Two Georgia coastal treasures just earned national recognition as places worth hiding from your out-of-state friends.
🏝️ What We Know: Cumberland Island ranked 33rd and Jekyll Island’s Driftwood Beach placed 36th in a nationwide survey of “hidden gem” beaches. Travel site Frugal Flyer asked locals to name the beaches they secretly hope tourists never discover. Hawaii dominated the top spots, claiming three of the top six positions, while Georgia managed to sneak onto the list with its wild horses and ghostly driftwood forests.
🔍 Why It Matters: As international travel prices soar higher than a seagull eyeing your sandwich, Americans increasingly seek affordable escapes closer to home. Cumberland Island offers 17 miles of pristine shoreline where wild horses roam free among Gilded Age mansion ruins. Meanwhile, Driftwood Beach transforms Jekyll Island’s northern shore into what looks like Mother Nature’s sculpture garden after a particularly creative day.
🧳 What’s Next: Summer travel season is in full swing, but these beaches remain relatively uncrowded even during peak times. Cumberland Island limits daily visitors and requires a ferry ride from St. Marys, essentially filtering out anyone not willing to plan ahead. Driftwood Beach remains most magical at sunrise, when only photographers and early risers witness its otherworldly landscape.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
