SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Looking for something to do over the weekend? Here are five day trip ideas within a couple hours drive of Savannah.
1. The Coastal Discovery Museum’s Camellia Garden at Hilton Head
If you want to find something beautiful to enjoy for the day, look no further than the Coastal Discovery Museum’s Camellia Garden. This garden on Hilton Head Island has over 130 different exotic and historical camellia plants.
The camellias each have labels with descriptions so that you can learn about them as you walk through the garden. Because they start blooming in November and continue to do so through the winter, this is the perfect time to go and see the garden.
Entry is free and more information can be found on the American Camellia Society website here.
2. Visit the Earth Day nature trail in Brunswick
Want to explore the natural world? Visiting the Earth Day Nature Trail might be just what you’re wishing for. Located at the headquarters for the Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division in Brunswick, this trail offers visitors a chance to see the beauty and wonders of coastal Georgia.
A great choice for those with older children, this trail is designed with a learning experience in mind. After downloading the brochure for the trail on the website, you can get prepared for an educational trip on your own or with the rest of your family.
Entry to the trail is free and wheelchair accessible. You can find more information by following the link here.
3. Go see the lighthouse in Beaufort
If you’re not afraid of heights, this one is for you.
Located in Hunting Island State Park, this is the only publicly accessible lighthouse in South Carolina. After checking out the rest of the park, you can make your way on over to the historic lighthouse to climb the 167 steps to the very top. Once there you can get a look at the barrier island surrounding you.
Admission to the park is $8 per adult and $4 for children aged 6-15. Admission to the lighthouse must be booked at least 24 hours in advance and is $2 per person. Visitors are able to book 30-minute time slots for up to six guests.
For more information, you can check out the Hunting Island State Park website here.
4. Go on a tree spirit tour on St. Simons Island
Have you ever looked at the trunk of an old oak tree on St. Simons Island and thought you saw a face carved into its wood? According to the Golden Isles website, there is a legend that those faces are that of sailors who died at sea on boats made by the trees on the island.
Inspired by this legend, artist Keith Jennings has carved faces of his own design into the oaks of St. Simons. While some of these are on private property, there is a map available of the ones in public areas that you can go take a look at.
The map and more information about the tree spirits are available on the Golden Isles website here.
5. Check out the Richland Rum Distillery tour in Brunswick
Are you an adult who is uninterested in the idea of staying outside in the middle of December? Are you over 21? Here’s an option you might not have thought about: a distillery tour.
Richland Rum Distillery, located in Brunswick, offers a behind-the-scenes look at what they say is America’s best rum. Guests will not only be able to see the process and machinery of the distillery, but those of legal drinking age will also get the opportunity to participate in a guided tasting of the rum made at the distillery.
Tickets start at $45 per person and tours are held on Monday through Saturday, with options starting at 12 p.m. You can find more information on the Richland Rum Distillery website here.
