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 Sapelo Island Tours – (912)506-6463 - http://toursapelo.com/
Take a Journey of Sapelo Island with JR Grovner, a direct descendant of slaves brought to Sapelo in the early 1800s to work the plantations. Explore Native American shell mounds, visit the tabby ruins of an old French estate, check out Nannygoat Beach, tabby ruins of the slave cabins, and see the newly-restored Sapelo Lighthouse.
 Midway Museum – (912)884-5832
Visitors can tour this pretty, live-oak shaded national historic district, soak up the colonial history of the coast, and learn about the liberty-loving Puritans of St. Johns Parish. Home to the second oldest church in Georgia, many of America's more illustrious citizens have their roots in this charming small town.
Dorchester Academy National Historic Site – (912)884-5832
Dorchester Academy, an example of Georgian Revival style architecture built in 1934, is most famous as being the site of Citizen Training by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights movement. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference sponsored workshops here from 1962 to 1964, training more than 1,000 teachers and leaders. King prepared here in 1962 for the 1963 Birmingham campaign, one of the first major victories of the Civil Rights movement. King was the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Leconte – Woodmaston Plantation National Historic Site – (912)844-6500
www.leconte-woodmanston.org
The former plantation site of the famous LeConte family offers a variety of experiences for naturalists, including exploring the restored rice fields and gardens that belonged to the family and looking for wildlife that frequent the second-growth cypress swamps. Botanists with an interest in historic gardens will enjoy their time here.
Melon Bluff – (888)246-8188 http://www.melonbluff.com
Melon Bluff Nature and Heritage Preserve is one of the few privately owned nature preserves on the Georgia coast. The 3,000-acre preserve backs up to the North Newport River and offers more than 20 miles of trails through pinelands, coastal forest, and salt marshes that are open to hikers, bikers, kayakers, and horseback riders. History is also highlighted at Melon Bluff, with a former rice plantation on the property and a Civil War blockade-runner, The Standard, sunk at the bottom of the tidal river.
Seabrook Village – (912)884-7008 Seabrook Village
This living history village features the rich African-American culture that developed when slaves were freed from coastal plantations. The focus is on the authentic portrayal of the struggles and successes of African-Americans from 1865 to 1930, with interactive demonstrations and programs on history, folklore, folklife, architecture, crafts, and found art. Here you can experience what it was like before modern conveniences by trying your hand at washing clothes on a scrub board or grinding corn into meal and grits. Exhibits display ingenious artifacts of the period, such as a peanut roaster made from sewing machine and bicycle parts, a photograph framed with matchsticks, twig furniture, and other items. Ongoing exhibits include the grave art of Cyrus Bowens, featured in Drums and Shadows. The 104-acre site has eight buildings built in the 1900s, including the one-room Seabrook School and various farm buildings.
Fort Morris State Historic Site and Town of Sunbury – (912)844-5999
Despite the sad fact that not one structure survives from the colonial town of Sunbury, once a busy seaport on the Medway River, there are nearby attractions that can invoke the ghosts of this early Georgia settlement. History buffs can enjoy the beauty of the Georgia coast while touring the remains of a fort that protected the town during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Nearby, a historic cemetery contains the graves of some of Sunbury's prominent citizens. Fort Morris's natural charms are recognized by its selection as a site on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail established by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Youman’s Pond and Colonels Island – (912)844-5779
This freshwater pond found on Colonel's Island is an excellent bird-watching site. It has supported an active rookery for many years, and many bird species have been identified here, including black-crowned and yellow-crowned night herons, blue herons, various egrets, wood storks, ibis, wood ducks, and common moorhens. Dabbling ducks are common during migratory seasons. Great horned and barred owls, osprey, and turkey vultures are frequently seen in the area.
St. Catherine’s Island – (912)844-5819 1 hr boat ride from Boater’s Paradise
A ‘MUST’ DAY TRIP FROM BOATER’S PARADISE!!!
While the interior of St. Catherines Island is not open to the general public, this important island needs to be described due to its ecological and historical significance. By state law, all of Georgia's barrier island beaches to the high tide line are open to the public, including St. Catherines. During daylight hours, the public is allowed to use the beach for hiking, picnicking, or shelling to the high-tide line. However, the interior of the island is off-limits to the public without permission.
Shellmen’s Bluff – (912)832-4331
Shellman Bluff is a peaceful, picturesque fish camp village that retains the distinctive charm that once was common on the Georgia coast but has become harder to find. This is the real thing. Quaint, screened fishing cottages sit back among oaks festooned with Spanish moss. All the dirt roads of the quiet village seem to lead inevitably to the high bluff that overlooks the Broro and Julienton rivers. Winding along the edge of the high bluff is another sandy road that offers one of the best coastal views in Georgia.
Blackbeard Island National Island Refuge – (912)652-4415
While there is no absolute proof that Blackbeard the pirate visited or buried gold on this lush barrier island, it has carried his name for hundreds of years. Many have searched in vain for gold on the island, where legend has it that he and other pirates hid their plunder. The real treasure found here is the near pristine condition of this beautiful 5,618-acre national wildlife refuge, a jewel in the coastal refuge system. Large parts of the island contain mixed stands of live oak, slash pine, cabbage palmetto, magnolia, and holly. Wildlife enthusiasts will appreciate the excellent bird-watching opportunities, as well as the remote, natural experience of hiking its 9 miles of lonely beach and 15 miles of wilderness trails.
Sepalo Island – (912)485-2251
Going back at least 4,500 years, humans have prized Sapelo Island for its generous game, rich marshes, lush woodlands, and beautiful beaches. Man has used it for many things, including Indian hunting grounds, Spanish missions, French asylum, slave-supported cotton and sugar plantations, a navigational landmark, a millionaires' playground, and finally, a scientific research center and a state-owned wildlife preserve. These phases of Sapelo's history and the island's abundant natural resources are on display to travelers who buy a tour ticket and ride a ferry from the mainland, or have received an invitation from a resident on the island. Catch a 30 minute ferry to Sepalo Island from Historic Derion!!
Historic Savannah has the largest historic district in the country and Historic Derion are a short 35 minute drive from Boaters Paradise!!
Along with many Historical places to visit within 1 hr from Boater’s Paradise there are many outdoor activities as well:
Fishing: Kingfish, Spotted Seatrout, Sheepshead, Striped Bass, Black and Red Drum, Southern Flounder, Skate, Atlantic Croaker, Spanish Macheral, Tarpon, and Shark are just a few of the varieties of fish caught near Boater’s Paradise!! Also enjoy three crab traps, two shrimp traps and a shrimp throw net!!
Boating: Take a day trip to either St. Catherine’s Island or Blackbeard Island and dock at the Shrimp Docks or Sunbury Crab Company on the way home for a great seafood meal!! Water skiing and Jet skiing are great activities in the Medway river!!
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