Brunswick Georgia Attractions

Blythe Island Regional Park
Blythe Island Regional Park offers visitors a variety of recreational pursuits, and contains fully equipped campsites. Water lovers gravitate towards the swimming beach and boat, kayak and canoe rentals. Family gatherings and groups enjoy the picnic pavilion, volleyball courts, playground, and tournament horseshoe range. The park also features a field archery range, and plenty of hiking and biking trails. Blythe Island Regional Park is located at 6616 Blythe Island Highway. Call the park at (800) 343-7855 for information about its various fees.

Brunswick History Museum
The Brunswick History Museum details the port city’s colorful past through archaeological and photographic exhibits, and historical displays. It is housed within the historic Lissner House, built in 1907. The museum is currently closed for renovations, but anticipates a reopening in late 2003.The Brunswick History Museum is located at 1327 Union St. in Brunswick’s historic Old Town. Call the Old Town Brunswick Preservation Association at (912) 265-4032 for information about its reopening date.

Earth Day Nature Trail
The Earth Day Nature Trail provides hikers with a view of Georgia’s outstanding coastal marshes and wildlife. Sea ox-eye, periwinkle, pricklypear cactus, wax myrtle, red cedar, and smooth cordgrass are the plants typically found along the trail. The best time for bird-watching is in the early morning or late afternoon, when the greatest numbers of birds are active. Wood storks and brown pelicans are just a few of the species that feed and live among the marshes. The Earth Day Nature Trail is located south of Brunswick on U.S. Highway 17. Turn left on Conservation Way, and follow the sign to the DNR Regional Headquarters – the trail entrance is located at the northeast end of the parking lot.

Emerald Princess Cruises
The Emerald Princess, a 200-foot luxury cruiser, entertains and feeds guests while taking them out to sea. Dining, dancing, games, and live entertainment is provided on one level of the cruiser. The other level opens its casino, complete with poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and slot machines, once the boat reaches international waters. The Emerald Princess departs from Brunswick Landing Marina, located at Newcastle and K streets. Admission fees vary according to the day of the week; weekends typically cost more than weekdays. Call Golden Isles Cruise Lines at (800) 842-0115 for information about the Emerald Princess’ fees and departure schedule.

Georgia Sea Island Singers
The Georgia Sea Island Singers perform locally and internationally, including an appearance at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, and a performance in West Africa at the invitation of Sierra Leone’s president. The singers perform and explain the meaning of slave songs and dances. Since slaves were not allowed to own instruments, many of the songs are performed with the human body serving as a musical accompaniment or a capella. Many of the performers’ ancestries include enslavement on Georgia’s coast and barrier islands. Call the Georgia Sea Island Singers at (912) 265-9545 to find out about upcoming performances.

Holfwyl-Broadfield Plantation
The Holfwyl-Broadfield Plantation, located on U.S. Highway 17, was a rice plantation that employed approximately 350 slaves in the 19th century. Generations of the same family lived on the plantation from 1806 until 1973, whereupon it opened to the public. A guided tour of the house, which retains the complete furnishings of its last resident, is available to the public. Guests may walk plantation grounds, which include seven original outbuildings. A video and museum explore the plantation’s family and history. Call the plantation at (912) 264-7333 for information about its hours and admission fees.

Lanier Oak
Sidney Lanier, a linguist, mathematician, musician, soldier, and lawyer – but perhaps most famously, a poet – visited Brunswick (Glynn County) with hopes that the seaside town would help his failing health. While there, he was treated to a sprawling view of tidal marshlands, which inspired the famous poem “The Marshes of Glynn.” This work is considered a masterpiece among 19th-century American poetry. Supposedly, Lanier’s inspiration occurred while underneath a large oak, now known as the Lanier Oak. The Lanier Oak is located in along U.S. Route 17, off of Lanier Boulevard.

Lover’s Oak
Lover’s Oak, one of two famous oak trees in Brunswick, is said to be over 900 year’s old. Its trunk, 3 feet above the ground, measures 13 feet in diameter. Native American folklore states that the Lover’s Oak was a meeting spot for a maiden and a man. Today, it is a favorite climbing tree for children. Lover’s Oak is located on the corner of Albany and Prince streets, in historic downtown Brunswick. A bronze plaque honoring the tree reads: “The National Arborist Association and the International Society of Arboriculture Jointly Recognize this Significant Tree in the Bicentennial Year (1787-1987) as Having Lived Here at the Time of the Signing of our Constitution.”

Mary Miller Doll Museum
The Mary Miller Doll Museum houses a collection of toys, doll houses, miniatures, and over 3,000 dolls. The collection ranges in date from 1850 to the present day, and represents over 90 countries, including Africa and Japan. A highlight of the museum’s “Stars of Stage, Screen & TV” exhibit is a collection of Shirley Temple dolls. The museum is located at 209 through 211 Gloucester Street. Admission costs $4 for adults and $3 for students. Call the Mary Miller Doll Museum at (912) 267-7569 for information about its hours.

Mary Ross Waterfront Park
The Mary Ross Waterfront Park features the Liberty Ship Memorial Plaza, a pavilion, and an amphitheater. Many live concerts and events occur at the park throughout the year. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the park hosts a farmer’s market. At the market, fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts are sold alongside homemade sauces, syrups, cakes, and pies. Mary Ross Waterfront Park is located on Bay Street in downtown Brunswick.

Old Town Brunswick National Register Historic District
The Old Town Brunswick National Register Historic District, also known as Old Town Brunswick, comprises Newcastle Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard, between First Avenue and H Street. The homes in Old Town Brunswick are notable for their turn-of-the-century architecture – prominent properties include the Mahoney-McGarvey House (Reynolds Street), the historic courthouse (Reynolds Street), and the Glynn Academy campus (Mansfield Street). Historic downtown Brunswick, comprised of Newcastle and Gloucester streets, is located within the district. The historic Ritz Theatre, art galleries, restaurants, and antique and specialty shops are found in this area. Tourists can easily enjoy Old Town Brunswick on foot.

Ritz Theatre
The Ritz Theatre, built in 1898 as the Grand Opera Host, now serves as Brunswick’s center for exhibits and performances by local, national, and international artists. The Ritz Theatre currently hosts close to 100 events annually, including plays, music shows, and dance performances. Tickets to the theatre’s annual performing arts series typically cost $18 to $20 per performance. The Ritz Theatre, located at 1530 Newcastle St., is operated by the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association. Call the association at (912) 262-6934 for a schedule of upcoming events and to purchase tickets.

Sea Island
Sea Island, 5 miles long and 2 miles wide, is famous for its 36 blocks of mansions along Sea Island Drive. Guests are welcome to take a driving tour along this magnificent road, and gape at the gorgeous architecture and landscaping of these enormous residences. Visitors to Sea Island include former U.S. Presidents Coolidge, Hoover, Eisenhower, Ford, Carter, and Bush. Sea Island’s beaches are closed to the general public. To reach Sea Island from Brunswick, cross the F.J. Torras Causeway, turn left on Demere Road, and then left at Sea Island Road. Follow Sea Island Road to Sea Island.

Selden Park
Selden Park is a recreational hub for the city of Brunswick, especially in the summertime. It features a pool, playground, and three picnic pavilions. Its gym contains three indoor basketball courts. Two tennis courts, one basketball court, a baseball field, and a soccer field host plenty of games outdoors. Selden Park is located at 3401 Ross Road, just past historic downtown Brunswick.

St. Simon’s Island
St. Simon’s Island is the largest of the Golden Isles. Its biggest attraction is the beach, but the Fort Frederica National Monument, Museum of Coastal History, Christ Church, St. Simon’s Lighthouse, Neptune Park, and various ruins of the plantation era also draw tourists. St. Simon’s golf courses have excellent reputations, and many people venture to the island just to play a few rounds. While wandering around St. Simon’s Island, take the opportunity to look closely at the trees. The faces of soldiers lost at sea were skillfully etched into some trees many years ago, and they give unsuspecting guests a fright – or at least a ghost story to tell. St. Simons Island is accessible via the F.J. Torras Causeway from Brunswick.