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The island covers an area of 10,000 acres (40 km2) that has been privately owned but recently opened to the public since the early 1970s. Little St. Simons Island is located slightly northeast of St. Simons Island and Sea Island. It is separated from these islands by the Hampton River and from the marshes of the mainland by Buttermilk Sound.
The island is cypress, live oak, and pine forested. Some 280 species of bird are known to visit, some threatended from being endangered. Other species that call the island home include the alligator, the European fallow deer, and armadillo. Off the shores otters, dolphins, and right whales swim in the inlets and open waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
The island's first owner was Samuel Ougspourger, a Swiss colonist from South Carolina, who purchased the island from King George II, in 1760, and eight years later sold it to his grandson Gabriel Maniqualt. Today the island is owned by the relatives of Philip Berolzheimer, a wealthy New Yorker who acquired the island in 1908.
Little St. Simons Island and the surrounding Altamaha River delta are recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the American Bird Conservancy and are also recognized as a reserve site by the Wesstern Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN).
Guests are invited to come enjoy Georgia coastal beauty for a day's or night's stay. However, island occupancy is limited to no more than thirty persons at a time. Guests can hike, bike, boat or be driven around the island. |
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Day Trips |
Round-trip boat transportation to and from Little St. Simons Island. Boat leaves from Hampton River Club Marina.
Day trips Depart at 10:30 am and return by 4:30 pm every day. Call in advance for availability. Day trips include:
A guided tour and interpretive program led by an experienced naturalist (approx 1 hr and 45 minutes) will allow you to view the Island's natural from benches in the back of open trucks.
A hearty lunch of Low Country specialties prepared by chefs on island
An afternoon spent on 7 miles of pristine, private beach (approx 1 hr and 45 minutes)
Recommended for people 12 and over.
Call for day trip availability and registration at 912-638-7472. |
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Visit:
NPS Coast and Islands
Georgia Coast/Islands
Georgia Coast Events
Coast Free Things To Do
GA Coast Fishing Lakes
Georgia Coast Museums
Georgia Coast Shopping
GA Coast and Islands Map & Travel Region
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