Top Things to do in Sapelo Island
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The 5 Best Things to do in Sapelo Island, Georgia Coast
Discover the best top things to do in Sapelo Island, Georgia including Sapelo Island Lighthouse, Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, Hog Hammock, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, Sapelo Island.
1. Sapelo Island Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By 701edh
My primary reason for visiting Sapelo was the lighthouse. I was disappointed that it was closed for renovation as I like to climb to the top. In order to get on Sapelo Island you have to book a tour to get there by ferry. We contacted Sharonne, a native Gullah Geechee who was an awesome knowledgeable tour guide. She is so enthusiastic about her island and her heritage. One could not help but to fall in love with her and the Island.
2. Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Rich in natural history, this island's human history dates back 4,000 years and is made up of salt marsh, maritime forest, beach and dune areas.
Reviewed By KMKJZ - Bethlehem, United States
We spent 2 1/2 memorable hours listening to and visualizing many aspects of the fascinating history of Sapelo Island as told by our guide, Iregene Grovner. Iregene is a 9th generation, direct descendant of the original Gullah Geechee who were seized from West Africa in the late 1700s to work as slaves on the sugar and cotton plantations. Iregene, one of the shrinking number of the Island's full time residents who live in Hog Hammock, brings both a wealth of personal knowledge and insight into every facet of the Island's rich culture. The tour included stops at buildings of the original plantations, the Island's lighthouse, the mansion of tobacco heir, R J Reynolds, the original graveyard, Behaviour Cemetery, Hog Hammock's General Store, two African Baptist churches and the community itself of Hog Hammock. While the Gullah Geehee Heritage Corridor extends from Charleston to Northern Florida, this is a treasure of Gullah history not to be missed.
3. Hog Hammock
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 43 reviews
An African-American community and a preserved historic village on Sapelo Island.
Reviewed By SScottTours
Read this review for the ultimate Sapelo insider's information. First & foremost, as an off-the-beaten-path type traveler, permit me to say that Lucy is The Ultimate Sapelo Information Specialist as a 26-year resident and former manager of The Reynolds Mansion. Her hubby Captain Mikeis an engaging fellow but Lucy is THE hostess with the mostess. This is priceless on an island where there isn't much direction otherwise so DO NOT underestimate the value of her as a resource. You find most AirBnB properties on Sapelo are impartial and "you're on your own" sort of places. This is a plus in some cases elsewhere but for the price, location plus Lucy's knowledge, it's really a hard value to put a price on or pass up. Lucy does a whole wonderful sit-down introduction on the apartment, safety features and goes over the island map with you. Plus, you get a CAR with the rental that generally she picks you up in at the docking hour. Mike rents most of the cars and if you want to upgrade you can do that but we had no issues with the rugged Isuzu Rodeo. We cannot emphasize enough that this is a major advantage on the island for getting one's bearings, for little trips to the store, or dock for a picnic, beaches, or just when you're tired of walking or cycling. It breaks up everything so nicely. And take note! Golf carts cannot go certain places where island vehicles can and golf carts, nor vehicles are permitted up most of the North end of the island where a lot of very cool stuff that you'll want to see is. Truth be told, in some respects, this is a "younger" person's adventure going up the North end. You'll find that you will be required to bike it and or walk it and this is NO easy task! We did nearly 50 miles of walking in 3 days both for the exercise and partly because unless you have a semi-serious mountain bike, it is very unlikely you will get to the North end on your own outside of a guided tour. For the history buff, it is well worth it, but the roads after rain are particularly prohibitive for general beach bikes (which Lucy & Mike have) and we recommend 2-3 pairs of walking shoes as some portion of the muddy areas are impassable by bike alone. We broke the North end up into 2 days on foot. Doing Raccoon Point one day, and the Western half the 2nd day that includes multiple tabby ruins sites, The Chocolate Plantation & mysterious Shell Rings. You could really justify a whole day or 2 days just to that end of the island if you wanted to track down the old duck ponds or wander off the paths as we were inclined. This is also the greater wildlife area for certain. We saw gators, otters, tons of armadillos, a wonderful pack of the elusive wild pig piglets, hawks, American Bald Eagles and sighted the wild cattle from a distance. We do recommend the day tour with JR Grovner or his father who come from the oldest descendants of the island. Sans a tour, of particular value is Lucy's library of books that range from great Sapelo history annals to those for wildlife & plant life enthusiasts. The library is part of the apartment. Lastly, let's talk about all-important cuisine. Lucy includes in her AirBnB description the phone numbers of several island cooks. There is Lula's Kitchen near Lucy & Mike's home & is worth eyeballing but is more sporadic during the offseason but if you smell her cooking, go around and knock. We were honored to have Mary Bailey cook for us and she delivered a fantastic feast of fresh flounder, shrimp & grits, biscuits, veggies, pumpkin pie, the works! Her island counterpart, Sharon (Shu-rohn) Grovner brought us meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad, homemade mini-pies, peas, bread and was amazing too. As these women work hard all day and have to go off the island for ingredients, we opted to tip more than double their asking price which was entirely worth it to us. Oh, near Lucy's is the only island store and has limited morning, early afternoon hours. They have some basics, water, canned goods, ice cream, shrimp, oils, bug spray, sunscreen, snacks, beer & wine, but lacks in other supplies. So you MUST pack for your stay. There's a simple, but dandy kitchen in Lucy's place. The island post office is also close but closes early afternoon but be sure to swing by to get their Sapelo Island stamps as a souvenir! Lastly, Lucy & Mike live below in what you realize is their take on a kind of colonial-era tabby house. They live a fairly quiet lifestyle so you don't hear them much but they're always a phone call or knock away for any needs. As we arrived on a Sunday, they invited us to church with them at The First African Church of 1866 and it was the perfect start to our visit. The choir was amazing, Pastor Banks very uplifting and it was an honor to be introduced as guests and recognized by such a historic congregation. If you're on Sapelo on a Sunday, do not miss this opportunity. They don't seem to mind photos & video but don't forget to tythe to the church. This is perhaps the greatest closing thought we can offer and what we mean is spend everywhere you can on this island and think of how you can spend with the locals while there. For all of its virtues, it is in many ways dwindling and in an hour of great cultural & economic suffering. While the world hopes this is only temporary and a cycle or long arc to a boom or new era of prosperity, Sapelo is still at risk. This is not really the message the islanders put out there but its something that becomes quickly apparent with one's advance research and also while there. But a beautiful beginning to adding your energy to the island is by landing at Lucy's Place first and foremost. We realize now being gone that her smile at the dock was like the whole island smiling to greet us too and made everything all the more indelible and endearing. We can't wait to encounter it again.
4. Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary protects a vibrant hard-bottom area off the Georgia coast. The reef attracts more than 200 species of fish, including black sea bass, snappers, groupers and mackerels. Crabs, lobsters, soft corals, sponges, sea stars and other organisms form a dense carpet of living creatures, covering the nooks and crannies of Gray's Reef and giving it the name “live bottom." Loggerhead sea turtles, a threatened species, forage and rest year-round at Gray's Reef, and the reef is within the critical habitat and only known winter calving grounds of the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale. Grouper, black sea bass, mackerel, and a host of other fish are attracted by the reef. Gray’s Reef is one of the most popular fishing and diving recreation areas along the Georgia coast.
5. Sapelo Island
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
