The Antebellum South & Georgia’s Golden IslesA cruise featuring the history and nature of the Intracoastal Passage

Itinerary

November 14 - Jacksonville, Florida, Embark
Upon arrival, transfer to the Yorktown. (D)

November 15 - St. Marys, Georgia, Cumberland Island
From St. Marys, a historic small port town on Georgia’s south coast, take a local ferry to nearby Cumberland Island, the largest wilderness island in the country. Inhabited by Timucuan Indians for more than 3,000 years, the island was also host to British colonists, Spanish missionaries, and the Carnegies, who owned most of the island from the late 19th century. In 1972, the federal government purchased the island and established the Cumberland Island National Seashore in order to protect the unique wildlife. During our visit, we will explore Cumberland’s historic sites, as well as the rich bird and animal life, in the company of park rangers. (B,L,D)

November 16 - Brunswick, Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island
Today, explore Jekyll and St. Simons Islands, two of Georgia’s famed Golden Isles. In 1886 a group of millionaires from the north bought Jekyll Island as a winter retreat and built the Jekyll Island Club, whose members included Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Astors. These illustrious members erected stately mansions—which were called "cottages"—around the imposing club and are remarkably preserved today. In 1947 Georgia purchased the island and the estates and subsequently turned the area into a state park. On scenic St. Simons Island, visit the archaeological site of Fort Frederica, where Spanish and British troops battled in 1742, establishing Georgia as a British colony. Also visit the island’s lighthouse, rebuilt in 1872 and still operational today. Golfers may elect to play a round of golf at the Sea Island Golf Club, graced by majestic ocean vistas in the tradition of St. Andrews. (B,L,D)

November 17 - Brunswick, Cruising the Intracoastal Waterway
In the morning, enjoy time at leisure to explore Brunswick. Then spend the day enjoying the wildlife and scenery as Yorktown cruises along the Intracoastal Waterway. The Low Country is home to a multitude of birdlife and wildlife, including alligators and turtles that might be seen along the swamps, marshes, and sawgrass flats. (B,L,D)

November 18 - Savannah
Spend the day touring Savannah, Georgia’s oldest city, founded by James Oglethorpe in 1733. In December 1864, the city fell to General Sherman’s troops but was spared the destruction waged on other areas of Georgia during Sherman’s March to the Sea. Today the fine avenues and open spaces that Oglethorpe planned form the cornerstone of the three-square-mile historic district, which features over 1,000 Federal and Regency buildings and 21 verdant squares. A tour includes the Davenport House, an elegant Federal-style home that presides over the northwest corner of Columbia Square. In the afternoon enjoy time at leisure to stroll among the lovely streets and squares. Golfers will enjoy playing The Club at Savannah Harbor, an 18-hole masterpiece created by architect Robert Cupp surrounded by tidal marshes and abundant wildlife. (B,L,D)

November 19 - Beaufort, South Carolina
Set amid an estuary in the interior Sea Islands, Beaufort is steeped in beauty and in history. Explore Beaufort’s downtown area, a designated National Historic Landmark whose unique, antebellum architecture has been remarkably preserved. Golfers will transfer to Hilton Head Island to play the worldfamous Harbour Town Golf Links. (B,L,D)

November 20 - Charleston
Spend the day in Charleston, one of the East Coast’s loveliest cities. A prosperous, cosmopolitan seaport from colonial times, it was here in Charleston’s harbor that Confederate troops first fired upon Fort Sumter, thus starting the Civil War. Tour Charleston’s extensive historic district. Visit Drayton Hall, a National Historic Landmark and a National Trust Historic Site and the oldest surviving example of Georgian Palladian architecture in the United States. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, or drive to historic Middleton Place, a carefully preserved 18th-century plantation that is a National Historic Landmark. Situated on the Ashley River, the property includes the House Museum, built in 1755 as the gentlemen’s guest quarters, and 65 acres of magnificent gardens. Golfers will have the opportunity to play the famed Links at Stono Ferry, where the 1779 Battle at Stono Ferry was fought on the very grounds where you will tee off. (B,L,D)

November 21 - Charleston, Disembark, Fly Home
Disembark and transfer to the airport for return flights. (B)