A Bargain Beach Trip to Cumberland Island
There is a place along the Georgia coast to truly get away from it all without spending a fortune. Cumberland Island, situated on the Georgia coast, is one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean. It has almost 10,000 acres protected by the National Park Service, and as you can imagine, that means lots of unspoiled beaches, including an eerily beautiful coastal boneyard of graying windswept trees on the south end of the island.
How to Experience Cumberland Island on a Budget
There are two ways to experience Cumberland Island inexpensively. Visitors can come for the day or camp overnight. Day visitors and campers reach the island via the Cumberland Island Ferry from the Cumberland Island Visitor's Center in St. Marys, Georgia, and are brought to the Sea Camp Dock. Ferry times are limited and vary depending on the time of year, so be sure to check times before you go so you don’t miss the last boat back to the mainland.
Ferry and campsite reservations can be made up to six months in advance. Read these tips for How to Plan Your Best Camping Trip to Cumberland Island.
Know Before You Go
A visit to Cumberland Island takes some preparation as visitors are limited, and there are no concessions on the island. Start planning and make reservations through the Cumberland Island National Seashore website. The site offers lots of tips for a great visit and information on seasonal tours and activities, so spend some time exploring online before heading out.
Expect to walk a lot on the island. Cumberland Island is not stroller-friendly, so pack the little ones, leave them home, or wait a few years until they can get around on their own.
That said, the Junior Ranger program is a wonderful way for kids 5-12 (and kids at heart) to learn about the island, and it’s free. Guests can also collect free trading cards from the Sea Camp Ranger Station. The cards tell a little history of the island and are an inexpensive keepsake.
Biking to Dungeness Ruins
To truly explore the island, you need a good pair of walking shoes, and a bike if you'd like to cover more ground. You can bring your own bike, but space is limited on the ferry, so plan ahead to reserve your spot.
Our favorite destination on Cumberland Island is the Dungeness Ruins, the remains of Lucy Carnegie's island mansion. They are within walking distance of the ferry dock. Lucy, whose husband Thomas was the brother and business partner of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, once owned 90 percent of Cumberland Island and built grand homes for her children, including Greyfield, which is now an Inn.
The main home at Dungeness was burned in a fire. The island's feral horses still like to munch the grass on the front lawn. Be sure to check out the outbuildings, as well. I found the laundry fascinating, not only because of the cleaning machines on display but also because of the innovations in cooling. It must have been sweltering hot to wash clothes in the heat of a Georgia summer. However, the air in Dungeness' laundry was probably (relatively) cool because of the height of the ceiling and fans that pulled the hot air out of the building.
