Sapelo Island is a state-protected barrier island located in McIntosh County, Georgia. The island is accessible only by ferry.
Our Barron Family decided to take a long weekend to one of my grandfather’s favorite places. Sapelo Island, Georgia is a gorgeous rural island on the Georgia coast right north of Saint Simons Island. We went several times as children and it was even more fun to visit as an adult.
We weaved our way along the back roads of Georgia and met part of our clan at Fish Dock for a beer before we hopped on the ferry.
Needless to say, we packed a bag or two. With 22 people we had some stuff.
The ferry only leaves twice a day so we made it in time for the 5:30 ferry. We road on a 30 minute ferry ride to the 11-mile-long island.
We got to the island and got our room assigned and made our way to move in to the house for the weekend.
We had dinner every night on top of the old pool. It was a lot more room than the original dining room.
We celebrated Emily and Corey’s engagement by toasting with kir royale (Emmy’s favorite).
We spend the evening with adult cocktails in the basement playing pool and bowling.
We hung at the Reynolds Mansion house we were staying in in the morning just going on bike rides to the beach and golf cart exploration. I hung at the house with Baby Rebekah.
The original Mansion was designed and built from tabby, a mixture of lime, shells and water, by Thomas Spalding, an architect, statesman and plantation owner who purchased the south end of the island in 1802. The Mansion served as the Spalding Plantation Manor from 1810 until the Civil War. It fell into ruin after being damaged by Union attack during the Civil War and was later purchased and rebuilt by Detroit automotive engineer Howard Coffin in 1912. Tobacco heir Richard Reynolds purchased the property in 1934 and allowed the University of Georgia to use the facilities for marine research. Following Reynolds’ death in 1964 the Mansion and most of the island was obtained by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in 1975. Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve and University of Georgia Marine Research Facilities are still located on the island.
Daniel and I went inside the house and up to the third floor to explore the famous Circus Room.
As the kiddos went down for a nap Corey, Chip and I took the golf card to the restored 1820 lighthouse.
We went down to the beach too.
Stopped and checked out the fisher men
Our room had the most beautiful dated bathroom.
We then took a school bus for our guided tour through the African-American community of Hog Hammock,
Swoon Worthy Travels 