Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum — Attraction in St. Marys

Cumberland Island is a barrier island, just off the southernmost coast of Georgia. Accessible only by boat or plane, it possesses a mystique for locals and tourists alike.

The National Park service runs a ferry boat to and from the island several times daily. I’m unsure if they are doing anything special, given the pandemic. It’s quite the wilderness there; you’re unlikely to come across other people if you stick to the maritime forest and beach areas.

I caution visitors about the wild horses on Cumberland. The Park Service does not take responsibility for these animals, which is not only unfortunate but also dangerous. Given a reason, the horses will stampede, fight, and behave in a threatening manner towards visitors. And you are on your own there, trust me. Give the horses a wide berth and head towards the maritime forest. They like to hang out near the ruins.

There’s a hotel on the island, I’m told, that charges $600+/night. Oprah is rumored to own a home on Cumberland, and many locals will swear by this!

It’s a beautiful place to visit but be cautious as it is a wilderness area with no amenities. You can camp there overnight, too! The beach is gorgeous, primitive and incredible!

I recommend taking lots of water, bug spray (heavy duty), pepper spray or a stun gun for protection. A first aid kit wouldn’t hurt to have on...

If you haven't been to this National Park, you should give it a try! You can only get there by boat with a round trip cost of ~ $35 pp. That doesn't include your standard NP entry fee (which I did not see anyone checking for at either end of the trip) of $10 pp. Other than a couple of restrooms and water bottle filling points, there are no amenities on the island. There are no trash cans... so you pack it in, you pack it out. To get the most out of this location you should have a reasonable fitness level. The route around the southern half of the island with some exploring will take about 4 hours to hike. It isn't likely you would be able to see the whole island in a single day trip. Bicycle rentals were not available when we were there, but for an additional $10 you can bring your own bike on the ferry. The terrain is mostly easy, but there is some sand to traverse which could be challenging. You will be delighted to see feral horses roaming about, along with the usual array of wildlife, like deer, turkey, wading birds, armadillos, and at the waterfront manatees and dolphins. Check out the website to find out more features of the island... there are too many to list...

Cumberland Island is a nice place to visit. Beautiful deserted beach and trails. We found lots of conches and 4 shark teeth. Enjoyed watching the seagulls and the Dungeness ruins. Not a whole of history but interesting nonetheless. I found a fallen grapefruit under a tree behind the grange house. I’ve wanted to visit the island for decades but never got the chance because a full day is needed. We had to report to the ferry at 8am and returned to the mainland at about 6pm. The ferry waited for a submarine to pass. That was neat to see. It was huge. It reminded me of the ironclad battleship CSS Virginia. I swam in the ocean on a November day. We saw wild horses, turkeys, pheasants and armadillos. A Real nice day. Be sure to bring your lunch. There is drinking water at some spots on the island but no...