How to Travel Sustainably in an EV on the Georgia Coast

With more than 100 miles of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean, Georgia’s coast is known for its unspoiled landscapes, natural beauty, and unique wildlife. Many islands — including Jekyll, Little St. Simons, and Cumberland — are committed to preserving the area’s resources for future generations. Driving an electric vehicle (EV) to visit these sustainable havens is one way to contribute to these conservation efforts.

Charging stations are readily accessible on the larger, more densely populated islands (Tybee, Jekyll, and St. Simons), making them the best home bases for exploring the region in an EV. Fully charge up overnight before setting out for the day to experience the wonders of the Georgia coast. From luxury resorts and outdoor activities in family-friendly Jekyll Island to hiking and ecology tours in remote destinations of Little St. Simons and Cumberland Island, navigate the Golden Isles in your EV with this itinerary.

Jekyll Island

Easily accessible by car, Jekyll Island remains largely unspoiled due to restrictions on development and a commitment to protecting the area’s natural resources, including more than 1,000 acres of mature maritime forest, fragile dune systems, and nesting loggerhead turtles. Visitors can experience these nature-based educational and recreational opportunities first-hand at several places on the island.

Whether bringing your own EV or renting a two-, four-, or six-passenger EV from Red Bug Motors at the Jekyll Island Airport, the island offers several charging stations for powering up along the way. Or, rent a bike from several local outposts like Jekyll Wheels to pedal along 25 miles of paved paths through verdant trees, sand dunes, and beaches.

Visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the state’s only rehabilitation and education facility for the endangered animals that nest on the island in the spring and summer. Explore interactive exhibits and take a behind-the-scenes tour for an up-close look at the center’s important work in preserving Jekyll’s ecology. Gatolorgy offers another hands-on ecology experience, with ranger-led tours about the American alligator’s history in the area, unique biology, and the island’s conservation efforts dedicated to the awe-inspiring reptile. Rangers also lead seasonal tours, including maritime forest ecology and bald eagle nest viewing tour to get up close to an active nest, learn about the island’s unique vegetation communities, and see wildlife research and preservation efforts in-action.

Book a stay at the Jekyll Island Club Resort, a former hunting retreat for wealthy industrialists who vacationed on the island and part of the 250-acre Historic Landmark District. Today, the luxury property has Tesla chargers for guests and five distinct types of accommodations. End the day with marsh views and local seafood as well as oysters, burgers, and other hearty fare at The Wharf, the resort’s laid-back restaurant.

Little St. Simons

Get fully immersed in nature on Little St. Simons, with 11,000 acres of untamed wilderness just northeast of its larger sister island, St. Simons. Book a stay at The Lodge, a historic, intimate property known for its eco-friendly practices, such as collecting rain in barrels, composting food scraps, offering guests reusable water bottles, and providing a Tesla EV charging station. The all-inclusive stay includes accommodations in either an individual guest room or one- to four-bedroom cottage, plus amenities like a saltwater pool and three daily chef-prepared meals made with ingredients sourced from the onsite garden as well as local farmers.

Explore the saltwater marshes and beaches with a bike cruiser or kayak, or grab a pair of binoculars to spot more than 250 species of resident and migrating birds, including bald eagles, wood storks, and painted buntings. Guest stays also include expert, ecologist-guided tours ranging from creek fishing for sea trout and flounder and hiking through 25 miles of wilderness trails to kayak paddling through coastal marshes and a dolphin-spotting, pontoon-boat excursion.

Cumberland Island

The largest and southernmost of Georgia’s barrier islands, Cumberland Island is one of the state’s most exclusive and private destinations. Most of the island comprises the Cumberland Island National Seashore, a federally protected recreational area that remains nearly 75 percent wild. With one of the most unique and extensive ecosystems on the Atlantic Coast, the island’s salt marshes, beachfront, and maritime forest are endlessly fascinating to explore.

Because of conservation efforts and its remote location, Cumberland Island is only accessible via private plane or ferry, the latter of which departs from St. Marys, Georgia. Book a room at the Spencer House Inn Bed & Breakfast in St. Marys, a property that dates back to the late 19th century and is within walking distance of the ferry. The inn has two EV chargers: one Tesla station with up to 58 miles of charge per hour and an additional one — compatible with all vehicles — that charges up to 46 miles of range per hour. Each of the 14 intimate guest rooms is individually decorated in bright fabrics with warm wooden furniture and private baths, some with clawfoot soaking tubs.

Guests can enjoy a full breakfast buffet of treats like peaches ‘n cream bread pudding and sour cream coffee cake before departing for Cumberland. Make reservations in advance, as visitors are limited to 300 per day to preserve the island’s serenity and fragile ecology. Spencer House will even supply a picnic lunch for your journey — think sub sandwiches, fresh fruits, cold drinks, and on-the-go snacks like trail mix and crackers, complete with napkins, hand wipes, and a trash bag, all packed in an insulated, soft-sided cooler.

Once on the island, stop at the Ice House Museum, originally built around 1900 to store large quantities of ice shipped for the Carnegie Estate, and now a self-guided museum run by the National Park Service with historical, archeological, and cultural exhibits. Many of the island’s historic landmarks, like the Dungeness Ruins, are accessible via a hike or bicycle ride along a 50-plus-mile trail network.

Or book a guided historical tour with Molly’s Old South Tours that stop at the ruins of the Carnegies’ Gilded Age-era mansion, the marsh-side gravesite of Revolutionary War general Light-Horse Harry Lee, and the island’s oldest building, built more than 200 years ago by another Revolutionary War hero, Nathanael Greene. Advanced reservations are recommended for the two-hour tours, which depart daily at 12:30 p.m. at the Dungeness Dock every day the ferry runs.

Visit other island highlights via the Lands and Legacies Tour. This six-hour guided excursion includes historic sites like the Settlement/First African Baptist Church where John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married in a secret ceremony in 1996, Cumberland Island Wharf, and Plum Orchard Mansion, before taking the ferry back to Spencer House for refreshing peach sweet tea on the sweeping veranda.