Georgia's St. Simons And Cumberland Islands

There are well over a dozen prominent barrier islands off the coast of Georgia, and they come in all shapes, sizes and personalities.

- Michael Schuman

But unlike hors d’oeuvres, these islands are best taken in full doses. Trying to explore more than one in a day could lead to burnout, information overload and visual indigestion.

A two-day trip is a sufficient amount of time to visit two islands that are mirror opposites. Cumberland Island National Seashore looks about as it did in 1972, when the U.S. Congress designated it as a national seashore. St. Simons Island, which is just an hour’s drive north, has modernized over time but claims a rich Colonial American history.

Cumberland Island National Seashore

Visitors reach Cumberland Island by ferry — no cars are allowed. (As such, ferry reservations are strongly recommended at cumberlandislandferry.com.) Once on the island, most visitors do one of two things: Take a six-hour, guided van tour that reaches all corners of the island; or visit the island via foot power, tackling all or part of the 4.3-mile, self-guided Southend Loop trail.