Skidaway is a large park on an island on the south edge of Savannah. There are 4 camping areas with 87 back-ins and pull-thrus. Some sites are well defined, some not. There are 17 premium sites that have 50/30/20 amp, water, and sewage. Other sites have 50/30/20 amp and water, or 30/20 amp and water. There are three cabins and 3 group campsites. If you want to explore outside the park, the river front in Savannah is about a 25 minute drive and the beaches of Tybee Island about 35 minutes. Not far from the entrance to the park is a nice open mall with shops, restaurants, grocery store and gas station.
Georgia parks sites are not assigned at reservation time so when we go there we have a choice of available sites. We chose site #62, Area #4. It's sort of a pull-thru. There are a few others like this, but most others are back-in. This site has 30/20 amp svc and water. It is a large open site, level sand, and shaded. It is on the road so no privacy there. The fire pit, picnic table and tent pad are a few steps back, so we had plenty of rooom to park the rental car. The sites in this loop are not really defined. One must check the campground map carefully when seeking a site.
This loop road is a little rough in spots, but paved and no overhanging trees. This is our nearest side neighbor. The bath house is a little further around the curve and is updated and very clean.
The neighbors on the other side are not close. The loop road in the other direction.
The day park area has two playgrounds, 5 open pavilions with grills, a large closed group shelter, and an amphitheater adjacent to the campground. A third playground is in the center of the campground.
Not far from our site is an area where swamp meets hardwood area.
The trail head for Big Ferry Trail. The longest trail at 2.6 miles. It is a loop. There are two other loop trails, Avian Way Loop and Sand Piper Nature Loop at one mile each and a connector at one mile that connects Avian Trail and Big Ferry Trail. This trip we just did Big Ferry.
About a half mile into the trail is a cut off to an observation tower.
The saltwater slough does not dry up and contains brackish water. They are part of the ocean's nursery, providing protection and habitat for small fish and other marine life.
Some of the marine life cling to the marsh grass. When the tide comes in they receive nourishment.
The trail varies from wide to narrow. No elevation changes to speak of and very little mucky areas this time of the year.
We biked this trail and while mostly somewhat easy there are several spots where the roots get tricky. But that is also the case when hiking. Keep an eye out.
The trail meanders through the forest dense with palm, pine, gnarled oak and leafy, fan-shaped saw palmetto plants. Views of grassy marsh break occasionally through the tree line.
The rusted remains of a prohibition-era moonshine still. In the 1930s, the island was a venue for the illegal manufacturing of liquor, thanks to its remote, secluded location.
Along the trail lies a large shell midden. Shell fish was a main staple in the Indians diet. The empty shells were normally piled away from the living area. Colonists ground and mixed the shells with lime, sand and water to form tabby, a concrete like material used like we use concrete today.
Travel the earthworks loop (an extra mile) to the earth mounds before returning to the trailhead.
Confederate earth mounds were constructed during the Civil War. Slaves and Confederate soldiers as a refuge from Union soldiers.
Bridge over the earth mounds.
After the bridge you can return to the Big Ferry Trail or continue on to the other two trails in the park.
River St., Savannah one sunny morning.
We 0nly visited River St. this visit. One can easily tour the highlights of this beautiful old city by buying the full day tour of trolley/bus. Reasonably priced and you can get on and off at will all day to visit specific historic parks and buildings.
Spent a long morning on River St. At the city cars are parked on Bay St. where it's business as usual.
Then there is an old cobblestone street half way down to River St. and is the backdoor to the many shops and hotels on River St.
Then go down another level to River St.
River St. On the waterfront. Old cobblestone street with a variety of shops, restaurants, bars, entertainment, and a couple of hotels.
The old architecture is superb.
And a live trolley car. Not the tour bus trolley.
Dine on the fancy stern wheeler Georgia Queen.
Sit on the wall or benches along the river with a snack or ice cream and watch the heavy freighters bringing in goods or taking them out to other ports worldwide. A busy river.
The Olympic Torch Sculpture is a monument to Savannah’s role as host of the Yachting events of the 1996 Summer Olympic Game.
Morrell Park & Waving Girl Statue. Florence Martus embodied the true spirit of Southern Hospitality. For forty-four years she greeted every ship entering the Savannah port by waving a cloth from her home on Elba Island.
Time for lunch. Savannah Seafood Shack. Popular Southern seafood joint featured on Dives, Diners and Drive-ins. Really good food, ambience none. There are many great restaurants on River St., but this little place a couple of blocks into town is really good for lunch.
Especially the low-country boil.
Off we go....side trips.
In the small town of Pooler, near Savannah stands this fantastic air museum. If you have any interest in aviation or WWII this is a must visit.
The Rotunda. One can spend many hours reading about the Mighty Eighth Air Force and looking at the videos and displays.
Inside are many WWII aircraft on display.
And some very detailed dioramas. Here are B-24 Liberators, called "Sandman", during a bomb run over the Ploiești Astra Romana refinery during Operation Tidal Wave.
There are also a few static aircraft displays outside the museum. Here, the famous F4.
Entrance to Wormsloe State Historic Site, an 822 are plantation dating back to 1736.
The 1.5 mile avenue sheltered by live oaks and Spanish moss leads to
the tabby ruins of Wormsloe, the colonial estate of Noble Jones, a carpenter who arrived in Georgia in 1733
with James Oglethorpe and the first group of settlers from England.
Wormsloe's tabby ruin is the oldest standing structure in Savannah. The grounds contain the ruins of the original house, a Colonial Life interpretive area, museum and more. Tours are available. Many events are held on the grounds during the year. We arrived too late for the last tour of the day. Next time.
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