferry after this trip due to the high cost. No longer a good value.

Awesome Ferry ride across Mobile Bay from Gulf Shores to Dauphin Island, saw tankers and dolphins swimming along the way. Great value and fun for the family

Beautiful area, but for three adults and three children just way too expensive. By the time and money spent here it would be better to have more affordable options to also see the Fort and Island.

The adventure and scenary was great and a real value. Highly recommend this, whether a shortcut around the bay, or for the adventure and beauty of the ocean!

We thoroughly enjoyed our round trip ride to Dauphin Island. It was a relaxing and fun way to travel, with pretty views of the bay, that lovely feeling of sea air, and pelicans and seagulls joining us for parts of the ride.

We rode the ferry from Dauphin Island to Gulf Shores for the day since there's not a ton to do on the island. It was a great experience as none of us had ever taken a ferry. The lines were non-existent and we were able to basically drive right on. The only negative is cost. It was $53 for our family round trip. It was a unique experience.

This is much shorter to get from Gulf Shores to Mobile. I had not planned on taking the ferry, but my GPS brought me here. Rather than drive back to Gulf Shores and drive all the way around, I took the ferry, luckily I didn't need a reservation, but perhaps one is needed on weekends during the busy season. Also enjoyed photographing the gulls as they flew along side mooching for food.

Awesome ride, get there 45 min early to get in line. Then walk around the area, lots to see while you wait. Much faster than driving. Call the number on Facebook for updates and ferry times. Sometimes the weather is a factor and they have to cancel the ferry but if u stay in contact you wont be disappointed. Highly RECOMMEND for $21 for 2 people, $6 each additional person.

The Mobile Ferry was a great surprise to continue along the Gulf Shores Coastline en route from New Orleans to Florida Panhandle. Many Oil Rigs out in the bay which we had a chance to view up close. Strangely Surreal Dystopian feel due to gray threatening skies. The Ferry is worth the drive through sand dunes and beach front houses on stilts.

We rode our bikes onto the ferry, and then enjoyed all the views. A brown pelican hitched a ride with us. He seemed right at home. This is the best way to get from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan and it's so worth the trip. If you have not taken the ferry, you really don't know what you are missing. Absolutely, no traffic concerns, and you meet a lot of nice folks while on board. Please vote, and enjoy your trip! :-)

This ferry service, which appears to be private not gov't, seems to be very casual about how they run their business. I can't really rate the trip, which probably is beautiful, because we could not get on the boat, because we could not get information about taking a travel trailer on it.

The website says they take all RVs, but to call...so we called and got a recording that gave us no helpful information and the voicemail box was full. I emailed and never got a reply. We walked over to the toll booth and asked the clerk there- he was less than helpful, claimed it was about tides, but did not have a tide chart. They post on facebook each morning and announce whether or not they are taking RVs and up to what size. I looked at a dozen days and never were they taking anything over 20 ft. and usually none.

The claim is that it is tide related- I will call them out on that- the tide is high today mid- afternoon and yet I can't take my RV. The tides here swing only about 2ft total, how can this impact the ferry?

In talking to locals, the ferry is irregular and inconsistent. Everyone said- drive around- an extra 2 hours or so.

An honest explanation of why they are not taking RVs would be helpful- just say so, if the reason is you don't want to bother, or don't want to take up space that cars could use say so.

A reply to questions would be helpful, a knowledgable clerk would be helpful- unless of course he is coached to be vague...

I am just fine with not giving these people any of my money.

The ferry is a great relaxing way to get to the island. The view is beautiful. We got out of our car and met some very nice people to chat with. We had no issues getting on or off. The trip lasts about 30 minutes.

If you catch the ferry on time, without a wait, it is a nice ride across the bay. I took from Dauphin Island to Gulf Shores side. You arrive right at Ft Morgan. If you want to go to Gulf Shores or Orange Beach, about 20 miles down road. Once you hit 59, Foley outlets are about 15 minutes north.

It doesn’t run all night, be prepared to be early to catch the ferry. Take bread for the birds.
We had to change our plans in gulf shores to be back in time to get to our island

We did not drive our car on the ferry. We rode it over and then walked the island. My kids enjoyed the ride, which took about 30-45 minutes. It was cool to see all the rigs out in the bay too. It would have been cool to ride over a scooter or motorcycle to ride around the island as well but we can save that for another time. I was very impressed how quick they were when loading and unloading the cards. It was very efficient and coordinated.

The ferry was a nice experience, but it was longer than we expected (45 minutes one way) with NO shade or air conditioning during the ride. I have definitely been on nicer ferries. Our toddler got a bit overwhelmed in the heat and there was also no bathroom. The employees were great though and everyone was friendly.

We called a half hour early and they told us it would run. But captain wanted to get off early for the weekend and canceled the last ferry by the time we arrived. The first assistant told us the cancellation was due to weather. The 2nd said it was due to maintenance. The guy in front of us said they cancelees on him three time. We were forced to take a 2 hour drive around mobile bay, with 3 small children.

This was a pretty fun experience. We weren’t able to take the ferry back due to high winds but it was a fun way to get out on the water and take our vehicle with us. Find them on Facebook to see how the lines and waits are. We spent $42 to get our family and van across the bay. Took about 45 minutes. Make sure to get out and up on the observation decks.

Although we have been across Mobile Bay many times by car, this was the first trip by
ferry. It was not complicated at all, and actually took longer than I had expected. We saw small boats and large ships, an oil platform, and in the distance, an old lighthouse. The return schedule was clearly posted and gave us time to explore Fort Morgan and drive to Floribama before returning for the ride back. My only regret was that I had forgotten a hat and got a bad sunburn from the reflections off the water. Unless you sit in your vehicle you are in direct sun the whole trip.

We caught the first ferry of the morning. Spent a half hour on the observation deck and watched dolphins jumping. Much better than driving the long way around.

Love using the ferry to and from Fort Morgan. I have gone over often to visit my aunt. Since I live in South Mobile County it is very convenient and a treat when ever I take by twin grand daughters with me.

Something about driving your car on a boat and going across the ocean is amazing to me. This was one of the best experiences of our stay on Daughin Island although the staff parking the cars on the ferry could have been friendlier, or at least a smile just once, otherwise this would be 5 stars.

We took the ferry over from fort Morgan and back again one day. It was a fun ride. Very hot but you could stand up on the sides and watch the other boats eh oh made it bearable. I’d plan to get there about 20-30 min before the ferry leaves so you don’t have to wait for the next one.

Perfect outing for a no-fuss and fun trip from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island to explore the history and attractions. Professional management and affordable too.

We decided to take the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan and LOVED it. It was great to be able to get out and go to the top deck. We saw dolphins swimming and jumping, and even saw a couple of stingrays while on the ferry. It is a little pricey, but a fabulous experience.

Someone recommended we take the ferry toward Gulf Shores as a scenic alternate to I-10. I love ferry rides, so I was pleased to learn that this was an option. We drove from Mobile to the island and got in a line of vehicles leading to the boarding area. We were in line about 20 minutes when an attendant walked by. It was about 11:15 am. He told us that the ferry being loaded was going to be full, and that the next one would be, too. We would not be able to board until 12:45. Our choice at this point was to get out of the line and drive all the way back up to Mobile and around or wait it out. We chose to wait. I was surprised when we finally did get ready to board to find that it cost $24 for the two of us. The ride is relatively uneventful and the views are mostly oil platforms and some coastline.

I feel as though it would be really good if somewhere there was a sign with ferry wait times as you headed to the queue so that you can make informed decisions before you are locked in. We have something like that at home.

On our way home to Florida after a 3 week vacation out west. Decided to check out Dauphin Island. We have family that vacation there and wanted to take a look. Very cute place and can see why our kids love it. Took the ferry off the island nice smooth trip.

My wife and i ferried across Mobile Bay on the Ferry. it is a faster way to get to Mobile from Gulf Shores, but it does take awhile. I found the fery to be pretty noisy, but the ride was smooth and the view of the bay was amazing. Very windy when we went and the wind was cold. I thought it was pricey. They charge for the vehicle and $5 for each passenger. if you return on the same day, you get a discount. We didn't- we drove back to Orange Beach from Mobile.

This ferry was a lot of fun! We just drove our car onto it and we were able to get out and go to an observation deck to view the bay. We saw lots of dolphins, seagulls, pelicans, etc. The trip takes about 40 minutes and you are supposed to get in line 30 minutes before departure. However, our trip across only had about 7 cars and it didn't take us the entire 40 minutes to get to Ft. Morgan.
Be sure to check out their facebook page for daily updates, as some days the weather stops the ferry or the length of vehicles allowed.
Also be sure to note that you have to have your car turned off. That was totally fine on a day like we had in November, but it was pretty stifling when we went in July. You'll definitely want to be out of the car with the breeze on your face.
I get seasick very easily but didn't have issues on this trip.
The kids really enjoyed it.

We have utilized this ferry many times when we have been to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. On our recent trip to Dauphin Island we were staying at the Dauphin Island Campground when Tropical Storm Nester was coming towards the Gulf Coast. We left our camping life and headed towards Orange Beach, Alabama for a safer and dryer resting place. Enroute we utilized this time and mileage saving mode of transport to get from one side of Mobile Bay to the other. The ferry ran even with the choppy water being stirred up by the oncoming onslaught. We had a smooth ride in the white cap filled Bay. It took us about 30 minutes to get from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. The ride cost us $21 for two passengers and our car. Cheap passage considering we would have burnt that in gas to get to Orange Beach in quite a bit more time. This is a safe, smooth passage across the bay. It was actually quite enjoyable. Definitely give it a try if you need to get across the Gulf Coast of Alabama.

If there's fog just assume they're not going. It's 45 minute drive from mobile to Dauphin Island and from the east it's 30 minutes from Gulf Shores double that to get back to where you started from

First time in the ferry. We were worried about the wait, but there was a 55m backup going through the Mobile tunnel, so we decided to take a chance. We arrived at 1:40 for the 2PM ferry and were #11 in line. Quick trip (30m) across the bay and avoided all that mess. Only negative is that a car with 5 people was over $40. A little steep considering those extra people add very little weight

Took our grown kids and granddaughter across the bay. They were quite taken with the wildlife - the pelicans are so fascinating to watch! Didn’t see any dolphins this trip but it’s not unusual to see them. The ferry staff are always so friendly, professional and helpful. Round trip was $51 but it was a great experience. You can walk on or ride bikes on cheaper if you are so inclined.

The kids got a kick out loading the car onto a boat. The ride was peaceful and quick! A great way to see all around the bay. Short cut from Dolphin Island to Fort Morgan and Gulf Shores minus the traffic.

Decided to take the ferry to the island for a nice little day trip. Left the car at Fort Morgan and just went as pedestrians. Ferry left on time, as we were heading towards the island we saw about 10 dolphins. This got the kids very excited, they were also excited to see all of the pelicans. It ended up being $25 round trip for our family of 7, which was alot cheaper than going on a dolphin watching excursion. When we went to the island we went to the sea lab which was cool as well.

We took our bicycles with us because it's much cheaper to ride as a pedestrian rather than take your car and you get a free return ride as a pedestrian. The staff were pleasant and thankfully the weather cooperated creating a relaxing and pleasant ride across to Dauphin Island.

So $24 for 2 persons in vehicle but only one way! Uneventful ride over, cool to experience once. Bathroom portable potty basically was disgusting! If you get sick from motion sickness beware you'll probably get sick or feeling like you want to die to waves and motion of ferry. Once ready to leave Island especially on weekends be prepared to WAIT and still end up driving back. They only run 2 ferries every 1 hr 45 min during summer time. Definitely need to add at least 2 more ferries to handle demand. Poor planning and customer service on their part.

My husband and I rode over on the ferry to to go to Gulf Shores. It was an enjoyable ride over, got out and walked around to take some pictures. A beautiful sunny afternoon.

We wanted the kids to experience going across the water by the Ferry. However, they charge per head. Cost $78 - ridiculous. They should charge per car. We had 4 adults and 4 kids. Way too much - we will not do that again which is sad because it really is a fun experience but hard to justify the price to go across.

Good schedule and reliable ferry ride between Ft. Morgan and Ft. Gaines/Dauphin Island. It is expensive but compared the the long drive we paid about $80 round trip for 6 people and two vehicles.

Our kids had never been on a ferry, or any boat at all, so this was exciting for them! Seeing our car parked with the others was new too so I'm glad we took the ferry back to the mainland.

We rode this ferry with our car from Fort Morgan across Mobile Bay to Dauphin Island.
From there we stopped at the Estuarium, Fort Gaines, and drove our car back for the sights and restaurants of Mobile, before driving back to Gulf Shores. An enormous freighter ship passed directly in front of the ferry - and our captain had to veer the ferry a bit to avoid getting too close. The ferry is much more maneuverable than the behemoth ships. It is much cooler and windier while on the water, so we needed a jacket even though it was near 70 deg F on this 2019 day we were there.

We had hoped to take the ferry from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island, but the ferry was closed. Consequently We missed exploring Dauphin Island, and Fort Gaines entirely. We had to back track halfway to Destin and then head north. There is no sure way to know if the ferry will be running when you need to use it. Checking there website and the weather (no wind) is only part of the answer. The only sure way of discovering whether or not the ferry is running is to drive to the landing and wait until it is staffed. If no one shows up, that means that it isn't running.

It was a really fun trip , staff very friendly.

We drove around and looked at rentals on the fort Morgan side

It was a fun way to get across the bay. On the return trip we saw a dolphin! It took about 35-40 minutes to cross the bay.

We had a great time and the ferry did what we needed to allow us to do a loop from Mobile down to Dauphin Island over to Gulf Shores and go back up to Mobile. When they say to get there half an hour early to make sure you have a spot, listen to them. Our ferry happened to have 6 spots empty at 5 pm on a Thursday, but people were lined up in advance even before the 30 minute early window. We paid $24 for car/driver plus one passenger which was decent. The trip was a nice way to see and smell the gulf air and water and take a break from driving.

Took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Gulf Shores. Boat ride is nothing exceptional. Cost was $10 a head so $30 for the 3 of us. Had a little over an hour wait before we could board. Between wait time, boarding time and travel time it was easily a 2 hour trip across the bay. We drove back instead and actually took less time. Alright for the novelty but definitely not a short cut.

I live in Mobile and decided to make a day of it in Orange Beach. Drove to Fort Morgan and caught the ferry back to the other side of the bay to Fort Gainers and Dauphin Island. Had lunch on the island and then drove home after a wonderful day on the Gulf Coast.

Easy access to Dauphin Island without having to drive up and around Mobile. Drive your vehicle right onto the ferry and enjoy the ride.

Would be nice to have some narration..even if recorded and played over loud speaker. Cool going by the oil rig transfer stations in the bay

Traveling from Louisiana going to Ft. Morgan, the ferry saved us about 2 hours. Just make sure you check the schedule and arrive at least 30 minutes before the depart. They fill up very fast. Diffidently will use the ferry on our next vacation to Ft. Morgan.

We had so much fun taking the ferry! If you are coming from the west, it is definitely worth the detour.

We choose to stay on the island as we like the laid back atmosphere and the lack of crowds. That having been said, we still make a trip to Gulf Shores for the kids. Whether it be for shopping, go karts, amusement park, souvenirs, Lamberts, Tanger Outlet, we make it a day trip!

We were lucky enough to catch the ferry right before it was getting ready to leave the last ones on. We were so fortunate to have and able to just drive right on and not have to wait. It was a beautiful sunny day and the waters were peaceful and calm. The only disappointment was that we weren't able to see any dolphins. I highly suggest it for anyone wanting to save a little time and not have to go through mobile to get to Gulf Shores.

Definitely check the Facebook page/website for updates. We got there half an hour early and had no problems, but some people didn't make the cut. Also they don't always run the full schedule. The ride itself was fun and beautiful. We were on the first ferry to Dauphin and the last one out.