Adventure Guide to the Georgia and Carolina Coasts

368 Pages·2000·4.322 MB·English

by  Blair Howard, Norman Renouf, Kathy Renouf

dv enture GuideTMto
The
G e o r g i a &
C a r o l i n a C o a s t s
2nd Edition
Blair Howard, Norman Renouf & Kathy Renouf
HUNTER
HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.
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IN CANADA
Ulysses Travel Publications
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ISBN 1-55650-890-5
© 2000 Hunter Publishing, Inc.
Maps by Lissa K. Dailey, © 2000 Hunter Publishing, Inc.
Cover photo: Edisto Island, SC. Beachfront homes at sunset.
Eric Horan/Index Stock
For complete information about the hundreds of other travel guides
offered by Hunter Publishing, visit our Web site at:
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Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproduced,transmit-
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book is correct, but the publisher and authors do not assume, and
herebydisclaim,liabilitytoanypartyforlossordamagecausedbyer-
rors,omissions,misleadinginformationorpotentialproblemscaused
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sult of negligence, accident or any other cause.
4 3 2 1
Contents
Introduction 1
Geography 1
The Low Country 1
Wildlife 2
Climate 3
Major Cities 3
Getting Around 4
Safety 5
History 16
The Georgia & Carolina Coasts Today 18
How To Use This Book 19
Adventures 21
GEORGIA 39
Savannah & Tybee Island 39
History of Savannah 39
Savannah Today 40
Climate 41
Getting Here 42
Getting Around 42
Sightseeing 43
Historic District 43
Tours 45
Churches 46
Fort Pulaski 47
Touring the Fort 47
Historic Houses 50
Museums 52
Tybee Island 53
Private Homes & Gardens 54
Public Parks & Open Spaces 55
Adventures 56
On Water 56
Fishing 56
Kayaking 58
Cruises 58
Eco/Cultural Adventures 59
In the Air 59
Midway Between Savannah & Statesboro 59
Spas & Fitness Centers 60
Where to Stay 60
Savannah 60
Tybee Island 62
Where to Eat 63
Savannah 63
Tybee Island 65
Visitor Information 65
iv (cid:1) Contents
Brunswick & the Golden Isles 66
The Ecology of the Georgia Coast 66
Visitor Information 68
St. Simons Island 69
History 69
Sightseeng 71
Christ Church 71
Lighthouse & Museum 71
Fort Frederica National Monument 72
The Battle of Bloody Marsh 74
Private Homes & Gardens 74
National Historic District 74
Museums 75
Plantations 75
Adventures 76
On Foot 76
Shopping 76
On Wheels 77
Cycling 77
Trolley Ride 77
On Water 77
Airboats, Jet Skiing & Parasailing 77
Diving 78
Fishing 79
Kayaking 79
Motor Yacht Charters 79
In the Air 80
Eco/Cultural Adventures 80
Where to Stay 81
Where to Eat 81
Visitor Information 82
Sea Island 82
History 82
Adventures 83
On Foot 83
Golf 83
Shooting 84
Tennis 84
On Wheels 84
Bicycling 84
On Water 84
Boat Rentals & Boat Rides 84
Fishing 84
On Horseback 85
Spas & Fitness Centers 85
Where to Stay 85
Where to Eat 86
Little St. Simons Island 86
Adventures 86
On Foot 86
Beaches 86
Contents (cid:1) v
Trails 87
On Water 88
By Boat 88
Fishing 88
Eco/Cultural Adventures 88
Where to Stay 90
Jekyll Island 92
History 92
Sightseeng 97
National Historic Landmark District 97
Adventures 97
On Foot 97
Beaches 97
Golf 98
Hiking 98
Shopping 98
Tennis 99
On Wheels 99
On Water 99
Boating 99
Water Park 100
On Horseback 100
Eco/Cultural Adventures 100
Turtles 101
Where to Stay 102
Camping 103
Where to Eat 103
Visitor Information 104
Brunswick 104
History 104
Getting Here & Getting Around 105
Adventures 105
On Foot 105
Shopping 105
The Fort King George Historic Site 107
On Water 108
Casino Cruise 108
Fishing 108
Eco/Cultural Adventures 108
The Marshes of Glynn 108
Where to Stay 109
Cumberland Island & St.Marys 109
History 109
Cumberland Island & St. Marys Today 110
Getting Here 110
Sightseeng 110
Visitor Information 111
Adventures 111
Eco/Cultural Adventures 111
Where to Stay 111
Cumberland Island 111
vi (cid:1) Contents
St. Marys 112
Camping 112
Cumberland Island 112
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 112
The Water 113
Habitats 113
The American Alligator 113
Other Wildlife 114
Getting Here 114
Adventures 114
Eco/Cultural Adventures 114
State Parks 114
Swamp Park 115
Where to Stay 116
Folkston 116
Camping & Cabins 116
Where to Eat 116
NORTH CAROLINA 119
History 119
Geography 123
Climate 124
Recreation 124
The Outer Banks 124
The Natural History of the Outer Banks 126
History 127
Weather & Storms 128
Getting Here & Getting Around 128
Special Events 129
Visitor Information 130
Lighthouses 130
Shopping 130
Adventures 131
On Wheels 131
Off-Road 131
Bicycling 133
On Water 133
Fishing 133
Swimming 137
Wreck Diving 137
Beach Diving 138
Touring the Outer Banks 139
Corolla 139
Sightseeing 140
Currituck Beach Lighthouse 140
Adventures in Corolla 140
On Wheels 140
Where to Stay in Corolla 141
Where to Eat in Corolla 141
Duck 142
Adventures in Duck 142
On Foot 142
Contents (cid:1) vii
Shopping 142
Where to Stay in Duck 144
Where to Eat in Duck 144
Kitty Hawk 146
Adventures in Kitty Hawk 146
On Foot 146
Golf 146
On Water 146
Fishing 146
Where to Eat in Kitty Hawk 148
Kill Devil Hills 148
Sightseeng 148
Wright Brothers National Memorial 148
Adventures in Kill Devil Hills 148
On Foot 148
Shopping 148
On Water 149
Fishing 149
In the Air 149
Air Tours 149
Eco/Cultural Adventures 151
Colington Island 151
Where to Eat in Kill Devil Hills 151
Nags Head 152
Sightseeing in Nags Head 152
Jockey’s Ridge State Park 152
Adventures in Nags Head 154
On Water 154
Dive Shops 154
Dolphin Watch 154
Fishing Piers 155
Tackle 155
In the Air 156
Hang Gliding & More 156
Where to Stay in Nags Head 157
Where to Eat in Nags Head 157
Roanoke Island 158
Manteo 158
Sightseeing 160
The North Carolina Aquarium 160
Festival Park 160
Outdoor Drama 161
Gardens 162
Adventures on Roanoke Island 162
On Foot 162
Shopping 162
On Water 164
Fly & Light Tackle Fishing 164
Sailing 164
viii (cid:1) Contents
Eco/Cultural Adventures 165
Canoeing 165
Where to Stay on Roanoke Island 165
Where to Eat on Roanoke Island 167
Back To The Banks 167
Cape Hatteras National Seashore 168
Adventures on Cape Hatteras 168
On Foot 168
Hiking 168
Camping on Cape Hatteras 170
Cape Hatteras National Seashore 170
Bodie Island 170
Sightseeing on Bodie Island 171
The Bodie Island Lighthouse 171
Adventures on Bodie Island 171
On Foot 171
Beaches 171
On Water 172
Deep-Sea Fishing 172
Eco/Cultural Adventures 172
Marshes 172
Hatteras Island 172
Sightseeing 173
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 173
Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station 174
Frisco Museum & Natural History Center 174
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum 175
Adventures 175
On Water 175
Diving 175
Fishing 175
Windsurfing 176
Eco/Cultural Adventures 176
Nature Trail 176
Underwater Marine Sanctuary 177
Wildlife Refuge 177
Ocracoke Island 178
Getting Here & Getting Around 179
Sightseeng on Ocracoke Island 180
Ocracoke Lighthouse 180
Pirates 180
Adventures on Ocracoke Island 180
On Water 180
Boat Rentals 180
Fishing 181
Sailing 181
Eco/Cultural Adventures 182
Kayaking 182
Wild Ponies 182
Contents (cid:1) ix
Where to Stay on Ocracoke Island 182
Where to Eat on Ocracoke Island 183
Creswell 183
Getting Here & Getting Around 184
Adventures 184
On Foot 184
Hunting 184
Eco/Cultural Adventures 184
Wildlife Refuge 184
Where to Stay 185
The Crystal Coast 185
Beaufort 185
Morehead City 186
Swansboro 187
Getting Here & Getting Around 188
Sightseeing 189
Beaufort 189
Bogue Banks 190
Atlantic Beach 191
Adventures 192
On Foot 192
Hunting & Shooting 192
On Water 192
Catamaran 192
Diving 192
Fishing 193
Deep Sea Fishing 193
Fly-Fishing & Light Tackle 193
Kayaking 194
Yachting 195
In The Air 196
Eco/Cultural Adventures 196
Between Morehead City & Swansboro 196
Where to Stay 196
Atlantic Beach 196
Beaufort 197
Cape Carteret 197
Camping 198
Where to Eat 198
Atlantic Beach 198
Beaufort 198
Morehead City 198
Visitor Information 199
Wilmington & Wrightsville Beach 199
History 199
Getting Here & Getting Around 203
Sightseeing 203
Wilmington 203
Historic Buildings 203
Museums 206
Adventures 207
On Water 207