Top Ten Scenic Drives in the United States

St. Simons Island Lighthouse (NPS)

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A nice alternative to hectic interstate driving, routes 520, 99, and 17 explore the nooks and crannies of the Atlantic coast, allowing travelers to get close to Georgia's fertile marshland, estuaries, and barrier islands. The drive passes by the beautiful Golden Isles—Jekyll Island, St. Simons, Little St. Simons, and Sea Island—four destinations popular with the jet set since the turn of the century.

Beyond the luxury of the Georgian Gold Coast, there are plenty of quaint communities offering cozy diners, bizarre tourist attractions, and Low Country boils: giant pots of soup brimming with the bounty of the Atlantic coast—and anything else the cook decides to throw in. To get even closer to the water that shapes this drive, shoreline sea kayaking will do the trick.

Just the Facts

Route: North along the Atlantic coast, from Jekyll Island to Savannah

Length: 81 miles (two hours)

Season: All year

Features and activities: World's smallest church in South Newport, marsh-life viewing in the Marshes of Glyn, beachcombing on St. Simons Island, and winter whale watching.

More Georgia Scenic Driving

Coastal Georgia National Monuments:

Fort Frederica

Fort Pulaski