What to do and see in Georgia Coast, Georgia Coast: The Best Islands

September 11, 2021 Lean Nau

The Georgia Coast offers myriad sights for the visitor, from Savannah's cobblestone streets and charming towns and islands, to historic lighthouses, sand dunes, plantation era sites and the mysterious Okefenokee Swamp. Island hop from Savannah to Cumberland Island. Camp on the Colonial Coast under Spanish moss-draped oaks. Take a riverboat tour of Savannah. Walk with wild horses on Kingsland's beaches. Encounter alligators in the Swamp. Golf among marsh grass. Let the Georgia Coast work its charm.
Restaurants in Georgia Coast

1. Grover Island

marsh island near boat ramp of Crooked River State Park, St. Marys, GA 31558
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Grover Island

Scenic island off the coast of Georgia noted for excellent kayaking and other outdoor activities.

2. Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge

Savannah, GA +1 912-652-4415 [email protected] http://www.fws.gov/blackbeardisland/
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5.0 based on 6 reviews

Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge

Accessible only by boat, this island refuge includes maritime forest, marsh and beach habitats used for birdwatching and fishing.

3. Golden Isles of Georgia

529 Beachview Dr, GA 31522-4705 +1 800-933-2627 [email protected] http://www.goldenisles.com
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5.0 based on 19 reviews

Golden Isles of Georgia

Nestled along stretches of sand dunes and salt marshes, these four beautiful barrier islands – St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island – and their historic mainland city, Brunswick, offer breathtaking landscapes, vast stretches of beaches, and an inherent tranquility felt immediately upon arrival. This is perhaps the best-kept secret on the East Coast; This is the Golden Isles.

Reviewed By CRM52 - Lavonia, United States

If you haven't visited the Brunswick, St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island area....you are missing out completely. The beauty, history and wonderful places to eat and stay are epic. Each area/island is unique and wonderful. Go visit and enjoy. Just spent 4 days at Jekyll Island's campground...get location, park, people.

4. St. Simons Island

529 Beachview Dr, Saint Simons Island, GA 31522-4705 +1 800-933-2627 [email protected] http://www.Goldenisles.com
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4.5 based on 641 reviews

St. Simons Island

As the largest barrier island in the Golden Isles, St. Simons Island offers a unique landscape that creates the perfect backdrop for challenging golf courses, friendly inns, and luxurious resorts. Complete with a variety of charming shops and must-visit restaurants, it’s no wonder St. Simons Island earned Southern Living’s Best Vacation Spot in Every Southern State and TripAdvisor’s 17 Beautiful Small Towns to Visit.

Reviewed By BruceJoyce

We live here, and with the silence of the Coronavirus moment, are more sharply aware of why folks find it to be such a nice place to visit. The ocean has created a remarkable extension to the beaches. Our closed restaurants are of real variety, from 4 star to hamburger joints and ice cream shops. A considerable variety of hotels are complemented by heaps of houses to rent for a week or more. Cannon point provides walking and biking trails through forested inlets to marshes and the ocean. Nearby Jeckyl Island offers miles of dunes to climb and beaches and the ocean are uncrowded and some really pleasant references. Do come and sample when safe life returns.In the meantime, stay safe.

5. Hog Hammock

Sapelo Island, GA +1 912-506-6463 http://www.toursapelo.com
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4.5 based on 43 reviews

Hog Hammock

An African-American community and a preserved historic village on Sapelo Island.

Reviewed By SScottTours

Read this review for the ultimate Sapelo insider's information. First & foremost, as an off-the-beaten-path type traveler, permit me to say that Lucy is The Ultimate Sapelo Information Specialist as a 26-year resident and former manager of The Reynolds Mansion. Her hubby Captain Mikeis an engaging fellow but Lucy is THE hostess with the mostess. This is priceless on an island where there isn't much direction otherwise so DO NOT underestimate the value of her as a resource. You find most AirBnB properties on Sapelo are impartial and "you're on your own" sort of places. This is a plus in some cases elsewhere but for the price, location plus Lucy's knowledge, it's really a hard value to put a price on or pass up. Lucy does a whole wonderful sit-down introduction on the apartment, safety features and goes over the island map with you. Plus, you get a CAR with the rental that generally she picks you up in at the docking hour. Mike rents most of the cars and if you want to upgrade you can do that but we had no issues with the rugged Isuzu Rodeo. We cannot emphasize enough that this is a major advantage on the island for getting one's bearings, for little trips to the store, or dock for a picnic, beaches, or just when you're tired of walking or cycling. It breaks up everything so nicely. And take note! Golf carts cannot go certain places where island vehicles can and golf carts, nor vehicles are permitted up most of the North end of the island where a lot of very cool stuff that you'll want to see is. Truth be told, in some respects, this is a "younger" person's adventure going up the North end. You'll find that you will be required to bike it and or walk it and this is NO easy task! We did nearly 50 miles of walking in 3 days both for the exercise and partly because unless you have a semi-serious mountain bike, it is very unlikely you will get to the North end on your own outside of a guided tour. For the history buff, it is well worth it, but the roads after rain are particularly prohibitive for general beach bikes (which Lucy & Mike have) and we recommend 2-3 pairs of walking shoes as some portion of the muddy areas are impassable by bike alone. We broke the North end up into 2 days on foot. Doing Raccoon Point one day, and the Western half the 2nd day that includes multiple tabby ruins sites, The Chocolate Plantation & mysterious Shell Rings. You could really justify a whole day or 2 days just to that end of the island if you wanted to track down the old duck ponds or wander off the paths as we were inclined. This is also the greater wildlife area for certain. We saw gators, otters, tons of armadillos, a wonderful pack of the elusive wild pig piglets, hawks, American Bald Eagles and sighted the wild cattle from a distance. We do recommend the day tour with JR Grovner or his father who come from the oldest descendants of the island. Sans a tour, of particular value is Lucy's library of books that range from great Sapelo history annals to those for wildlife & plant life enthusiasts. The library is part of the apartment. Lastly, let's talk about all-important cuisine. Lucy includes in her AirBnB description the phone numbers of several island cooks. There is Lula's Kitchen near Lucy & Mike's home & is worth eyeballing but is more sporadic during the offseason but if you smell her cooking, go around and knock. We were honored to have Mary Bailey cook for us and she delivered a fantastic feast of fresh flounder, shrimp & grits, biscuits, veggies, pumpkin pie, the works! Her island counterpart, Sharon (Shu-rohn) Grovner brought us meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad, homemade mini-pies, peas, bread and was amazing too. As these women work hard all day and have to go off the island for ingredients, we opted to tip more than double their asking price which was entirely worth it to us. Oh, near Lucy's is the only island store and has limited morning, early afternoon hours. They have some basics, water, canned goods, ice cream, shrimp, oils, bug spray, sunscreen, snacks, beer & wine, but lacks in other supplies. So you MUST pack for your stay. There's a simple, but dandy kitchen in Lucy's place. The island post office is also close but closes early afternoon but be sure to swing by to get their Sapelo Island stamps as a souvenir! Lastly, Lucy & Mike live below in what you realize is their take on a kind of colonial-era tabby house. They live a fairly quiet lifestyle so you don't hear them much but they're always a phone call or knock away for any needs. As we arrived on a Sunday, they invited us to church with them at The First African Church of 1866 and it was the perfect start to our visit. The choir was amazing, Pastor Banks very uplifting and it was an honor to be introduced as guests and recognized by such a historic congregation. If you're on Sapelo on a Sunday, do not miss this opportunity. They don't seem to mind photos & video but don't forget to tythe to the church. This is perhaps the greatest closing thought we can offer and what we mean is spend everywhere you can on this island and think of how you can spend with the locals while there. For all of its virtues, it is in many ways dwindling and in an hour of great cultural & economic suffering. While the world hopes this is only temporary and a cycle or long arc to a boom or new era of prosperity, Sapelo is still at risk. This is not really the message the islanders put out there but its something that becomes quickly apparent with one's advance research and also while there. But a beautiful beginning to adding your energy to the island is by landing at Lucy's Place first and foremost. We realize now being gone that her smile at the dock was like the whole island smiling to greet us too and made everything all the more indelible and endearing. We can't wait to encounter it again.

6. Sapelo Island

Sapelo Island, Sapelo Island, GA 31327 +1 912-258-2301
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

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