Things to do / Travel Guide
Searching for the non-tourist trap? Here are some good suggestions for Georgia and South Carolina destinations and activities off the beaten path.
Off the Beaten Path in Inland Georgia
The Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton is a memorial to local Joel Chandler Harris, who gained notoriety as the author of several Uncle Remus books which retold African American folk tales about Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, and Brer Fox - these stories were later recreated in Disney's “Songs of the South.” The museum is housed in former slave cabins and is open daily.
At the corner of Dearing Street and Finley Street near downtown Athens lies The Tree That Owns Itself. The large white oak is actually the progeny of the original tree, which was felled by high winds in 1942. The original tree was so beloved by Colonel W.H. Jackson, that he executed the following deed: “For and in consideration of the great love I bear this tree and the great desire I have for its protection for all time, I convey entire possession of itself and the land within eight feet of it on all sides.”
The best and most interesting hostel in the region is located on the mainland across from the Golden Isles, in the community of Brunswick. The Hostel in the Forest is lost in time among the live oaks and Spanish moss; most people come for a night and stay for a week because of the unique atmosphere surrounding it all. The rooms at this unique hostel are literally in the trees - this must be one of the few accommodations in the world where guests stay in actual tree houses. A spirit of communal living pervades, from community dinners to partially-open showers.
Off the Beaten Path in Savannah
Flannery O'Connor was born in Savannah, across LaFayette Square at 207 East Charlton Street. The Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home was the home of this famous Southern author until the age of 13, and it is open to the public free of charge on the weekends. After leaving Savannah, her family moved to Atlanta and then to Milledgeville. Flannery left to Iowa and then to New York, but after contracting lupus she returned to Milledgeville and the family farm called Andalusia; it was here that she completed “Wise Blood” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” Andalusia is open for tours, but call ahead to reserve.
The First African Baptist Church, located on Franklin Square at 23 Montgomery Street in Savannah is quite literally the first African American Baptist church. Established by George Leile, a slave who was permitted by his master to preach to other slaves, the brick building was the first structure to ever be owned by African Americans; the pews inside were built by African slaves before the Civil War.
Off the Beaten Path on Georgia's Barrier Isles
Sapelo Island is located a little more than 50 miles south of Savannah and is the fourth-largest of Georgia's barrier islands. An isolated group from the Gullah community still inhabits a small hamlet on the island called Hog's Hammock. They are direct descendants of the slaves that once worked the rice plantation island. R.J. Reynolds actually owned the island for 30 years from 1934 to 1964. Visitors can tour his mansion (called the “Big House”) and it's also possible to arrange overnight lodging as well. The island is only reachable via daily ferry service.
Looking for some good ruins to scare your group with? Dungeness Ruins is the site of not one, but two great mansions that burned to the ground a century apart. The first was built in the late 18th century and served as stomping grounds for Georgian elites until the Civil War. It was substantially burned out in 1866. The second was built in the 1880s by Thomas Carnegie and burned to the ground in 1959. You can visit and scout around the massive leaf and ivy-covered edifice. Doorways, chimneys, and even a second story are still intact.
Off the Beaten Path in South Carolina
Beaufort is a beautiful little city with lots of book and movie credits. If you're a Pat Conroy fan, you'll recognize the place for its appearances in “The Great Santini,” “The Lords of Discipline,” and “The Prince of Tides,” among others. Plenty of movies have been filmed in the city also: “Forrest Gump” and “The Big Chill” stand out. The historic areas make for a perfect weekend destination, and one good activity is to spot the places from the books and movies.
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