Last night we posted the Coastal Georgia page in our Regions section. We won’t say it’s “completed” though, because this blog will always be a work in progress as we discover new outdoor programs and resources. Just compiling the info for the section yesterday opened our eyes to a ton of nature centers and cool family programs from Savannah down to the Okefenokee.The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge even spans the border with South Carolina.
Here’s a roundup of some great heritage festivals, preschool nature programs, homeschool programs, and state and national lands to check out with your kids:
- Cumberland Island National Seashore – still on our bucket list! Explore Georgia’s largest barrier island, with a mix of maritime forests, pristine beaches and marshes on its 9800 acres of nationally-designated wilderness. Even getting there is an exciting adventure – it’s only accessible by boat, so plan ahead to reserve your spot on the ferry. There are also no restaurants or facilities other than restrooms & water fountains, so pack a lunch & refillable water bottles, and be sure to pack out your trash.
- 4-H Tidelands Nature Center Homeschool Days – The Fall 2015 program is wrapping up, but be sure to check out the in-depth nature and science programs they offer homeschool kids – like the chance to dissect a shark or pilot a canoe in a Salt Pond Scavenger Hunt!
- “Swampers Guide to the Galaxy” at Stephen C. Foster State Park – Two dates in November to take advantage of the low levels of light pollution in the Okefenokee Swamp and view the night skies with high-powered telescopes.
- Two different heritage festivals on November 21 that offer tons of hands-on learning while raising money for their host facilities: Harvest Festival and Cane Grinding at the Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah and the Pioneer Day Festival at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Find even more events on our state-wide Events Calendar or in the list to the right.