Georgia > Coastal Region > Glynn County > St. Simons Island

SouthEast Adventure Outfitters has been adventuring in Georgia’s Golden Isles since 1994. Take a kayak tour around St. Simons, Jekyll, Sapelo, Blackbeard and Cumberland Islands as well as the Altamaha and Satilla Rivers. Year-round kayaking trips from 2 hours to 7 days.

SouthEast Adventure has been in business since 1994 - based on St. Simons Island and in Brunswick, Georgia. Pioneering every trip we offer, our company has been integral in promoting and enhancing kayaking throughout the Golden Isles of Georgia.

SouthEast Adventure was started with the goal to provide exceptional kayaking trips through some of the widely unexplored and naturally beautiful areas along Georgia’s coast. Over time, the trips just keep getting better - with new adventures planned every year, and more people interested in sharing our unique perspective and expertise.

Here is a sample of Southeast Adventures trips and experiences.

Brunswick Kayak Tour (about 2 hours)
Learn the basic skills of sea kayaking while exploring the scenic “Marshes of Glynn.” Launching from our private dock, this trip is an easy and informative way to discover why kayaking is one of the fastest growing sports today. Discounts for kids’ groups.

St. Simons Kayak Tour (about 3 hours)
Join our experienced local guides as we discover the magic of sea kayaking. We’ll teach the skills needed to safely enjoy the sport as we watch the abundant wildlife in the marshes and on the beaches of St. Simons and Sea Island. Anyone can enjoy the stable, expedition quality sea-kayaks used on our trips. We take a break on a beautiful remote beach for a little birding and shelling.

Satilla River Day Trip
Cruise the beautiful black waters of one of Georgia’s most pristine rivers. Blinding white sandbars grace every bend. Cypress trees and wildlife abound. This is a mellow river, ideal for families and kids.

Links:

• Read more about SouthEast Adventure Outfitters.

 Georgia > Coastal Region > Charlton County > Folkston

Okefenokee Pastimes provides paddling tours, motorboat tours, camping, outfitting, cabin rentals, plus an arts and crafts gift shop, in the Okefenokee Swamp, one of Georgia’s most remarkable natural areas.

Okefenokee Pastimes is a private business located at the East Entrance (the headquarters) of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, offering excellent guided nature tours of Okefenokee swamp, rivers, and coastal habitats; exceptional overnight accommodations by way of clean cozy comfortable cabins; outfitting and shuttles with kayak and canoe rentals; camping and RV hook-up spots; and Swamp Gas Gallery, an art and craft gift shop. The owners of Okefenokee Pastimes are a couple, two progressive thinking native southerners, who have been around the block a few times - a Georgian and a Floridian who take tremendous pride in Okefenokee Pastimes, their creation. We are unconventional in our approach to many things, such as advertising and traditional corporate business attitudes and techniques. We do not invest in the overpriced advertising associated with many guide books or meaningless alliances and/or other inflexible and obsolete information modes. Those things rarely seem to give an accurate picture of the reality. We have arrived at our determinations by extensive travel experiences ourselves, because we always seek but rarely find places similar to our business Okefenokee Pastimes. The Internet and our conspicuous website location on the information super highway is the main vehicle we use to tell people what our business is all about. In addition, we possess a very prominent physical location in relation to the Okefenokee Swamp and St. Mary’s River. Okefenokee Pastimes is simply two individuals providing something very special that is not cheaply or easily advertised. Our web site okefenokee.com is the best conveyance we know of, for informative communications. Over the years (more than 10 now), we’ve noticed that the individuals who used the internet to gather information about us, not relying solely on printed or guidebook information are almost always satisfied with their Okefenokee Pastimes experience. Information is very powerful and we try to help you empower yourself with our website’s information.

Okefenokee Pastimes is located on 14 private, wooded acres offering the closest accommodations, and in the opinion of many, the best accommodations available around the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Okefenokee Pastimes is the place to be if you appreciate a cozy, comfy, nice and very clean cabin (your own personal independent charming little home in the woods) that features convenience, a natural rural setting, reasonable rates, peaceful surroundings, clean grounds, and a well-run, privately owned and operated business. We offer cabin accommodations, guided tours, outfitting, camping and a tiny art and craft gift shop. We have quite a bit that we do here and we do all of it well.

Okefenokee Pastimes Services

• Okefenokee Swamp Outfitting
• Motorboat Tours
• Paddling Tours
• Packaged Tours
• Lodging Accommodations

Links:
Read more about Okefenokee Pastimes.

 Georgia > Northeast Region >Rabun County >Long Creek, SC

Chattooga Whitewater Outfitters can guide you through the Chattooga River rapids like Bull Sluice, puctured above, or create fishing trips, hiking, camping and bird watching, or just about any activity in and around the Chattooga River.

Join us at Chattooga Whitewater Outfitters to experience the most beautiful and exciting river in the Southeast. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you customize your trip based on the skills, experience and desires of your group. We offer the following trip, equipment and service options to complete your outdoor adventures:

• Whitewater Paddling including rafting, canoeing, kayaking and sit-on-tops
• Flatwater paddling
• Fishing guides and equipment
• Inner tubing
• Hiking, camping and bird watching
• Transportation and logistical services for the Sumter National Forest and surrounding areas
• Instruction for paddling and fishing
• Retail, including outdoor gear, t-shirts and souvenirs
• Pizza, salad, sandwiches, cold drinks and more at Humble Pie

Links:

• Read more about Chattooga Whitewater Outfitters.

 Georgia > Coast > Camden County > St. Marys

Paddling the Okefenokee at anytime is a memorable outdoor experience, but the nighttime cruises offered by Up the Creek Xpeditions are guaranteed to secure bragging rights for participants for months to come.

Want to shock your friends? Tell them about the NIGHT that you paddled a kayak into the Okefenokee Swamp with Up the Creek Xpeditions.

This trip is a journey of discovery: of the varied moods of the swamp experienced through the trip, of the fascinating ecology, and of the excitement felt as you search the darkness with your headlamps. Learn about the unique nature that comprises the swamp, how it obtained its name, its logging and inhabited history, and its variety of birds and reptiles.

Paddling at night generates a calmness and sensory experience that enhances the mood, even for the experienced kayaker. Remember those nights out under the stars as a kid? Relive that feeling again!

Under the moonlight, using the headlamps provided by your guide, you scan back and forth until you see it; deep coal red holes glowing back at you. You pause, then creep forward. As you approach, the alligator slips under the water and disappears. You continue on, more confident than before, searching.

Links

• Read more about Up the Creek Xpeditions Okefenokee at night tours and other sea kayak tours on the Georgia and Florida coasts.
• Read more about the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

 Georgia > Southwest > Seminole County > Live Oak, Florida

Paddling the Suwannee upstream from the Suwanee Canoe Outpost. The Outpost offers canoe rental and shuttle service on three of the most exciting and remote rivers in Florida—the Suwannee, North Withlacoochee, and Alapaha.

The Suwannee Canoe Outpost is the original premier canoe outfitter on the Suwannee River. We have been at our current location in the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park since 1993. We are fortunate to be located at a boat ramp, so we can maximize customer satisfaction while minimizing shuttle times.

Our office is open all year except January. (We still take reservations in January, though.) We offer canoe rental and shuttle service on three of the most exciting and remote rivers in Florida—the Suwannee, North Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers!

The Suwannee will give you mile after mile of white sand beaches, ancient limestone bluffs, and the peace and joy of nature. Bring a hat, sunglasses, sun block, and a cooler with food or drink for your trip.

All Suwannee River trips begin up river and end at the Canoe Outpost, where your vehicle will be waiting for you. There is no pick-up at the end, which means a lower price for you! Also, with any of our trips that end at the Outpost, you can take your time and simply enjoy being on the river. Just finish your trip by 6 p.m. Paddling on the river in the dark can be dangerous!

The Suwannee Canoe Outpost provides guided group river camping trips each week from October to April. Guided fishing and Florida Trail hiking trips are also available!

Guided River Camping and Paddling Trips
Guided river camping trips are three-to-five days long, depending on your preference. Groups usually leave from the Canoe Outpost on Sunday or Monday morning and return on Thursday or Friday. The Canoe Outpost provides canoes, paddles, life jackets, guide, two meals per day, and shuttle service, all of which are included in your trip price.

Your guide, Graham, will enrich your river experience with his knowledge of the river and its wildlife. He will also prepare breakfast and dinner each day during the trip. Please bring your own camping gear, lunches, beverages, and snacks. We will give you a complete gear list and a sample menu upon your reservation.

Firearms are not allowed on any Canoe Outpost trips.

We accommodate your group of 4 to 10 people (up to 5 canoes). Reservations are required, and payment is due 30 days before your trip is scheduled to begin.

Guided trips include camping on beautiful, white sand beaches and paddling through some of the most beautiful and peaceful scenery in North Florida.

Links:

• Read more about the Suwannee River’s Suwannee Outpost.

Winding along the Ocmulgee River in Central Georgia, the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail provides an environment for walking, biking, boating, bird watching and many other activities.

The Ocmulgee Heritage Trail is the only riverside trail and park system in Middle Georgia. The Trail is first and foremost a recreational resource providing an exceptional environment for walking, biking, boating, bird watching and many other activities. Easily accessible from Interstates 16 and 75 and downtown Macon, the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail provides a peaceful respite from the bustle of urban life.

The Trail is also a cultural resource that connects people and places to celebrate our shared history of life along the Ocmulgee River. Many of our community’s historic treasures can be discovered along the Trail: the Ocmulgee National Monument, Historic Rose Hill Cemetery, and Macon’s original water works. On any given day, people of all walks of life can share at least one thing in common – the pleasure of recreating and relaxing on the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.

The Trail is a public-private partnership managed by NewTown Macon in cooperation with the Macon-Bibb County Parks & Recreation department. Other key partners include the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Transportation, Macon Water Authority, Ocmulgee National Monument, Urban Development Authority, and generous businesses, individuals and foundations.

Links

• Read more about the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.
• Read more about the Ocmulgee River.
• Download a poster of the Ocmulgee River showing historical and envonmental features of the entire watershed.

The Okefenokee Swamp is a wilderness paradise for canoeists, photographers, naturalist and explorers of all interests and ages.

Okefenokee Adventures, nestled on the bank of the historic Suwannee Canal, provides an embarking point into the Okefenokee Swamp. Okefenokee Adventures has everything you need to make your exploration of the swamp comfortable and enjoyable.

Okefenokee Adventures provides guided tours of the Suwannee Canal, open marshes dotted with cypress Islands, and winding trails where alligators and turtles bask on the banks, and sand hill cranes watch you drift by.

They have all new canoes, kayaks and quiet four-cycle motorboats for rent. Don’t bother packing a lunch – Camp Cornelia Cafe offers sandwiches, burgers, sodas, and other refreshments. Enjoy them on the deck overlooking the canal or pack it with you.

Okefenokee Adventures owners Chip and Joy Campbell
None of Chip and Joy Campbell’s friends and family were surprised when they chose to leave North Carolina’s vibrant and bustling Research Triangle area to move to south Georgia’s famous Okefenokee Swamp.

Chip, a Georgia native, has been exploring the Okefenokee since he was a 12-year-old Boy Scout. Chip introduced Joy to the region during their college days at North Carolina State University.

The couple honeymooned in the swamp in 1984 and have explored the Okefenokee and many other Southern wetland ecosystems extensively in the years of their life together.

Both Chip and Joy worked at Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina before coming to Charlton County to take over the sole concession inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Chip has also worked as manager with Pro Canoe and Kayak, and both Chip and Joy have guided excursions for Rock Rest Adventures in the Okefenokee, Roanoke River and Black River swamps, many of them in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy.

The Campbells started Okefenokee Adventures in the Summer of 2000 and look forward to serving your needs as you visit the incomparable Okefenokee Swamp!

Northeast Georgia’s Broad River offers miles of canoeing for beginning and intermediate canoeists along with some “cheap thrills,” that will please any level of paddler.

Experience the beauty of Northeast Georgia’s Broad River. It’s “wild” or “mild” and always scenic. Canoes or kayaks are the best way to float and enjoy the Broad River. The Broad River Outpost has something for everyone with two sections of river, a variety of rental kayaks and canoes, and camping for groups or individuals.

Located in northeast Georgia, 23 miles from Athens on GA Hwy 281, the scenic Broad River has 70 miles of continuous navigable water. Most of this free flowing river is mild with no rapids.  One section has exciting but easy Class II rapids, suitable for beginners yet fun for the more advanced paddler.

The Broad has the “Waterfall,”  an avoidable 5-foot drop that is a definite “cheap thrill.”  The 6.5 mile section -The Broad- contains 7 shoals, each with individual ledges and sloughs.

Our two basic trips are:

• The Upper Broad - 5 miles ( 2-3 hours) or 10 miles ( 3-6 hours) of moving water
• The Lower 6.5 miles of Class II beginner whitewater ( 3-4 hours).

Times will vary depending on water levels, skill levels and attitudes.

Mild and scenic sections with beautiful views and vista’s of high bluffs, cliffs and of hardwood forest and wildflowers describe the bulk of the river.  Most are suitable for day trips or for camping trips of up to 4 days.

The river starts in the National Forest on the eastern slope of the Appalachian Mountains and ends at U.S. Corps of Engineer’s Anthony Shoals, a mile-long Class II rapid with many endangered species of flora and fauna. These federally protected areas contain historic and prehistoric sites.

Links

• The Broad River is in the Savannah River Watershed. Download a Georgia River Poster of the Savannah River Watershed
• Learn more about the Savannah River and its tributaries, including the Broad River.

Tours of Sapelo Island are among the outdoor adventures of the Macon-based Georgia Wilderness Society. The Sapelo Ferry is pictured above.

The Georgia Wilderness Society is a non-profit organization of outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hiking, camping, canoeing and other wilderness experiences. It’s based in Macon with members from several states. Tours and trips extend throughout the Southeastern United States.

Georgia Wildernes Society meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of February, April, June, October and December at 7:30pm at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon.

A newsletter is available online in pdf format, and upcoming trips are available on the GWS website, which is usually more current than the newsletter.

Characteristic tours and outings include:

• Canoeing
• Backpacking
• Bike rides
• Social events
• Explorations of Georgia’s barrier islands
• Hiking on the Appalachian Trail