Georgia's Low Country: Savannah and the Golden Isles
There's no better way for New Englanders to get a jump on spring than to fly to where it's already in bloom. Hop a plane to Florida's Jacksonville's airport, rent a car, and head north - yes, north, to embrace Southern hospitality at its most elegant. This is Georgia's Low Country, a oceanside treasure that offers pristine beaches, swaying palms, and intricate coastal ecosystems. If you have a long weekend for a getaway, a two-and-a-half hour, 140-mile road trip up Interstate 95 will take you to the cobblestoned streets and tree-lined squares of beautiful Savannah, Georgia's first city. If you have a whole week, however, stop and explore the barrier islands, where natural beauty and mild weather have earned the area the title of the "Golden Isles."Your first stop is Cumberland Island. The small town of St. Mary's is the gateway and ferry station to this pristine piece of real estate, where no cars are allowed. Come prepared for your adventure-no food or drink is available and restrooms are the only services. Visitors come here to enjoy hiking and biking trails (bicycle rentals are available on the island) and miles of unspoiled beaches.
Next, it's on the the comparative luxury of Jekyll Island. As you cross the six-mile causeway that links this island to the mainland, the first thing you notice is the marsh, an expanse of sea grass, water, and small hummocks of land, punctuated by the herons and egrets that come here to feed. Unlike other coastal destinations, further north, Jekyll is unblemished by high-rise hotels and billboards-there isn't even a traffic light on the island. Especially unique is Jekyll's history. It was once the private playgrounds of millionaires like the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers, who built homes here to escape the North's harsh winter climates (even in the coldest months, temperatures here average in the 50s). Today the island is owned by the state of Georgia, and by law no more than 35 percent of it can be developed.
Visitors to Jekyll Island have several options in lodging. Nine resort-style hotels stand on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island, private villas are available for rent, and there's a campground on the island's north end. But the crown jewel is the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, the refurbished, Gilded Age retreat once reserved for wealthy Americans. Its Queen Anne style turret is a familiar landmark, nestled in among stately live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. More secluded than the oceanfront resorts, it's situated on the Intracoastal Waterway and within the historic district, where many architectural remnants of the island's illustrious past lend ambiance and charm.
If you want to be outdoors, there are plenty of opportunities on Jekyll Island: 20 miles of bike paths, four golf courses, tennis, miniature golf, beaches, and the Summer Waves water park. Visitors can also get to know the delicate ecosystems of the island in guided nature walks. The Jekyll Island Sea Turtle Project conducts the most famous of these, under the cover of darkness from May to August when the turtles are nesting.
From Jekyll, it's easy to island-hop to the other Golden Isles, like St. Simons, which lies 20 miles to the north, St. Simons, while still relaxed, is perhaps the busiest of the Golden Isles. The Village on the southern end of the island features boutiques and restaurants. Nearby is a historic lighthouse dating from 1872, fishing pier, playground, miniature golf, picnic area, and coastal history museum. Visitors can hear an entertaining narrative of the island's 400-year history on a tour conducted via antique trolley. From St. Simons, I-95 leads northward to Savannah, a city that captures the essence of southern charm, grace, and beauty. The old district is best seen at a leisurely pace, on foot, in order to take in the magnificent architecture and beauty of the historic squares the town is famous for. The twenty-four squares are comfortable green spaces that seem to maintain the city's unhurried pace. Each is named for an important person or event in Savannah's past, commemorated by a statue, monument, fountain, or occasionally a grave. More than a dozen bed-and-breakfasts and small inns occupy vintage buildings within Savannah's historic district. Check into any one of them and prepare to eat well-Savannah is home to a number of award-winning restaurants, from international cuisine to eclectic and low country traditional (think crab bisque, cheese grits, fried chicken).
By now, you should be well-tanned, relaxed, up on your southern history, and ready to return to the every-changeable weather back home. Just get back on I-95, drop your car off at Jacksonville International Airport and fly north.
