Off the coast of Georgia
lie 14 barrier islands known collectively as The Golden Isles of Georgia. It
is said that the Golden Isles first got their name from Spanish
explorers who came to the islands over 400 years ago seeking gold.
Although there was no actual gold to be found, they did find the island
to have treasure of a more intrinsic nature with its natural beauty,
mild weather, lush forests teaming with wildlife and serene ambience.
All of these islands have a few things in common: maritime
forests, hard-packed sandy beaches, and salt marshes. The coastal salt
marshes of these islands represent nearly a third of the salt marshes
on the east coast of the United States and offer an ideal habitat for
many of the endangered birds and other wildlife which find refuge on
them. Aside from their similarities, each island is unique with
its own inherent qualities and rich history. And if a day at the
beach is what you're after, you've come to the right place! Although
several of the islands offer little or no public access due to the
critical nature of the endangered wildlife they support, many others do
offer full beach access to the public for fishing, swimming, boating,
shelling, picnicking, hiking and more.
Now lets take a look at each of these islands and what they have to offer.
The names of Georgia's 14 "Golden Isles" are:
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