Coastal Georgia - From Tybee Island to Cumberland Island

Coastal Georgia is the place to visit if you like your beaches laid-back and natural.

Just a short drive from I-95, the beaches of Coastal Georgia weave in and out along 100 miles of shoreline, salt marsh, and barrier islands, creating a peaceful and beautiful environment for loggerhead sea turtles and all sorts of birds.

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Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia, is the northernmost island in the chain of barrier islands making up the Georgia shore.

The southernmost island is Cumberland Island near the boundary with Florida.

Georgia Beaches - Something for Every Taste

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There are 14 barrier islands making up Georgia's beautiful beaches. Some are touristy beaches - though smaller than Daytona or Myrtle Beach - and some are unspoiled wonderlands for your viewing pleasure.

Coastal Georgia has beaches to suit every taste. For a typical touristy, sun-tanning beach - just less crowded - try Tybee Island near Savannah or East Beach on St. Simons Island.

For beautiful and quiet beaches try Jekyll Island. You can tan here, too, but don't be surprised to see a sea turtle making its way on the beach or dolphins playing in the water while you are relaxing in the sun.

To live the high life, try Sea Island. This exclusive resort caters to those who want a little privacy - and can afford it. If you golf, however, you might want to splurge for a long weekend.

For remote get-aways, consider Little St. Simons Island or Cumberland Island.

Sophisticated Savannah and Sleepy St. Marys are both found in Coastal Georgia

As sweet as a mint julep and as sultry as a summer day, the live oaks and spanish moss of Savannah belie a city burgeoning with art, food, and activity. Walk along the cobble-stone waterfront to get a sense of history or visit the museums and the Savannah College of Art and Design to see the artsy, funky side of the city.

Photo used under Creative Commons courtesy of scubabix.

St. Marys, Georgia represents the other side to the fascinating string of cities and towns along the Georgia coastline. Friendly cats and gulls play near the dock waiting for shrimpers to return with their catch.

The air is soft and the breeze is inviting as you look across the water to Cumberland Island, Georgia and Amelia Island in Florida.

Explore Wildlife and Go Back in Time on the Georgia Marsh

There's more to Coastal Georgia than just the beach.

Salt marshes are an important natural resource and Coastal Georgia has over a million acres of marsh - that's one-fourth of the salt marsh contained on the eastern coast of the United States.

Photo used under Creative Commons courtesy of scubabix.

For nature lovers, this marsh also represents three-quarters of the intact, unspoiled marsh left on the East Coast.

You can thank the Rockefeller and the Reynolds families for that, surprisingly enough. In the late 19th and early 20th centures, wealthy families were attracted to this area for winter get-aways and hunting paradises. They built charming cottages (we'd call them mansions) that can still be viewed today on Jekyll, Sapelo, and Cumberland Islands.

The Longstreet Highroad Guide to the Georgia Coast and Okeefenokee is the most helpful and comprehensive guide I've found for exploring up and down the Georgia coast.

I turn to it weekly to find new places to explore.

As I come across newspaper articles and other links to the wonders of Coastal Georgia I'll post them here.

You never know when you'll need a good restaurant or other service in Coastal Georgia. Here are some ones to keep on your short list.

Ask a question or share your experiences living or visiting in Coastal Georgia.