Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island, the biggest and southernmost of Georgia's barrier islands, has a fascinating past and stunning scenery. To reach here, you'll need to take a ferry from the adjacent town of St. Marys, but the trip is well worth it. When you get there, you'll find more than 17 miles of isolated beaches and approximately 10,000 acres of wilderness that has been protected. Numerous historical monuments on Cumberland Island also tell the tale of the Carnegie family, enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, and other people who formerly called the island home, including the Plum Orchard Mansion, the First African Baptist Church, and the Dungeness Ruins.

Off the coast of the Southeast United States, Cumberland Island, one of the Best Places to Visit in Georgia, is the largest of the Sea Islands. On October 23, 1972, President Richard Nixon created the Cumberland Island National Seashore. Only the National Park Ferry or private boats can get there, but the journey is definitely worth it. The boat voyage takes around 45 minutes and departs from Saint Mary's, Georgia.

Rankings:

• #5 in Best Places to Visit in Georgia

Location: Georgia