Coastal Georgia In Southern Living!!!

Darien's Open Gates B&B is on the cover.

Click This Link for the Article:

Day 2: St. Simon’s Island

Clean up at the The Village Inn & Pub (pictured) (villageinnandpub.com or 912/634-6056 (doubles from $99) on St. Simons Island, a 28-room boutique hotel designed around a restored 1930 beach cottage, with a pub that doubles as an island meeting place.

For dinner, go local with some of the best Brunswick stew (the area’s namesake staple) and ’cue at Southern Soul Barbeque (southernsoulbbq.com or 912/638-7685).

The Blessing of the Fleet

Here is an article on the Blessing of the Fleet. I will post my pictures later. My favorite event every year!



Darien's Blessing of the Fleet is listed among top 10 events in Georgia on a Web site called Top Events USA.

It shows the Blessing of the Fleet as the third of 10 best events of the year after the Martin Luther King March and Rally in Atlanta and the Cherry Blossom Festival in Conyers.

"A tradition for over 40 years, the Blessing of the Fleet is a three-day festival that attracts thousands of people to Darien," www.topeventsusa.com says.

Rightly so, said McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce President Wally Orrel.

The 41st annual event, which runs from Friday through Sunday on the Darien waterfront, will swell the population of the small city 20-fold, he said.

"Darien has a population of 1,700," Orrel noted. "We're expecting 35,000, so we're going to be bulging at the seams."

Blessing of the Fleet events include music from nationally known acts, vendors, arts and crafts, a parade, food, a 5-kilometer race, a classic car show and, of course, the shrimp boat parade on the Darien River.

"What makes this festival so great is that we pay tribute to the fishing industry," Orrel said. "There are decades of tradition, and this year, the theme is, 'Still Shrimping After All of These Years.'"

Darien Mayor Kelly Spratt said the Blessing of the Fleet brings national attention to the city and McIntosh County, while paying homage to an important aspect of the area's history.

"It certainly puts us on the map," she said. "It's an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our heritage and our natural resources."

Two dozen shrimp boats are expected to participate in the water parade and be blessed by a Catholic priest and protestant clergy at the Darien River bridge, Orrel said.

"We can't find anyplace else in the world that has a larger shrimp boat parade," he said. "It's a gorgeous event, very picturesque."

The expected large crowd will provide an economic boost to Darien and McIntosh County. An economic impact study carried out by Georgia Southern University projects $800,000 to $1.8 million going into local coffers, Orrel said.

The festival will begin at 5 p.m. Friday when vendor booths open. Well-known McIntosh County singer-songwriter Vic Waters will take to the waterfront stage at 7 p.m. Friday. Country recording artist Rhett Akins will follow at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday's events include a parade at 10 a.m. and a shrimp-eating contest at 4 p.m. The Sensational Sounds of Motown will entertain from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by a fireworks display.

The shrimp boat parade is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, with the festival closing out with an awards ceremony at 4 p.m.

Admission for waterfront events Friday and Saturday is $5 for those 13 and over and free for those 12 and younger who are accompanied by a paying adult. The price of admission includes the musical entertainment on the festival stage.

New to the event this year is a photo contest.

Amateur photographers are encouraged to take pictures of people and scenery during the festival and submit them to photocontest@blessingof thefleet.com. The best will be posted on the event's Web site.

For a complete schedule of events, go to www.blessingof thefleet.com.

Cumberland Island

Even though I grew up in Coastal Georgia, I traveled to the shores of Cumberland Island for the first time. I think Sapelo Island is magical, but Cumberland has the same simple atmosphere. It is easier to envision yourself in another time period when on Cumberland.

I first toured St. Marys, which is a very charming little town. I definitely would recommend any restaurant or bed and breakfast in downtown St. Marys. There are also some very cute shops. For the history lover, the neighborhood, churches, and Orange Hall Museum are a breath of fresh air. There is also a Cumberland Island Museum and Submarine Museum that I definitely want to try at a later date.

I caught the ferry early in the morning and took a peaceful ride to Cumberland. We first stopped at the ruins of Dungeness. The original tabby house was built by Revolutionary War Hero Nathaniel Greene's wife Catherine. She built the home with her second husband Phineas Miller.

Thomas and Lucy Carnegie (brother to Andrew) started buying land on the island in the 1880s. In 1884, they built a 59 room Scottish castle replica on the site of the old Dungeness. The ruins are a testament to the old house, but also a really good picture of the remnants of the Gilded Age. We saw the famous horses right at the ruins of Dungeness. The outbuildings maintained by the National Parks Service were very picturesque. Also the remnants of old rusted cars were actually a little sad.

Because this was a private tour, we were allowed to go to the Greyfield Inn. I would LOVE to stay there. Fellas if you want to impress the Ladies, this is certainly one of the places that would work. They offer great food, atmosphere, and tours.

My short tour to this island lasted only 5 hours, but it was only a glimpse of the possiblities. I am already making plans for my next trip...

The picture was taken by Carl Eggerson and features my partner in crime for the day Andy.

Cumberland Island Info:
http://www.nps.gov/cuis/

Greyfield Inn:
http://www.greyfieldinn.com/

St. Marys:
http://www.stmaryswelcome.com/

Fun Things to Do In Savannah

17th Annual Savannah Irish Festival
February 13 - 15
Phone: 912.232.3448
Admission: 5
Location: Savannah Civic Center
Visit the Web Site | Add to Tour Guide

The 17th Annual Savannah Irish Festival will take place February 13-15, 2009 at the Savannah Civic Center at Montgomery and Oglethorpe Streets in historic downtown Savannah. The festival begins Friday night with a Ceili in the Civic Center Ballroom from 6:30-9 p.m. Those who attend the Ceili will be taught how to Irish folk dance in large groups. On Saturday, the festival will run from 10:30 a.m.- 8 p.m. On Sunday, the festival will begin at Noon and run until 7 p.m.

Four stages of continuous entertainment bring fun for the entire family throughout the weekend.

The Festival Main Stage acts and the Festival Pub Stage acts include some of the top Irish traditional acts in the world along with performances by The St. Vincent's Academy Chorale, two schools of Irish Dancers, The Pride of Ireland and the Irish Dancers of Savannah. The Children's Stage features a free arts and crafts area for kids as well as ongoing entertainment geared towards children. The Festival Cultural Stage will provide discussions on various topics of Irish History, Irish Literature and Irish Music. Attendees can also browse the vendor booths and sample food prepared by Savannah's many Irish Organizations.

The weekend will be filled with music and plenty of Irish Dancing. Please join us this year for Valentine's Day weekend. Stroll through our romantic city and enjoy the largest Irish Festival in the South.

Southern Women's Show
February 6 - 8
Phone: 800.849.0248
Admission: 9
Location: Savannah International Trade and Convention Center
Visit the Web Site | Add to Tour Guide

One of the most highly anticipated events in Savannah, the annual Southern Women's Show attracts thousands of local women each year for three jam-packed days of fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, beauty tips, health screenings, decorating ideas and personal growth opportunities - all tailored especially for women - as well as celebrity appearances.

185th Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 17 - 17
Phone: 912.233.4804
Admission: 0
Location: Savannah Historic District
Visit the Web Site | Add to Tour Guide

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the 185th Annual Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade! It is the second largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the country.
Savannah Music Festival
http://www.savannahmusicfestival.org/

Blue Heron Inn Featured in Palm Beach Post

End-of-season road trip!
9 great B&B detours off I-95 for northbound drivers

By MARY THURWACHTER

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Heading north and dreading the tiresome drive on Interstate 95?

Down by the river-side: The Riverdale Inn has its own restaurant and pub, and is within walking distance of Jacksonville's Cummer Museum of Art.

Birdwatchers paradise: The other side of this B&B in Darien, Ga. (The Blue Heron Inn), faces the marshland and provides a perfect perch for watching birds.

Greenspring Valley jewel: The Gramercy Mansion, an English Tudor bed-and- breakfast in Baltimore County, has lovely gardens set on 45 acres of woodlands.

Prepare to be pampered: At Abingdon Manor, guests are treated to turn-down service with chocolates and champagne. Bedrooms are fit for royalty.

5-star halfway house: Want upscale accommodations on the long road north? Stay at Abingdon Manor in Latta, S.C.


Cheers! Complimentary wine and cheese awaits guests at Richmond's Grace Manor.


Paws awhile: These adorable Yorkies are part of the meet-and-greet staff at the Grace Manor in Richmond.

Meadow Garden B&B in Annapolis, Md.

Garden view at Meadow Garden B&B in Annapolis, Md.

Dogwood tree branch at Meadow Garden B&B in Annapolis, Md.


Gramercy mansion in Maryland.

Can't blame you, really. Packing the car and paying at the pump are painful enough, not to mention long hours behind the wheel and putting up with road construction projects that try your patience and slow your progress.

This year, make the trip an adventure with some welcoming, unwinding pit stops along the way at bed-and-breakfast inns. Motel 6-type rest stops may save you a few bucks, but these gems will go far beyond leaving the light on for you; they'll toss in a great breakfast - fuel for the driver - to boot.

JACKSONVILLE'S RIVERDALE INN

Distance from West Palm Beach: 288 miles, 4 hours, 15 minutes

From I-95: Less than a mile.

Room rates: $100-$185

First stop: Book a room at the Riverdale Inn with its own Row Restaurant on site. Have a nightcap at the B&B's Gum Bunch Pub and sweet dreams are sure to follow.

Built in 1901, the mansion has solid heart-of-pine floors, wainscoting, crown moldings and spacious, beautifully decorated rooms, each with its own bath. Outdoors, the Riverdale has a shingled, painted façade, and the original curved columns that frame a wide veranda. A brick path leads guests through landscaping that duplicates the original garden.

Breakfast specials include sausage frittata, omelets and quiche.

For more information: Call (866) 808-3400 or see www.riverdaleinn.com.

If you have time to spare: Tour the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, which is known for its collections of European and American paintings and world-renowned collection of early Meissen porcelain. Within walking distance of the B&B on the banks of the St. Johns River, the museum has 2 acres of formal gardens.

BLUE HERON INN, DARIEN, GA.

Distance from West Palm Beach: 370 miles, 5 hours, 20 minutes

From I-95: 8 miles

Room rates: $95-$160.

Second stop: Like marshland and bird-watching? You're sure to like this inn. The three-story Spanish-style house, built in 1970, has four guest rooms with fabulous tidal creek and marsh views. We recommend the Blue Heron room with the king bed, double shower and Jacuzzi tub.

There's a deck outside perfect for watching the sunset. Innkeepers can arrange a kayaking trip or an offshore fishing excursion. For dinner, treat yourself to crispy flounder or crab cakes at Skippers Fish Camp or fresh shrimp at Sapelo Station Crossing.

Breakfast specialties at the Blue Heron include fresh shrimp omelets or praline French toast using Paula Deen's recipe.

Distance and travel time from Stop No. 1 in Jacksonville: 84 miles, 1 hour, 14 minutes

For more information: Call (912) 437-4304 or see www.blueheroninngacoast.com.

If you have time to spare: Take a ferry ($2-$10) over to Sapelo Island, where you can walk or bike ride and see oodles of shorebirds and an occasional gator, but not a lot of humans.

CHARLESTON'S RUTLEDGE VICTORIAN GUEST HOUSE

Distance from West Palm Beach: 525 miles, 7 hours, 48 minutes.

From I-95: 60 miles

Room rates: $149-$239

Third stop: Charleston, S.C. It's a bit of a drive from I-95 but worth it. Stay at the Rutledge Victorian Guest House in the historic district. Unwind in the tranquil atmosphere of bygone days with a glass of sherry on the B&B's 120-foot wrap-around veranda. Awaken in your comfy bed to the aroma of freshly brewed Charleston-blend coffee. Expect a plentiful, buffet- style breakfast with English scones, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, cereal, fresh juice and fruit served in the dining room.

For dinner, walk to Hominy Grill, a Charleston institution known for serving classic Southern specialties for pan-fried chicken or shrimp and grits.

Distance and travel time from Stop No. 2 in Darien, Ga.: 161 miles, 2 hours, 35 minutes

For more information: Call (888)722-7553 or see www.charles tonvictorian.com/

If you have time to spare: Shop on King Street. You can find anything from the latest Hermes scarf to Chinese export porcelain painted in the Green Fitzhugh pattern, circa 1800-30. Or, take a walking or carriage tour in this city with a rich history dating back to 1670, when settlers established Charles Town Landing.

HALFWAY BETWEEN WEST PALM BEACH AND NYC!

LATTA, S.C., ABINGDON MANOR

Distance from West Palm Beach: 620 miles, 8 hours, 54 minutes

From I-95: 5 miles

Room rates: $170-$185

Fourth stop: This opulent Greek Revival home east of I-95 is halfway between New York City and Palm Beach. Abingdon Manor is one of the few Florence-area lodgings to offer on-site evening dining and liquor service.

All seven guest rooms have fresh flowers, featherbeds (under the bottom sheet on top of firm mattress); Italian Frette linens, separate closet and dresser, iron and ironing board, full-length mirror and expanded cable television.

Those who stay here are treated to evening turndown with Champagne and chocolates, early-morning coffee and tea service, and a gourmet breakfast.

The inn's dining room has received AAA's Four Diamond Award for the past six years.

Dinner is served on imported crystal, Villeroy & Boch china, sterling silver, and you can listen to the melodies of Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Entrees change daily, depending on what is fresh and available.

Richly textured with herbs and vegetables from the B&B's gardens, meals include amuses-gueules, soup, salad, bread, sorbet, entree with accompaniments and dessert.

Dinner is $49.50 per person plus tax and 18 percent gratuity - and worth every penny!

Distance from Stop No. 3 in Darien, Ga.: 254 miles, 3 hours, 40 minutes

For more information: Call (888) 752-5090 or see www.abingdonmanor.com

If you have time to spare: You can find antiques shops and golf within 30 miles. South of the Border, a tacky but fun rest stop and roadside attraction near Dillon, S.C., is nearby and has restaurants, gas stations, a motel, small amusement park, shopping and fireworks. On I-95, you'll see its mascot Pedro, wearing a sombrero and poncho, counting down the number of miles to South of the Border (between South and North Carolina).

TARBORO, N.C., THE MAIN STREET INN

Distance from West Palm Beach: 788 miles, 11 hours, 34 minutes

From I-95: 13 miles

Room rates: $109

Fifth stop: Incorporated in 1760, Tarboro is one of the oldest towns in the country.

It still has its original Town Common, a 15-acre park canopied by tall oaks that marks the threshold to a 45-block historic district and renovated downtown, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Main Street Inn, built in 1895, is a three-story Italianate house with a grand neo-classical porch lined with inviting rockers. Guest rooms have king-size beds, leather seating, original heart pine floors, cable TV and wireless internet service.

The breakfast specialty, complete with candlelight, linens, fine china and silver and served in the Red Cedar Wine Room, is strawberry-stuffed French toast. But that's only one of the yummy entrees you can expect here.

For dinner, order grilled striped bass (or any fish dish) at On The Square, a popular eatery just off Main Street.

Distance from Stop No. 4 in Latta, S.C.: 176 miles, 250 miles

For more information: Call (252) 823-3221 or see www.mainstreetinn.biz.

If you have time to spare: Stroll through the historic Town Common founded in 1760. Originally established for the common grazing of livestock, community outings and military drills, the area now stands as an extraordinary centerpiece to Tarboro with its statuesque trees.

Several historic monuments can be found here, too, including the 1860 cotton press, the pretty herb gardens area and the nature walk along McBryde Trail. Surrounding the commons are beautiful, stately homes built between 1890 and 1910.

RICHMOND'S GRACE MANOR INN

Distance from West Palm Beach: 885 miles, 13 hours

From I-95: Less than 2 miles.

Room rates: $175-$215

Sixth stop: Spend the night in the heart of the Fan District. All four guest suites come with a complimentary bottle of wine and cheese. Each suite has a large bedroom that connects to an impressive private sitting room.

Breakfast is a three-course affair under the Tiffany chandelier in the dining room. Bellinis (the nectar of white peaches and Italian sparkling wine) and mimosas (Champagne and orange juice) are complimentary.

A typical breakfast begins with a seasonal fruit dish and is followed by one of the signature entrees, like Rustic Italian Breakfast (grilled Italian bread topped with a smear of goat cheese, basil pesto, proscuit-to ham, broiled tomatoes, poached eggs and a fresh chiffonade of basil).

Breakfast always ends with something sweet, like a small serving of panna cotta with fresh berries.

Crave puppy love? The inn's official mascots, Cocoa, Bear and Teddy Schick, will be happy to dish it out! If you're worried about allergies, know that Yorkshire terriers are considered an allergy-free breed because of their lack of shedding and dander.

For dinner, try the nearby Carytown Sushi or Edo's Squid, a neighborhood Italian restaurant with great seafood.

Distance from Stop No. 5 in Tarboro, N.C.: 132 miles, 2 hours, nine minutes.

For more information: Call (804) 353-4334 or see www.thegracemanorinn.com.

If you have time to spare: Visit Richmond's Historic Monument Avenue, a block from the B&B. Walk to restaurants and museums, as well as Virginia Commonwealth University. The state capitol, The Diamond (home to the Richmond Braves' AAA minor-league baseball team), the University of Richmond, and the Greater Richmond Convention Center are all within 5 miles of the inn.

Visit the Mighty Eighth

MIGHTY EIGHTH AIR FORCE MUSEUM

Experience the excitement of a World War II combat mission. See what it was like to be a U.S. Airman shot down over enemy territory and how “helpers” in local villages helped these airmen escape and evade the enemy. Explore the small house that shows how these same “helpers” helped U.S. as well as English airmen escape the enemy, even at great risk to their own well-being and safety.


It’s all here and more at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, GA, just minutes from downtown Savannah. The Museum is certified by the State of Georgia as a Center for Character Education and also offers several programs that qualify for Scout badges and certificates.


Offering ample, free parking, the Museum’s other benefits include onsite dining with a kid-friendly menu; group and school tour special rates; and affordable lodging is located within walking distance.


More importantly, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum is a treasure that offers glimpses of the past and a sense of what it’s like to be a true patriot. It all began back in 1942, just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Eighth Air Force was activated in Savannah, GA and ultimately earned its place in history as an important strike element in World War II and remains an active force today in Air Combat Command.


Since opening its doors in 1996, the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum has honored the Mighty Eighth’s proud legacy by preserving the courage, character and patriotism embodied by the men and women of the Eighth Air Force from WWII to the present. Each year more than 15,000 students visit the Museum on field trips and engage in a variety of activities. Activities include guided tours, hands-on workshops and a general introduction to the world of aviation.


A Museum favorite is the Mission Experience where guests “fly” a bombing mission on a B-17 over Germany. Additional features include the newly renovated Escape and Evasion exhibit as well as exhibitions of the Fly Girls; Tuskegee Airmen; English countryside chapel and Memorial Gardens; gift shop, art gallery; 7,000-volume library and archives rich with thousands of oral histories, period photographs, and war-time journals; and banquet and meeting facilities.

Ticket prices are $10/adult; $9 senior, $6 for children 6-12 years old (children under 6 admitted free); and discounted group tour rates are available. Located at 175 Bourne Avenue in Pooler, the Museum is just minutes from Savannah via I-95/exit 102. The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum is open seven days a week, 9AM-5PM except New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.


For more information contact (912) 748-8888 or www.mightyeighth.org

Georgia State Parks Face Closures

Editor's Note: Let's Support our State Parks. They are important to our local economies and our future generations.

Historic sites, parks face possible closure



Supporters are bracing for the state's budget woes to trickle down.


By Brandon Larrabee, The Times-Union

CARTERSVILLE - You could call it Kenneth Akins' dream job.

He was a child when he first came to the Etowah Indian Mounds, a state historic site in Northeast Georgia that features one mound 67 feet high, two smaller bumps in the ground and several other rises that indicate where other mounds were.

"I was excited when I came here as a kid," recalled Akins, now the manager of the site. "Turned me on to this place, turned me on to history."

He knew what he wanted to do with his life.

"I was so fascinated with this place, and I told my dad, 'I want to work here.' "

Akins studied history in college and got a job with the state park system in 1981. For 23 years, he moved from site to site. He was working at Fort King George in Darien, helping that park survive the threat of closing, when Akins finally got the position he always wanted.

Now, four years into a drive to spruce up the site and give visitors more of a sense of how the Muscogee Creek who roamed the area 500 years ago lived, Akins is cutting back. Savings in water-use are helping Etowah weather budget cuts. Grass is being cut less often.

And there is the returning prospect that the state's deepening fiscal crisis could force the Department of Natural Resources to close as many as six state parks and seven historic sites. That would be the latest blow, advocates say, in a six-year long financial struggle for sites such as Etowah.

"It comes after state park budgets have been cut every year since 2002," said Andy Fleming, executive director of Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites. "We feel that, right now, the parks could really suffer if we have any additional cuts."

The Department of Natural Resources argues that, while it would hate to make the cuts, it has little choice. Nearly $25.1 million of its $115.8 million budget is wrapped up in parks, and Gov. Sonny Perdue has asked each agency for plans to slice spending by as much as 10 percent to deal with a shortfall that could surpass $2 billion.

On the mounds

Akins' work includes trying to raise awareness of what the mounds are and aren't, educating the public about life in the 54-acre city that was home to the Muscogee Creek from around A.D. 1000 until shortly after Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's visit in 1540.

For example: Only one of the mounds, known as Mound C, was used for burial. Mound A, the site's tallest and one of the highest in the Southeast, was where the chief of the area would live. When each chief died, his house would be burned, and the new chief would want the mound raised a bit to show that he had a higher status than his predecessor.

The shorter Mound B was likely for an assistant to the chief, and the other mounds - long since eroded - probably served as the homes of other prominent people in the city's life, though none as prominent as those who lived on the higher mounds.

Akins has moved to increase the educational thrust of the park since arriving in 2004.

He worked to establish the Friends of Etowah Indian Mounds, which holds fundraisers and other events at the park. He increased signage, solicited donations to build a house resembling those the Muscogee would have lived in, and recommended projects to the Friends group such as a small nursery of grasses and wildflowers native to the area. The hope is to get rid of the non-native, common grass now in the area so, in a decade or so, visitors will have a truer picture of what Etowah looked like centuries ago.

Finding the funds

According to the Department of Natural Resources, about 29,091 people attended Etowah in fiscal year 2007-08. That would make the park one of the least visited in the system, even as the state says visitation will be one of several factors used to decide which parks to close.

Other components of figuring out which places to shutter could cut in Etowah's favor - including its cultural and historic significance.

"I don't feel that there's any reason that they'll cut this park and close it," said Patty Wallenburg, president of Friends of Etowah Indian Mounds.

What that means for other lightly visited locations, such as the Robert Toombs House in Washington or Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation in Brunswick, is unclear.

The department stresses that no final decisions have been made, and Perdue or the General Assembly could decide to spare the parks by cutting elsewhere.

"We really have to wait to see the dollars that we have to find and then we can chart our course of action from there," department spokeswoman Beth Brown said in an e-mail. "And, it may be that once we have 'the list,' we can work with local communities to find alternative ways to keep those facilities operating closer to normal ... which may modify what ends up on the final list."

Some supporters have pressed the state to instead increase the relatively modest park fees. But Fleming pointed out that, while that idea has merit, there also are pitfalls.

"You say that, and then you have to remember that, especially in a down economy, the inexpensive or affordable outdoor recreation opportunities become even more important," he said.

Meanwhile, those like Akins, who discovered his love of history through a boy's eyes peering at the mounds of Etowah, wait to see what will happen to Georgia's publicly owned spaces.

"I'm concerned, but I feel very positive," he said. "I think we're all concerned. Everybody's concerned. It would be a big blow to the state of Georgia."

brandon.larrabee@morris.com, (678) 977-3709
CLOSING PARKS?

A look at what selected parks spend, their profit or loss, the attendance and how much they cost per visitor. (Fiscal year 2007-08)

Park (Location) Expenses Profit/Loss Attendance Cost per visitor

Fort Yargo State Park (Winder) $716,879 -$231,340 500,449 $1.43

Hard Labor Creek Park (Rutlege) $665,803 $59,485 329,684 $2.02

Skidaway Island State Park (Savannah) $306,696 $125,388 190,386 $1.61

Laura S. Walker State Park (Waycross) $351,818 -$186,537 170,823 $2.06

Mistletoe State Park (Appling) $407,827 $45,696 143,996 $2.83

Ft. McAllister Historic Site (Richmond Hill) $399,339 -$66,278 125,980 $3.17

Crooked River State Park (St. Marys) $458,451 -$3,132 99,454 $4.61

Gordonia Altamaha State Park (Reidsville) $181,013 -$113,195 84,962 $2.13

Wormsloe State Historic Site (Savannah) $263,167 -$162,181 71,513 $3.68

Stephen C. Foster State Park (Fargo) $642,327 -$279,595 54,844 $11.71

Fort King George Historic Site (Darien) $187,857 -$128,059 39,530 $4.75

Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site $279,302 -$178,223 29,091 $9.60

Fort Morris Historic Site (Midway) $134,672 -$116,325 12,069 $11.16

Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation (Brunwick) $228,745 -$157,476 10,730 $21.32

Reynolds Mansion (Darien) $616,385 -$128,022 8,957 $68.82

Robert Toombs House (Washington) $80,255 -$70,388 2,756 $29.12



Source: Department of Natural Resources