Accessible only by ferry, Georgia’s Cumberland Island is said to be one of the least developed places in the US.
Designated as a National Seashore in 1972, most of the island is managed by the National Park Service which limits visitors to 300 at any one time.
There are no stores and no paved roads. The only full-time residents are park service personnel and maybe a couple descendants of Thomas Carnegie who owned the island at one time.
You walk or bike everywhere. Carry your PB&J sandwiches and water in your backpack. If you’re smart, you pack a bikini along with your camera and binoculars for the inevitable mid-afternoon swim.
Georgia is hot!!!
There’s a necessary death march across the island, through its ruins, saltwater marshes, maritime forest and dunes before you get to dip your toes in the ocean.
It’s worth it, though… and there’s neat stuff to see along the way.
It’s remote.
And wonderful.
And very, very hot.
😉
I’m not sure how many days into this trip it was before I stopped feeling dumbfounded by the sight of palm trees. Is that normal? I mean, do they have that effect on everyone or just people from NJ or just silly me?
I feel the same way about palm trees…
…which I will get to bask under next week!
Is Georgia HOT???
😉
I’m smart, but not so sure about the bikini thing.
Not so keen on the heat either.
Palm trees are cool though.
(I have to wait until February for my basking.)
Let me see … yes, I am pretty sure … Nevada Barr wrote one of her Anna Pigeon mystry stories about Cumberland Island …. wow!
We West-coasters often go to Hawaii in the winter. Oh the strangeness of getting on the plane in chilly, dreary, gray, drippy weather and soon stepping off to warm breezes, sunshine, people on shorts and flip flops and …… swaying palms! Ahhh
Feels great, doesn’t it Bunny Guy?
😉
Otherworldly is all I can manage so far…
I know I take for granted what I have here, compared to say Lynne in Minnesota, but….
Wow.
Just stunning.
Palm trees are kind of stop me in my tracks too. I guess that’s what happen when you live in the north and don’t get to the south very often. My favorite palm trees are in Palm Sabael refuge in Brownsville TX where it’s a palm forest. That was one of the neatest things I ever saw. The forest sounds completely different.
Your trip sounds wonderful, too. But hot! Which is what we aren’t having up in PA at the moment.
Carolyn h.
I spent a lot of time on Cumberland in the past, but haven’t been there for a while.
Beautiful though.
Palms are amazingly beautiful.
I’m surrounded by them and still think so.
Reasons palms don’t stun me: I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, aka “Palm Valley.” Also, rats nest in them.
Still, what DOES stun me is all this travel! Michigan, Georgia — did I miss the post wherein you retired, bought an RV, and hit the road?
Laura–a number of years ago, our family vacationed on Jekyll Island–not far from your adventure spot.
I loved that the original beaches, sea-grasses and general flora had been preserved. No building allowed within 500 ft (or whatever).
And I so wished that the northeast had imposed similar restrictions. A natural beach is so much more inviting than all the overbuilt, human retooled ones. IMHO.
Trust me… South GA is H-O-T. How wonderful that you got to visit there Laura. I’ve never been there, but would love to go. Can’t wait to hear more about your journey.