Top Reasons to Go

Saltwater marshes: Fringing the coastline, waist-high grasses transform both sunlight and shadow with their lyrical textures and shapes.

Geechee culture: Vestiges of Georgia's Black Republic, an independent state of freed slaves established on the barrier islands in the mid-19th century, remain at the Sapelo Island settlement of Hog Hammock.

Horses of Cumberland: Some 200 feral horses, descendants of horses abandoned by the Spanish in the 1500s, roam the wilderness of Cumberland Island.

Luxurious escapes: Jekyll Island was originally the exclusive winter retreat of America's exceptionally rich, but today it's open to all.

Go for a ride: Jekyll Island has 25 miles of paved bike paths that traverse salt marshes, maritime forests, beaches, and the island's ever-charming National Historic Landmark District.