I am pleased to welcome Angela Wigger today! Angela is the Director of Tourism in St. Mary’s, Georgia. Please enjoy her post on a wonderfully historic town!
Historic St. Marys, Georgia offers picturesque streets lined with centuries old live-oaks draped in Spanish moss and the restorative beauty of pristine waterways and marshes. Quaint shops, charming restaurants, and comfortable lodging options await you in this very captivating water-side community. The city prides itself on a diverse blend of residents and has sustained a rich and varied history through the prosperity of the railroad, shrimping boats, and the paper mill and through the arrival of the National Park Service and the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base. With numerous Bed & Breakfasts, hotels and rental houses to choose from you can find the perfect location for your needs whether it’s a military reunion, family vacation or romantic get-away. To learn about the lodging options visit http://www.stmaryswelcome.com/lodgingV2.html.
Bird blind at the Crooked River state. Park Photo credit Georgia DNR
St. Marys is the eco-tourists dream with biking, kayaking and bird-watching in areas like the St. Mary River, Crooked River State Park and Cumberland Island National Seashore.
Photo credit Up The Creek Xpeditions
St. Marys is a real water lovers paradise. For a real close-to-nature experience visit Up The Creek Xpeditions at www.upthecreekx.com. With advance reservations, you can take a tour and visit the flora and fauna of the St. Marys harbor, Crooked Rivers’ Cherry Point, Cumberland Island, the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge and more.
History timeline in welcome center
The St. Marys Welcome Center offers an experiential environment, with a history timeline of the area, a coastal marsh scene mural and a scavenger hunt for the kids. Guests can also take advantage of free wireless internet serves or even use a guest computer in the center.
St. Marys Film Museum exhibit. Photo credit St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau
The St. Marys Welcome Center is also home to the St. Marys Film Museum which offers a free admission display room housing some favorite pieces of memorabilia from Sea Biscuit to Royal Pains.
During your visit, make time for our antebellum house-museum called Orange Hall, the Oak Grove Cemetery, and the St. Marys Submarine Museum, where the history and sacrifice of the submarine force are highlighted within 5,000 square feet of displays featuring shipboard equipment, a control panel and a working periscope.
Shopping is fun and unique with spots like Market on the Square, The Golden Pineapple, ORCA’s and Lulu’s Redstar. You will find several bookstores and two antique and collectible’s mall’s to ensure you come away the perfect item.
Great dining options abound with many options to choose from. Options, like The Blue Goose Wine and Coffee Shop with its comfortable indoor and outdoor seating options, are perfect any time of the day and there are some great coastal cuisine picks where you can get the best in grouper, shrimp and scallops.
You may decide to relax with the locals in our local saloon where everyone is always welcome and you may find that you get a bit of “southern sass” from our favorite bartender.
Pauly’s Café is a quaint spot that specializes in American and Italian. Great spot for lunch or dinner while in town.
Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island
Of course, St. Marys is the “Gateway to Cumberland Island.” The ferry departs St. Marys to take you the 45 minutes by passenger ferry to the Cumberland Island National Seashore, now in its 40th year as national seashore. There are no shops or restaurants on the island. This is Nature and Adventure in its purest form. Bring a day-pack and a lunch and enjoy walking the island or sign up for the motorized “Land & Legacies” tours. These guided “north end tours” are given by park service staff and allow visitors to cover much more of the island than what they could see hiking on their own for a day trip. Sites may include Plum Orchard, the First African Baptist Church and the Stafford Plantation site. The tour begins once you arrive on the island, at 9:45 a.m., lasts approximately 6 hours and space is limited. Cumberland Island was listed as one of the “Best US Southern Islands” by Travel Channel in January 2013. Advance reservations a strongly recommended for the Cumberland Island ferry and the Lands & Legacies tours. Visit www.nps.gov/cuis for reservation information.
As you begin to plan a visit to historic St. Marys or to Cumberland Island, contact the St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau for travel assistance and information. We can be reached at 1-866-868-2199, info@stmaryswelcome.com or www.stmaryswelcome.com.
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