Georgia’s Golden Isles and the Okefenokee
Marshes, live oaks and barrier islands south of Savannah, ending in the Okefenokee Swamp.
- Distance
- 260 km (162 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 53 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 9
- States
- GA
- Updated
- July 18, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 260 km (162 mi) with 9 stops, from Savannah to Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee Canal. About 2 h 53 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Georgia
Route description
From Savannah take US-17, the old coastal road, instead of I-95. It crosses black-water rivers and wide salt marshes to Darien, a shrimping town where Fort King George recalls the southern frontier of the British colonies in the 1720s.
Continue to Brunswick and cross the causeway to St. Simons Island, with its lighthouse, village pier and live-oak avenues. Jekyll Island, a state park reached by its own causeway, has the Gilded Age club district and Driftwood Beach, a boneyard of fallen trees best at low tide.
South on US-17 or I-95 is St. Marys, a quiet waterfront town and the departure point for the passenger ferry to Cumberland Island, with wild horses and ruined mansions. Ferry seats are limited; reserve in advance, and note that no cars are allowed on the island.
Finish inland on State Road 40 and 121 to Folkston and the Suwannee Canal entrance of the Okefenokee Swamp for a boat trip among cypress and alligators. Late fall to spring is best, with fewer insects and pleasant temperatures.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Savannah
GA - 2103 km
Darien
GA - 32 km
Fort King George
HistoryDarien, GAA reconstructed 1720s British blockhouse fort on the Altamaha River, the oldest English fort site on the Georgia coast. A short marsh trail runs behind it.
- 430 km
St. Simons Island
GA - 52 km
St. Simons Lighthouse
HistorySt. Simons Island, GAA 104-foot lighthouse from 1872 next to the village pier; climb the 129 steps for views over St. Simons Sound and Jekyll Island.
- 64 km
Driftwood Beach
NatureJekyll Island, GABleached, uprooted oaks and pines scattered across the sand on Jekyll’s north end. Come at low tide and sunrise for the best light and room to walk.
- 77 km
Jekyll Island Historic District
HistoryJekyll Island, GAGilded Age “cottages” of the millionaires’ Jekyll Island Club under live oaks. Jekyll charges a daily parking fee at the causeway.
- 846 km
St. Marys
GA - 968 km
Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee Canal
NatureFolkston, GAThe east entrance of the vast Okefenokee refuge, with a wildlife drive, a boardwalk to an observation tower and boat trips among alligators and cypress.
FAQs
How long is Georgia’s Golden Isles and the Okefenokee?
4-day road trip of about 260 km (162 mi) with 9 stops, from Savannah to Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee Canal. About 2 h 53 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Georgia’s Golden Isles and the Okefenokee?
We suggest 4 days: about 2 h 53 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Georgia’s Golden Isles and the Okefenokee start and end?
It starts in Savannah and ends in Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee Canal.
Which states does Georgia’s Golden Isles and the Okefenokee pass through?
Georgia.
