2022’s Journey will entail 25 Campsites – 4,315 Miles (in Rosie the RV) and countless other SUV miles to get us to our adventures. We will see such vacation hotspots as St Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, Lake Placid, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine [primarily Acadia National Park, and Baxter State Park], then head south to West Virginia and Virginia before landing back in Central Florida for the winter months.
On April 24th, 3-weeks into our 2022 adventures we relocated to the Savannah, Georgia area.
Campground at Skidaway State Park
We chose Skidaway Island State Park for our home for 7 days. It is located on the southern side of historic Savannah and borders Skidaway narrows, a part of Georgia’s Intracoastal Waterway. Trails (both biking and walking) wind through maritime forest and past salt marsh, leading to a boardwalk and observation tower. With lots of wildlife including deer, eagle, osprey, egrets and dolphin we were always on the lookout for critters. There is a large observation tower in the salt marsh that allows for spectacular views of the narrows and great sunset and sunrise opportunities.
The things that make the 588 acre Skidaway Island State Park stand out to us are:
- The Quiet and Nature. Although the park is located in a touristy and busy area, once you enter the friendly gates, the campsites, picnic areas, playground, walking and biking trails, you feel far removed from the hustle and bustle.
- Walking and Biking Trails. There are miles and miles that will keep you occupied during your stay. These are short easy trails alive with deer and other critters.
- RV and Camping Spots. The sites are large and feel secluded. There are both full hookup and partial hookup sites. We had a roomy full hookup site with lots of shade.
Attractions
Historic Savannah
This was not our first visit to Savannah, through the years we’ve visited several times but this time we noticed a significant increase in the crowds even on a weekday. Everything was bustling with traffic and pedestrians and trolleys and bicycles and horse drawn carriages. For us, this took away from it’s charm. We tried to remedy that by spending a significant amount of time walking the neighborhoods between parks and staying (somewhat) off the typical tourist path. We took the time to smell the blooming jasmine and gardenia, admire and photograph the homes, and take in the history with a tour or two.
I will not get into the controversy of the horse drawn carriages, regardless of your position, I vehemently oppose them, therefore we chose something we’ve never done which was to take the Trolly. We chose Old Town Trolly because of a recommendation from a friend. We enjoyed the experience and the stories of the various guides
Dining. We opted to stay away from the top tourist dining picks due to cost and access. We were drawn to the Six Pence Pub. Mike was craving a “real” black and tan and for me it was the history of being the movie setting for Julia Robert’s 1995 movie Something to Talk About when she caught her husband cheating. Anyway….. Mike said his Black and Tan was PERFECT and we shared a Shepards Pie that was yummy. A good experience for us.
We also tried:
- The Peach Cobbler Factory, which was very tasty but we wished we would have waiting in line for the famous Leopold’s Ice Cream or Byrd’s Famous Cookies.
- Vinnie Van GoGo’s Pizza which gets a 4.5 Star rating on Google and Mike found as a “must” when in Savannah, but it was just okay. We weren’t impressed and wouldn’t go back.
Wormsloe Historic Site
The gates harboring the entrance to the ancient oak lined avenue leading to the historic site are one of the most photographed sites in Savannah. Ever the photographer and anxious to capture the perfect pic Mike could only imagine the challenge to do so here at Wormsloe.
On two different mornings Mike attempted to arrive early, hours before they opened the gates and we were greeted with a maintenance man that was not amused nor did he entertain Mike’s folly. He went about his business completely foiling any attempt to take a decent photograph with leaf blower, water hose and golf cart strategically placed in the arch. Wouldn’t even give us 10 minutes…. Nope! He was not having it.
On a somewhat cloudy day that would make for good pictures we arrived about 10 minutes before opening and were about 20th in line before the gates actually opened. The attempt was challenging to photograph the Avenue of Oaks between cars spewing dust, professional photographers shooting family, engagement and wedding photos combined with the regular tourism there was a large wedding. What luck!
With patience Mike snapped a few and then we proceeded to walk the trails and read the placards telling the history of Noble Jones. By the time we were back at the Visitor Center there were tour buses, weddings, and the parking lot was completely full.
Although we tried desperately to enjoy the experience, we really didn’t. The $20 entry cost far exceeded the experience. We felt like the actual draw to the site was the Oak Lined Avenue and it was the main entry point for buses, cars and such. Talking to an employee, we found they are trying to work through a different entry and parking lot and trolley system down the avenue. If this were to occur, we would likely return. But for us, it was chaotic, dusty and lacking in value.
Kayaking Adventures
Skidaway Narrows
The put-in is just outside the park at a large launch area. A pleasant 6-mile morning paddle where we saw two bald eagles.
Ebenezer Creek
The Ebenezer Creek is a scenic black water creek that flows through Effingham County and connects to the Savannah River at the Ebenezer Historic site. Lined with cypress and Tupelo trees, it is an beautiful creek for canoeing and kayaking. Multiple access points allow for easy going short trips along the creek, or longer full day paddles.
Sunrise and Sunsets from Campground
The Setting Sun from the Overlook at Skidaway State Park
The Setting Sun from along the trail at Skidaway State Park
Looking out from the Observation Tower at Skidaway SP
Dream Big, Travel Far, Live Well ……
What’s Next?
Tybee Island is our next stop…….
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