What a beautiful place to camp in the Spring. Clean, spacious, and has a couple nice hiking trails.read more

If you love history with a side of gorgeous scenery, Fort McAllister State Park is absolutely worth…read morethe stop. Fort McAllister is a Confederate earthen fort built along the Ogeechee River to protect Savannah during the Civil War. It's famous for for withstanding multiple Union naval attacks before ultimately falling during a land ambush in December 1864. By capturing the fort, Union forces had a clear path to the city of Savannah and kick-started Sherman's infamous March to the Sea. Today the park contains a visitors center, a small (but jampacked museum), campgrounds, the historical fort site, and more. The museum may be small, but it's packed with in-depth exhibits. You'll easily pass at least an hour here if you really take your time to read through everything. I especially loved the unexpected Henry Ford connection to the fort. Walking the grounds of the fort was the real highlight though. Fort McAllister is one of the best-preserved earthen forts from the Civil War, and you can explore the ramparts, cannons, and earthworks. Whether you're a casual visitor or a die-hard history buff, this park delivers a great walk in history's footsteps. Highly recommend carving out a few hours here!

Built in 1892, The Old Liberty County Jail was constructed with all the "modern conveniences" and…read morereplaced a wooden structure. It was used until 1969 when Governor Lester Maddox had it condemned stating it was "a rotten and filthy rathole." While the architect is a mystery, the contractor was Mr. Parkhill. The red brick, Old Jail is an example of vernacular architecture with Victorian architecture elements and is typical of the late 19th century. The Old Jail is on the National Register of Historic Places. In October the Old Jail is transformed into a "Haunted Jail" by non profits for fundraising. A haunted tour is especially spooky as ghost hunters, searching for paranormal activity, have sited there's plenty here! Free tours are given each Tuesday and Friday, 10-noon, or you may schedule a tour by calling 912-877-4332 or programassistant@hinesvilledowntown.com Additionally, it is available for field trip groups, Scouts, home school groups professional leadership classes, etc.

Highly recommended…read more If you live along the 113-mile Atlantic Coast of Georgia and, by extension, related areas into the low country of South Carolina to the north, you can't help but absorb a healthy dose of colonial-era culture and history. The evidence abounds everywhere in the region. You can see the history and culture of this area with a look at names on the road signs, cemeteries, old buildings, shopping plazas, parks, and land title documents. You'll note the name Oglethorpe, courtesy of James Oglethorpe, the founder of the British Colony of Georgia in 1735, who created the plat and layout of Savannah while issuing colorful edicts like banning lawyers, alcohol, and slavery from the Colony. You can feel the history and culture of this area via the magnificent live Oak trees and the barrier islands, out of whose bark and sandy grains oozes tales of local shipbuilding, wars, famine, and lives of love and loss over the centuries. On the coast, you can embrace wisps in the winds and the grit of the soil in places like Blackbeards Island, a refuge for and reminder of the presence of Sir Edmund Teach (Blackbeard) during an era when piracy on the high seas was at an all-time high. In part, battles between the European Colonial powers waged with Colonial America caught in their crosshairs during the pirates' reign. If you're a visitor to the area or just passing through, you can get a quick snapshot of area history in a 1.5-hour briefing and tour at the Midway Museum. It's a place chock full of memorabilia --impressive for a small-town. Here are a few snippets from our tour: James Oglethorpe detested slavery and banned the practice in the Colony of Georgia. But King George of England reminded Oglethorpe of his promise to make the Colony of Georgia profitable. In 1750, the King revoked Oglethorpe's ban on slavery. Between 1750-1756, 71 families, two single men, and 1,500 slaves were the subjects of a directed move from Dorchester, South Carolina, to present-day Liberty County, Georgia, to found a new village: Dorchester. The new residents of Dorchester wanted a church Midway between Savannah and the port of Darien (the latter is at exit 49 off I-95 today). Thus, the Midway Congregational Church was built and stands today next door to the present-day museum. The original church was burned down in 1779 during the American Revolution and rebuilt in 1791. The name "Midway" stems from the action to found the local church. The settlers at Dorchester became rich quickly. By 1758, wealthy colonist Mark Carr decided the area needed a seaport independent of Savannah or Darien. A land grant by King George to Carr led to creating the port at Sunbury, the deepest natural port on the East Coast of the United States, second only to the Chesapeake Bay. Today, it is a recreational seaport and home to the 5-star Sunbury Crab Company. In Liberty County at Hinesville, you'll discover the Convention and Visitors Bureau, now found in the old Bacon-Frazier home built in 1839. Descendants of the Frazier family still live in the county. Their ancestors go back to the revolutionary era when members of the colonial resistance hid courthouse records in local swamps to prevent their seizure by the British. There's too much to report about this place. It's a must-visit spot for history buffs. Go and enjoy. If you're lucky, as we were, you'll get an extended tour if you're a travel journalist if your host has the time to do so. Directions to the museum: Take exit 76 off I-95 due west for about 6 miles to Route 84 and 17. Turn right, go about 1/4 of a mile, and you see the museum on your right directly across the street from a NAPA Auto Parts Store and adjacent to the Midway Congregational Church, itself a relic of revolutionary days.

Great place to learn about colonial Georgia history. So much early history in this area and this is…read morethe place to go to learn about it and see great artifacts. Staff is very knowledgeable and engaging. Great library/book store available to borrow or purchase. This is a definite must for anyone that likes history!

Just off I-95 and along US-17, this marker by the side of the road reminds passersby of the Civil…read moreWar here in Georgia. The marker has been present since 1957 and is in good condition. It reads... "Near this spot, Company F of the Third South Carolina Cavalry, Lieut. W.L. Mole commanding, was stationed during the summer of 1864. The Company was on Patrol duty, guarding the Coast of McIntosh County. On the night of August 18th, the post was attacked by Federal Troops coming up the South Newport River. Of Company F, less than 20 men escaped death or capture. Five civilian prisoners were taken also, and the Bridge over the South Newport River was burned." [Review 10933 overall, 705 of 2019.]

If you have any appreciation for early American history, the Horton House ruins on Jekyll Island…read moreare absolutely worth a stop. Built in 1743 from tabby, a fascinating oyster shell and lime mortar used throughout colonial Georgia, these walls have survived Spanish raids, Georgia hurricanes, and nearly three centuries of harsh coastal weather. The atmosphere is wonderfully peaceful. No crowds, no noise, just moss-draped trees, the sound of the breeze and the birds singing. This site could use a little more facts about Major Horton, the DuBignon era, and the plantation history would make the experience even more meaningful for first-time visitors. Across the street from the Horton House ruins is the small DuBignon Cemetery, a tabby-walled enclosure containing the graves of five people: Ann Amelia du Bignon, Joseph du Bignon, Marie Felicite Riffault, Hector deLiyannis, and George Harvey. They owned the Horton House from 1790 to 1886 and operated the land as a plantation for over a *century. Still an over-all interesting history stop.

This was such an interesting historical site to explore. It's easily accessible -- right along the…read moreside of the road. We parked and walked over to the house. There are explanatory plaques about the tabby-built house along with a sign about tabby (the building material formed from a mix of sand, lime, oyster shells, and water). The house is one of the oldest of its kind in Georgia and is on the National Register of Historic places. Horton was in charge of the British troops stationed on island. He built this house as his residence and lived here from 1736 until 1748. (He died in Savannah in 1748 or 1749 -- I've read two different dates.) One other interesting note about Horton was that he had the first beer brewery in the state. What you see when you come here is the shell of the house. Open aired without a roof or paned windows. You can walk around the outside and inside. It's a good photo op for various views through the open windows. Later on, the house was occupied by the French du Bignons (who owned the island until they sold it to the American millionaires in 1886) from 1790 to the mid 1800's. Their cemetery is located across the street from the House, and you can easily walk to see this, as well, which we did.

We came to see the lighthouse. I did not climb to the top. I am unable to climb that high any…read morelonger. I wish I could. There were many busses there and individual family's there. This lighthouse is located in a quaint and cute neighborhood. We did not stay long, as we're on our way to where I wanted to go:Sugar Shack. Then we're were going g to head home:Jacksonville, Florida. Recommend? Only younger people who can climb many steps.

We took a day trip from Savannah Georgia, where we were staying over to Tybee Island, which is a…read morequick jaunt and it was worth the day trip. We headed over to the lighthouse and got the tickets. They have senior discounts, military discounts, and various deals, but the price is very reasonable and it includes your trip up the lighthouse and you also have the museum across the street that has so much detail you can spend hours there. The view from the top of the lighthouse gives you such an amazing perspective of Tybee Island and the beach is enormous and you can see quite a bit of it from the top of the lighthouse. Make sure you're in good physical condition to walk up 196 stairs, which is like six levels up. They limit the number of people that can go up the lighthouse all at one time so it doesn't get congested up at the top. They keep just a handful of people going at one time.

I recently visited during the NOGs Tour of Hidden Gardens and was reminded what a lovely home this…read moreis! Truly one of my favorite homes to tour in Savannah. Wonderful history and they do a fabulous job. I also love that they are a part of the Coastal Heritage Society. I often get the annual pass to visit this home as well as other Savannah sites.

I visited this historic home after seeing a couple of the rooms featured in the movie Bride Hard…read more Once I was there to experience the well preserved beauty of the home it was easy to see why it was chosen as a film location. My tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the house and even other movies filmed there. The tour started in the basement with stories about slave workers. The tour ends in the upstairs bedroom, learning about about Alida "Harper" Fowlkes. It you are interest in historic homes, definitely check out the Harper-Fowlkes House if you are in Savannah.

This was a great stop, and honestly, it was a spontaneous decision, but I'm glad we made the visit…read more Take some time to read the informational signs and really reflect on the history of the space. The ruins are of a plantation home and slave quarters dating back to 1793, with a deep and complex history tied to the Civil War era. Rumor has it that there are ghost sightings here, adding a mysterious vibe to the site. The ruins offer a poignant glimpse into the past, and it's a meaningful place to pause and consider the stories of those who once lived and worked there. It's a small site, but full of historical significance, and definitely worth a quick detour during your trip. Visiting the ruins adds depth to your understanding of the island's history and the legacy of the Civil War era in the Lowcountry. It's a powerful reminder of the area's complex past and makes for an interesting, reflective stop.

This was a unique activity, it was really interesting and not difficult to get to. Overall it took…read moreabout 30 minutes for the entire thing! Definitely worth seeing!

Wonderful historic site that was a former rice plantation. The same family lived in the home for…read moremultiple generations and the last heir left the estate to the state of Georgia. Beautiful antiques, cool grounds, and amazing landscape. All left in It's original state. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and shared many interesting facts. Definitely worth visiting!

The history of this region is worth thinking about, but tough to see. Most of these sorts of…read moreplantations are long abandoned; the story of how this one fell into the hands of the state government is told, along with other context, on a half-hour tour of their small mansion. The tour starts on the hour, and having arrived shortly in advance, they told me to drive down a service road that said not to drive down on it so I could park at the house and make it on time. The tour content focuses on the family line that owned the house; there is some discussion of the people they owned early in its history, but a more detailed take on the forced labor system involved in rice farming is given in the museum back where one starts. It is a distinctive and difficult topic, but the films they play offer a relatively level-headed take. The area is very swampy now; I got outside of the house and thought to wander around and take pictures, but was immediately beset by flies. Fortunately, I had the luxury of my car. Seeing these places in person makes one wonder how anyone ever lived and labored here without modern conveniences. There's plenty of food for thought.