Local attractions and amenities

DISTANCE 15.3 MILE
TIME 23 MINS
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Situated on the northern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp, the park features 626 acres, a 120-acre lake, all manner of camping, and cottages so you can stay, play, and visit the mysterious land of trembling earth in the swamp.

In addition to this, there are alligators, yellow-shafted flickers, warblers, owls, and blue herons that are regular sights at the park, but keep your eyes peeled as you walk along the lake or nature trails for the shy gopher tortoise or the elusive and federally protected Eastern indigo snake.

PLUS

Fishing, swimming, and boating are all great ways to enjoy the lake. Kayaks and bikes are also available for rent. As well as that, there’s a playground, dog park, and swimming beach, as well as picnic shelters and a gazebo, making the park a perfect location for a family camping trip. And don’t forget to get a round of golf in during your stay at The Lakes 18-hole golf course.

FIRST EVER

It should be noted that the Laura S. Walker State Park is the first state park in Georgia to be named after a woman. Walker was a well-known naturalist, writer, teacher, and civic leader who worked tirelessly on conservation efforts in and around the swamp.

DISTANCE 15.5 MILE
TIME 24 MINS
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The earth doesn’t tremble at The Lakes – an 18-hole golf course at Laura S. Walker State Park – it gently rolls with beautifully manicured fairways and undulating greens. Lined with native plants and designed by Steve Burns in 1995, it was voted Best Municipal Golf Course in Georgia by Golf Digest in 2009. Two years later it was voted the Best New Site of the Year in the U.S. by the Hook a Kid on Golf program.

NATURAL WONDER

Without a doubt, burns made sure to make the most of the natural wonder of the Okefenokee Swamp by incorporating local sand into the sand traps and waste areas and by designing holes around the three beautiful lakes on the course. The lakes and the proximity to the swamp also make it a great place to see wildlife such as wading birds and alligators. Don’t be surprised to see a gator saunter across the fairway.

PLUS

Experience golf the natural way at The Lakes, where there are no nearby houses or roads to distract golfers. Furthermore, play around and hear only the whisper of the wind in the pines.

In addition, at 6,595 yards in length and with a course rating of 71.9, The Lakes at Laura S. Walker State Park regulars say it plays like a championship course but walks like a par 3.

SHOP

Furthermore, the Lakes features a full-service golf shop, 40-tee driving range, and snack bar. Group or individual lessons are available by appointment.

DISTANCE 3.6 MILE
TIME 6 MINS
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Undoubtedly, the culture and history of Waycross and the surrounding areas are celebrated at the Okefenokee Heritage Center. The regional art and history museum sits among 20 acres of beautiful pine woodlands in Waycross where it has educated and entertained locals and visitors for more than 30 years with its exhibits and community events.

EXHIBITS

Subsequently the center’s ‘Ol Nine Locomotive draws some of the biggest crowds. The 1912 Baldwin steam locomotive weighs 100 tons and has been impeccably restored to illustrate the railroad’s significant impact on Waycross’ development. The exhibit includes three other rail cars, making it 365 feet of rolling history.

PLUS

In contrast, rock music fans won’t want to miss a special exhibit chronicling the life of local product Gram Parsons, creator of what he called “cosmic American music,” who quietly was one of the most influential people in rock and roll history. Parsons’ influence can be heard in bands like The Rolling Stones and The Eagles.

YEARLY EVENTS

In addition, the Okefenokee Heritage Center events include an annual color run 5K, held in April, art competitions, quilting and photography guilds, summer camps, and the Local Fare Market. The center offers several levels of membership and classes are available as well.

DISTANCE 18.1 MILE
TIME 27 MINS
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The locally owned and operated Okefenokee Swamp Park is at the northern tip of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and acts as a gateway for thousands of visitors every year into the swamp itself.

Without a doubt, the wondrous world of the Okefenokee is a significant part of America’s heritage, a beautifully preserved segment of what was here when America began. The swamp is the headwaters for both the Suwanee and St. Marys rivers and was recently added to the National Wilderness System.

NATURAL WONDERS

The park is a convenient point of entry to the refuge and is a magnificent showcase for the natural wonderland. The park’s lily-lined water trails reflect the overhanging beauty of the unique local flora and lead to all points in the vast wilderness of islands, lakes, jungles, forests, and prairies in the land of the trembling earth.

PLUS

As well as that the Okefenokee Swamp Park is a rare and exciting experience for every member of the family. Extravagantly beautiful, the swamp, which covers nearly a half-million acres, carries you back into the Earth’s primordial beginnings. Interpretive exhibits, lectures, wildlife shows, boat tours on original Native American waterways, wilderness walkways, Pioneer Island, and native animals in their natural habitat, all combine for the complete Okefenokee experience. See firsthand how nature’s balance assures the perpetuation of the flora and fauna, and even the swamp itself.

PERFECTION

Obviously, the pristine beauty of the park and swamp make the Okefenokee a photographer’s dream.

DISTANCE 3.7 MILE
TIME 6 MINS
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Unlike anywhere else the history of forestry is on display at Southern Forest World, a museum dedicated to telling the past and present story of forestry in Southeast Georgia. It’s easy to take the forest around you for granted. After a visit to Southern Forest World, you’ll never look at a tree the same way again.

EXHIBITS

In addition, exhibits include a 38-foot fiberglass loblolly pine with a spiral staircase, a 7-foot-tall scale model of the Saturn rocket that incorporated pine products to take the man to the moon, and multiple exhibits that educate visitors on the various forestry-related industries.

PLUS

Without a doubt, you won’t want to miss Stuckie, the mummified dog who rests in a hollowed log and was once displayed at Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

In addition to all of this, for a rare interaction with nature, as many as 17 people can gather inside a massive cypress tree outside the museum and see what trees look like from the inside out.

DISTANCE 74.6 MILE
TIME 93 MINS
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St. Simons Island is dotted with exceptional historic sites and attractions, from the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum – a working lighthouse built-in 1872 – to the Bloody Marsh Battle Site, where, in July 1742, British and Scottish soldiers protecting colonial Georgia defeated a larger Spanish force in a battle that helped end Spanish incursions outside Florida.

PLUS

It should be noted that on the island’s north end, Cannon’s Point Preserve is not to be missed. This visitor favorite contains middens dating back to 2500 BCE. Fort Frederica National Monument, which preserves archeological remnants of the local British colony and its defense against Spain, and historic Christ Church, Frederica – one of the oldest churches in Georgia, with worship held continuously since 1736 – are also located on the island’s north end. Without a doubt, history buff or not, you won’t want to miss Christ Church’s picturesque and somewhat haunting grounds.