Cumberland Island, Georgia

Pictured above: Carnegie Ruins, the Dungeness Mansion

Although Cumberland Island isn't usually considered one of Georgia's "Golden Isles," we include it due to its close proximity (just below Jekyll Island) and exquisite natural seaside beauty.

Accessible only by boat, Cumberland Island was once the home of the Carnegie Family where their illustrious Dungeness Mansion now stands in ruins. It was here the Carnegies held extravagant galas to entertain their high society guests such as the Vanderbilts and the Duponts who frequented the island.

Decades later, the late John F. Kennedy Jr. and his fiancee Carolyn Bessette chose to have their secret wedding amid the grandeur and seaside scenery of this majestic isle.

Most of the island is a National Park and visitors to the island are expected to adhere to stringent regulations. Although the restrictions may seem cumbersome at times, they have been instrumental in keeping the island the natural unspoiled treasure it is today.

To find out more about the island and its visitation regulations, contact the Cumberland Island National Seashore at 912-882-4336.

The Greyfield Inn, a turn of the century mansion, located on Cumberland Island , can also answer any questions you may have. The Greyfield Inn can be reached at either 1-800-717-0821 or 904-261-6408. If you contact the Inn, you may want to inquire about their elegant guest accommodations and gourmet dining facilities as well as the various activities they provide such as birding, shelling, biking, fishing and swimming, just to name a few.

For more information about Cumberland Island and the Golden Isles area visit www.gatewaytothegoldenisles.com/directoryMain.