Cumberland Island, Georgia’s largest and southernmost barrier island, boasts a truly remarkable range of natural wonders. With its twisty oak trees draped in Spanish moss, wild horses, mansion ruins, undeveloped marshland and beaches, the island has something for everyone. Unplug and camp among the palms for an otherworldly escape!
Where to Stay
If you want to stay the night on Cumberland Island (and you definitely do!), your best bet is to tent camp. Sleep under the live oak canopy at Sea Camp, or hike a couple miles further to Stafford Beach. Both campgrounds offer drinkable water and bathrooms with cold showers. You can also book the wilderness campsites in the north but I haven’t stayed up there so if you have, please share your experience with me!
Tips
- Reserve your spot at one of the campgrounds in advance at Recreation.gov.
- All sites are walk-to and you’ll want to pack anything you might want while there. There are no stores on the island.
- Make sure one of the things you pack is bug repellent!
- No carts or wheeled coolers can be used past Sea Camp.
Getting There
There are no roads to Cumberland Island. To get there, catch a ferry from St. Marys. Boats depart at 9 and 11:45a.m. The ferry ride itself is a breezy 45 minutes, offering beautiful views of the coastal waters, seagrass and wildlife (there’s a good chance you’ll spot some dolphins!). You also get a sweet view of the west side of the island as you approach the dock.
If you’re flying in, the nearest airports are Jacksonville, FL and Savannah, GA.
I drove down the night before and stayed right outside of St. Marys to catch the earliest ferry to the island. If you’re also a ways away, I recommend crashing at a hotel the night before. Disclosure: This following contains an affiliate link, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Ferry Tips
- Buy your ferry ticket in advance.
- Be at the ferry an hour before departure.
- Only 10 bikes are allowed on board at a time.
- Keep your eyes peeled on the ride for dolphins!
Live Oaks
Stepping onto the island, you’re greeted by a Southern gothic vision of live oak trees covered in Spanish moss. The trees are stunted by the salty air, causing their branches to sprawl outward and creating a lush canopy.
The Beach
There are 17 miles of pristine beach to explore on the island, and because visitors are limited, it often feels like you have the beach to yourself. The sand dunes form a lovely transition between the forest and the ocean. Scan the sands for horseshoe crab remains, scurrying ghost crabs, and sea stars. If you’re lucky, you might see manatees and dolphins offshore. At night, you can sometimes see bioluminescent plankton.
This is also the only nationally protected beach I have visited that allows beachcombing! Treasure hunt for beautiful shells on the shore and head to the mounds at Raccoon Keys to look for shark teeth.
The Dungeness Ruins
The mansion ruins are now firmly in their nature reclaimation era, but they have had two opulent past lives. First, Dungeness was constructed as a four-story mansion by plantation owners in the late 1700s; it burned down in 1866. Then, the Carnegie family rebuilt it as a jumbo, 59-room mansion in the 1880s. The family abandoned it after the 1929 stock market crash, and Dungeness burned down once again in 1959. The Carnegies also built Greyfield Inn, the Stafford Plantation, and Plum Orchard. Plum Orchard was donated to the National Park Foundation and now has daily tours.
Wildlife
There is an estimated population of 150-200 feral horses on Cumberland Island. They are non-native but they are definitely the showstoppers of island wildlife. I almost cried when we first saw a family of horses walking under the oaks!
I read that “armadillo” is Spanish for “little armored one,” which is just the sweetest name (I like “possum on the half-shell” too but it’s less sweet). We saw so many of these guys rooting around in the forest and had a couple at our campsite.
Other animals on the island include sea turtles, alligators, egrets, herons, deer, turkeys, and wild hogs.
Cost
Cumberland Island isn’t the cheapest of weekend getaways, but it is worth every penny. My boyfriend and I swung this trip for $140, or $70 per person. Here’s our breakdown (2024):
- Camping permit: $20 for our Saturday-Sunday at Sea Camp. (The same night would have been $12 at Stafford Beach, $9 at one of the Wilderness sites.)
- Ferry: $40, or $20 per person. It’s an additional +$10 if you bring your bike.
- Park Pass: $30, or $15 per person.
- Gas: $30
- Food/Drink: $20, or $10 per person
What’s Nearby?
- Jacksonville – 45 minutes
- Savannah and Tybee Island – 2-ish hours
Camping on Cumberland Island is like stepping into another world where nature reigns supreme, and you’re free from the noise of ‘real’ life (for real- I had no reception). Whether you’re lounging on the beach, hiking or biking the forest trails, or hunting for shark teeth, you’ll be glad for your time there.
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