Fodor's Expert Review Isle of Hope

In 1736, General James Oglethorpe, who founded the colony of Georgia, parceled out 1,500 acres along the Intracoastal Waterway on the condition that the owners would help defend the city. The northernmost tract, today known as the Isle of Hope, was bequeathed to Henry Parker, who became the first acting governor in 1752. In the 1840s, the island had become a popular community for summer homes and, by 1875, the terminus for the Savannah, Skidaway, and Seaboard railroads, three major transit routes that transported travelers from far up the east coast and across the South. Today, the horseshoe-shape island provides sweeping views and cool breezes from almost any point along the bluff, as well as an array of beautiful, historic homes.