No need to go too far afield with travel plans. These easily accessed destinations cater to every style of traveler.
Written by KATHRYN DRURY WAGNER
SURE, YOU COULD GET A PLANE TICKET AND SKEDADDLE TO SLOVAKIA. But Coastal Georgia/South Carolina’s Lowcountry was named as one of the best regions in the world to visit in 2025 by Lonely Planet – a distinguished list that included far-flung destinations like South Pacific Ocean nation Vanuatu and Nepal’s Terai region. So why not take advantage of how lucky we are to live here and do a long weekend (or more) closer to home? Whether you’re a die-hard shopper, an exploratory foodie, crave adventure, love culture or want family-friendly options, these nearby escapes have just what you seek.
Destination: Savannah
0 Miles away (staycation!)
3 counties making up the metro area
1733 Year Founded
The Foodie: Forsyth Farmers’ Market — Nibble your way through the biggest farmers’ market in south Georgia, browsing the fresh produce from local farmers and sampling artisanal food items like jams, granola, small-batch coffee blends, hot sauces, stone ground grits and local honey. The market is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the southern half of Forsyth Park.
Family-Friendly: Lucky Savannah Vacation Rentals — Cross “hire pet- and kid-sitter” off your to-do list and take your beloved pooch and people with you. The locally owned company manages 300 properties in desirable getaway spots like the Historic District and Tybee Island, and it has pet-friendly options with features such as fenced-in yards.
The Shopper: Downtown Design District — Upscale vintage boutiques, home goods, antiques, on-trend accessories and clothing … if it’s chic, it can be found here. Better give yourself plenty of time to explore the Downtown Design District, which is clustered around Whitaker Street and just keeps getting better and better.
The Adventurer: Coastal Fishing — Get out on the water for some fly and light tackle fishing. Tall Tides Charters’ owner and guide Capt. Chad DuBose and his team know just where to go and use traditional flats-style skiffs to access “skinny water” — that is, the best spots for finding redfish (catch-and-release) as well as cobia, jack crevalle and tarpon.
The Culture Seeker: Sorrel Weed House — The first home in the State of Georgia to be designated a state historic landmark, the Sorrel Weed House and Carriage House Museum was built in the 1830s and is considered an iconic example of antebellum architecture. For those of you alone in your passion for history, finagle the rest of your group into joining you for a ghost tour; the home is a popular excursion for people interested in the paranormal.
Destination: Palmetto Bluff, S.C.
24 miles away
30 minutes approximate drive time
20,000 acres
The Foodie: River House — This restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows offer a commanding view of the May River, while the menu commands your palate with flavors of the Lowcountry, both land and sea. Try the venison tenderloin accompanied by sweet potato gnocchi and huckleberry. Each plate is a nod to the region’s culinary heritage, presented with contemporary finesse.
Family-Friendly: The Treehouses of Moreland Village — The five-story treehouse overlooking the May River and adjacent marshes is the sort of discovery that lodges in the memory when other, flashier experiences have faded away. Built by local artist Wayne Edwards and his son, Heath, the structure surrounds (but doesn’t touch) an ancient live oak and is built from locally sourced materials, Swiss Family Robinson style. A second treehouse, also built by Wayne and Heath, features slides, bridges and rope ladders.
The Shopper: Treasures — Locally crafted keepsakes and breezy coastal apparel meet in this casual-elegant shop at Montage Palmetto Bluff. The boutique’s curated collection of fashion, finds and fun is a good place to pick up a gift or spend an hour before heading to dinner at one of the nearby restaurants.
The Adventurer: Kayaking on the May River — Glide through the glassy waters of the May River, amid gnarled trees standing sentinel, and keep a keen eye out for dolphins and soaring seabirds. Local outfitter Outside Palmetto Bluff offers tailored tours from nature-peeping to fishing to a moonlight excursion.
The Culture Seeker: FLOW Gallery + Workshop — Art is an act of communion — and FLOW aims to provide a space for appreciation, conversation and even hands-on experiences. The gallery hosts visiting artists, workshops and other events dedicated to bringing visitors into contact with regional artists and their works. Sign up for a workshop and take home some new skills after your vacation.
Destination: Hilton Head Island, S.C.
37 miles away
1 hour approximate drive time
26 championship golf courses
The Foodie: Lulu Kitchen — Describing food as “eclectic” can be a cop-out, but it really applies to chef Scott Hastings’ Hilton Head dining spot, where the menu whiplashes charmingly from Southern shrimp and grits to a wagyu and lobster “surf and turf” ravioli all the way to a traditional French bouillabaisse. It’s a journey as unusual as Hastings’ own — he earned his culinary chops in locales as varied as the Hamptons and the U.S. Navy.
Family-Friendly: Pirates of Hilton Head — Pint-size pirates (and their parents) will enjoy this hour and a half swashbuckling adventure on an actual boat plying the calmest of seas. Play-act battles with water cannons off the side of the boat, seek a “treasure chest” and spot (real) dolphins. Book ahead.
The Shopper: Nash Gallery — Owned and operated by the Alexander family since 1989, the Nash Gallery represents artists from across the U.S. and Canada as the exclusive regional exhibitor of their handcrafted art, jewelry and home decor. The careful curation and knowledgeable staff make this a worthy stop.
The Adventurer: Adventure Hilton Head — If the coastal lifestyle has slowed your pulse, get it pounding again with a zipline adventure high above the canopy. This high-flying course (closed in the winter) delivers stunning coastal views with a range of obstacles, experiences and skill levels — a little something to jazz up your life and Instagram.
The Culture Seeker: Gullah Heritage Trail Tours — The Gullah Geechee Corridor, spanning the sea islands of the Eastern Seaboard from North Carolina to Florida, is home to the enduring culture of enslaved West African people and their descendants who lived here for centuries and today continue to keep their traditions alive. Learn about the language, food, faith and significant places under the knowledgeable guidance of a Gullah tour guide.
Destination: The Golden Isles
78 miles away
1 hour, 20 minutes approximate drive time
4 beautiful barrier islands
The Foodie: Southern Soul Barbeque — Southern Soul Barbeque on St. Simons Island is something of a destination for the barbecue aficionado, a fact reflected by the long lines you’ll find earlier in the day than anyone should really be gnawing on ribs. It’s a laid-back, smoky-savory stop for some of Georgia’s best barbecue.
Family-Friendly: Georgia Sea Turtle Center — It can be fascinating to watch experts do their work — and that’s the experience at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, where educational exhibits and turtle encounters happen side by side with rehabilitation by veterinary specialists. If you’re lucky, you might catch a turtle surgery in progress.
The Shopper: Beach Village on Jekyll Island — Jekyll’s small but lively shopping hub is the spot for boutiques with cute beachwear and crafts, and practical finds, too, like that SPF 30 you always forget to pack. Just over the dunes from the Atlantic, it makes for an easy visit before or after a seaside stroll.
The Adventurer: Bird-watching on Little St. Simons Island — How old were you when your interest in birds went from zero to “surprisingly intrigued?” Sometimes all it takes is a glimpse of a characterful (and enormous) wood stork trawling the marsh for a piscine snack. Little St. Simons, a protected island accessible only by boat, is the place to see more than 250 species of birds. Reservations are required for both day trips and overnight stays at the island’s lodges and cabins.
The Culture Seeker: Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation — Everyone knows about the cotton, peanuts and tobacco, but fewer people know that for decades, Georgia’s No. 2 cash crop was rice. The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation (near Brunswick, considered part of the Golden Isles area) offers a glimpse into this facet of Georgia’s agricultural past, with a sprawling estate that includes a historic main house, several outbuildings and a compelling story of labor and legacy.
Destination: Milledgeville
164 miles away
2 hours, 45 minutes approximate drive time
60 years as the capital of Georgia (1807-67)
The Foodie: The Local Yolkal Cafe — Some of us fancy ourselves egg sandwich connoisseurs, and the Local Yolkal’s version is positively epic. You can also choose to brunch on Eggs Benedict and seasonal variations of mimosas. But if you prefer to sleep in, don’t worry; the cafe also serves lunch.
Family Friendly: Lake Sinclair — The 15,330-acre lake that was created in 1953 as part of a hydroelectric generating station project is ideal for recreation. Rent a pontoon boat for a leisurely day of picnicking and swimming, or a faster boat for tubing. Campsites are also available along the shore.
The Shopper: Chatter Boutique — Need a swanky outfit for an upcoming event or a chic top to wear to the office? They’ve got you covered at woman-owned Chatter Boutique, which offers on-trend clothing, stylish accessories and gifts.
The Adventurer: Bike Bartram Forest — Bartram Forest is ideal for beginning to intermediate mountain bikers, with three looping trails that take riders through pine forests, past meadows and alongside a creek and pond. You’ll likely see wildlife along the trails, too. The trails are also used for running and walking, if you prefer.
The Culture Seeker: Andalusia — This circa-1814 farm was home to Southern novelist and short story writer Flannery O’Connor from 1951 until her death in 1964, and it is where she did the bulk of her writing. Now open for public tours as a museum, it not only showcases artifacts from O’Connor’s time there but also from throughout the property’s history.
Destination: St. Augustine, Fla.
191 miles away
3 hours approximate drive time
42 miles of beaches
The Foodie: Taste it All — Schmooze with top chefs at one of the dozens of food festivals held in this area each year. A few notables include the Whiskey, Wine and Wildlife Festival; barbecue cookoff Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam & Car Show; and St. Augustine Brewers’ Fest. Or slurp it up at the Cathedral Parish School Chowder Festival. There’s even the Cabbage, Potato and Bacon Festival.
Family-Friendly: The Colonial Quarter — This living history museum shares what “America’s Oldest City” was like in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Kids can climb a watchtower, watch blacksmiths at work and thrill to a live musket firing demonstration. The Colonial Quarter houses a number of casual Spanish, British and seafood eateries, making for crowd-pleasing meals.
The Shopper: Cigars — Hispanic history was influential in St. Augustine, giving it, among other things, an intriguing cigar culture. Sniff through some of cigar shops — which offer hand — rolled and premium cigars from all over, including Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua–to get the perfect gift for a stogie-lover in your life.
The Adventurer: Golf — Cross this one off the golf bucket list: TPC Sawgrass’ The Players Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach. It has an insanely cool, signature island green on the 17th hole that juts out into the water — and a course routing laid out so no two consecutive holes ever play the same direction.
The Culture Seeker: St. Augustine Amphitheatre — This 16-acre outdoor amphitheater, nicknamed “The Amp,” is a world-class music venue that brings in big-time acts like Wille Nelson & Family, Goo Goo Dolls, Dashboard Confessional, Macy Gray and The Beach Boys.
