Cumberland Island Georgia is a scenic and popular barrier island along the Atlantic coast. The largest and southernmost of Georgia’s island, this minimally developed vacation destination is a perfect glimpse into the past of America’s coastal wilderness. While many beaches are littered with fancy resorts and motels, Cumberland Island has been protected from such commercialism in order to protect what has been called one of the United States’ top ten beaches. A visit to Cumberland Island Georgia is literally seeing the Atlantic coast as the natives and very early settlers knew it.
The first thing to be mentioned about Cumberland Island is the popular beach area. Basically, you can’t go wrong visiting the dune and beach areas that span the entire east side of the island. Not specifically broken up into separate beaches by commercial development, this beach goes on and on, making it perhaps the best place in the South for a peaceful walk. Take a long hike down to the southern tip of the island to the jetty known as Pelican Banks, where you’ll likely have the beach to yourself and enjoy a great view of Florida’s Amelia Island. Just make sure you’re back for the ferry if you aren’t camping on Cumberland Island.
Cumberland Island offers many excellent activities for
visitors to enjoy, especially for those who love the outdoors.
The Cumberland Island National Seashore is a great getaway
for backcountry camping,
developed camping, watching the stars, encountering wildlife
such as dolphins, armadillos, lizards, and even feral
horses, hiking fifty miles of maritime forest trails,
biking, beachcombing, and much more. If interacting
with a natural beach environment is on your to-do list,
then the Cumberland Island National Seashore is a place
you’ll surely want to experience.
The natural ecosystems to be found at Cumberland Island National Seashore include interior wetlands, marshes, pristine beaches, and maritime forests. This truly diverse setting showcases unique coastal environments inhabited by even more unique plant and animal life.
A few tips for visiting Cumberland Island Georgia are as follows: bring some bug repellent, because the mosquitoes can be unbearable otherwise during certain times of year. The island is only available by boat, so if you don’t have your own, make ferry reservations. Visitors are limited daily, and there is a limit to how many days you can camp at Cumberland Island, for the purposes of keeping crowds down. Join the Ranger-led walk when you get off the ferry: you’ll enjoy this natural and historical guide to the island. Pack your own food and water for the day, for there are no stores or restaurants on Cumberland – it is truly a natural setting.
In general, if you want to have an experience of coastal wilderness for a day trip, Cumberland Island is perfect for anyone. For those who plan to spend the night, you’ll be roughing it a bit—this is no resort destination. But isn’t that what makes Cumberland Island National Seashore so great?
