We loved exploring the little parks of Savannah, each with their own fountains or historical monuments

How much did we really know about Georgia?  Well…not very much.  Sure, Atlanta is a very high profile and internationally recognised city, major businesses, sporting teams, an airline hub.  And there’s Augusta Georgia, home to the world’s most prestigious golf tournament, the Masters.  Savannah Georgia is one of those beautiful old preserved cities from the 18^th centuries, I think.  But after that it’s a bit thin. Julie and I were going to be spending a few days passing through Georgia along its Atlantic coastline and we were keen to get Georgia on our mind.

Within 15 miles of crossing the border from Florida we had parked the car and boarded a ferry for a day trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore, one of the large barrier islands that line this long coastline.  The island has a fascinating history, including home to Nathanael Greene, one of the heroes of the Revolutionary War, and the long time home of the extended Carnegie family, starting with Thomas Carnegie in 1884.

Cumberland Island was covered in a thick forest of Live Oaks draped in Spanish Moss and Palmetto palms

The island had more than 100 wild horses roaming freely

We spent a day on the island, exploring the ruins from the Carnegie mansion called Dungeness, admiring the wild horses (or brumbies in the Australian language), walking the jungle trails that weave amongst the huge live oaks draped in Spanish moss and loving a long stroll on the wide flat ocean beach on its eastern shoreline.  Cumberland Island was a big hit for us, a bit of history, a bit of nature, something completely different.

The Carnegie mansion called Dungeness now lies in ruins but it must have been quite a site 100 years ago

We walked across the island over some sand dunes to the ocean side

With plenty of time and the sun shining we were in no hurry

We had never heard of Cumberland Island but it had been recommended by a friend and we loved the mix of history and nature

We moved up the Georgia coastline to the famous old river city of Savannah. Rich in history, architecture, river commerce and that beautiful southern drawl, Savannah today represents one of the finest examples of what life was like in the South a couple of hundred years ago.   Savannah was founded by British settlers in 1733 and remained a strong British outpost through most of the Revolutionary War.  It became an important port for the slave trade and was a vital city for the Confederates during the Civil War.

Many of the homes in Savannah date back to the late 19th century and the streets are lined with beautiful old trees

Today people come to Savannah for its beautiful historic buildings, the many parks, its cobblestone streets and its vibrant river walk area.  The historic part of Savannah covers most of the downtown area we were able to cover most of it on foot.  The city is laid out with a series of small parks, or squares, usually commemorating a famous war hero or patriot of the original Georgia colony, and sits on the banks of the navigable Savannah River.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, one of dozens of churches in Savannah

Julie and I explored many of these little parks and walked up and down the banks of the river.  We gained a good sense of the history of the place by reading its numerous historic landmark signs and enjoyed the quiet little leafy squares.  We skipped the river cruises and the trolley tours and instead opted for the long walk on a warm afternoon.

The Savannah River has made the city a valuable port but it also is a strong tourist attraction

Our time in Georgia was brief but we enjoyed our time there, visiting some beautiful places and gaining a much better appreciation of its role in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.  But the clock keeps ticking and before we knew it we were in South Carolina heading for another historic town of the south – Charleston.