Florida/Georgia

History by the Sea: Study & Stay on Cumberland & Amelia Islands

Program No. 1379RJ
Experience beautiful Cumberland Island as you enjoy an exclusive two-night stay at the 1890 Carnegie compound and delve into 4000 years of history on sun-dappled Amelia Island.

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6 days
5 nights
13 meals
5B 4L 4D
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida
2
Amelia Island History, Trolley Field Trip, Fort Clinch
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida
3
River Cruise, Cumberland Island History
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida
6
Program Concludes
Cumberland Island, GA
View Full Itinerary

At a Glance

Discover two Southern islands close in proximity but a world apart in character, including a rare two-night overnight on remote Cumberland Island. Begin on Florida’s historic Amelia Island in the Victorian seaport village of Fernandina Beach where you learn about the island as a historical crossroads for native peoples, European explorers and lawless pirates. Then board a ferry to secluded Cumberland Island, Georgia, a National Seashore restricted to no more than 300 visitors per day. Stay at the Greyfield Inn, a unique and historic venue that’ll give you the rare opportunity to connect with nature at its most pristine. Discover 9,800 acres of protected dune fields, forests, marshes and beaches, and hear an expert naturalist interpret the island’s sensitive ecosystem.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to three miles daily on sandy paths, sand dunes and beaches. Accommodations on Cumberland Island in historic inn and surrounding cottages uses stairs to third and fourth floor bedrooms; cottages within 170 yards of inn.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Discover the rich history and culture of Amelia Island at Fort Clinch and the Victorian Village of Fernandina.
  • On the backwaters of Amelia Island, glide along rivers, creeks and marshes during a study cruise in search of wildlife.
  • Spend two nights in the only accommodations on the island, the Greyfield Inn, which was built in 1900 by the Carnegie family.

General Notes

All rooms at Greyfield Inn have either one king or one queen bed. As such, we cannot accommodate requests for two beds, and roommate matching is unavailable for solo travelers on this program. No rollaway beds or cots are available. Two rooms share a bathroom. This is picked at random, by the Inn, and means there could be 3-4 people in one bath for the 2-night stay at Greyfield.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Kevin McCarthy
Kevin grew up in Gloucester, Mass. and settled in Fernandina Beach in 1968. He spent 41 years sailing the waters of northeast Fla. and southeast Georgia. He holds a 100 ton master’s license and developed his knowledge of the wildlife and history exploring the waters that surround Amelia Island, Cumberland Island and St. Mary's, Ga. Generations of Kevin’s family have been shrimpers, and he shares with participants his knowledge of shrimp farming and the future of the shrimp industry in the U.S.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy View biography
Kevin grew up in Gloucester, Mass. and settled in Fernandina Beach in 1968. He spent 41 years sailing the waters of northeast Fla. and southeast Georgia. He holds a 100 ton master’s license and developed his knowledge of the wildlife and history exploring the waters that surround Amelia Island, Cumberland Island and St. Mary's, Ga. Generations of Kevin’s family have been shrimpers, and he shares with participants his knowledge of shrimp farming and the future of the shrimp industry in the U.S.
Profile Image of Ron Kurtz
Ron Kurtz View biography
Ron has been an Amelia Island resident for more than 30 years. After attending Hiram College, he graduated from New York University with a degree in educational theater. He served as the director of the Amelia Island Museum of History and wrote a highly regarded history of the island, now in its sixth printing, as well as a series of children's books. Ron has lectured on the history and architecture of the first coast for the Historic Preservation Trust as well as the Smithsonian Institution.
Profile Image of Terrie Dal Pozzo
Terrie Dal Pozzo View biography
Terrie was raised in New Orleans and moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands at the age of 18. She became the youngest woman in the Virgin Islands to obtain a Coast Guard license to operate motor and sailing vessels. Terrie skippered sailing vessels, taking guests on journeys through the Leeward Islands, teaching them to sail and snorkel and educating them on island life. She later lived in Kitzbuhel, Austria and Perth, Australia before returning to the Virgin Islands. She currently lives in eastern Tennessee.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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6 days
5 nights
13 meals
5 B 4 L 4 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida
D
Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the main lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure. Take the remainder of the evening to prepare for the start of your weeks adventure on two islands.

DAY
2
Amelia Island History, Trolley Field Trip, Fort Clinch
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida
B,L
Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island

Activity note: Getting on/off a trolley; riding about 7 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking 1 to 2 miles throughout the day, standing during field trips; concrete, some uneven, sandy, grassy terrain at Fort Clinch.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will be joined by a local expert for a presentation on the history of Fernandina and its eight flags. The area was first inhabited by early Native American people, the Timucua. Later it became known as the “Isle of 8 Flags” that have flown here since 1562: France, Spain, Great Britain, Spain (again), the Patriots of Amelia Island, the Green Cross of Florida, Mexico, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. It is the only municipality in the United States that has lived under eight different national flags. We will then board a trolley with our expert and ride to the downtown historic district. We’ll hear stories of the visionary whose exhilarating dream so stirred his neighbors that they agreed to move their entire town to the site of a plantation he owned, creating “New” Fernandina in the 1850s. Amelia Island has been home to diverse cultures that have left a truly exciting heritage, from the “giant” Timucua Native Americans, to Spanish and French explorers, to the lawless spirit of pirates, to the dignified air of Victorian-era residents. We will observe the uniquely gracious and historic homes of another century and learn of the efforts to preserve their nearly extinct, pristine architectural styles, as well as the small town’s fragile sense of community and historical integrity.

Lunch: At a popular restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will travel by trolley to Fort Clinch, a part of the Florida State Park system since 1935. The fort is one of the most well-preserved 19th century forts in the country, thanks to the preservation and restoration efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. While garrisoned during the Civil War and the Spanish-American War, the fort has never seen action. Civil War-period reenactors will bring garrison living to life for us.

Dinner: On your own. Group leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
3
River Cruise, Cumberland Island History
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, Florida
B,L,D
Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island

Activity note: Getting on/off vessel; riding about 3 to 5 miles, approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Walking to/from marina across street from the hotel.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast, we will ride by trolley to a marina located in the historic district. Here, we will board a vessel to cruise the rivers, creeks and marshes that surround Amelia Island with a naturalist and history expert who will give you the details of everything from the land to the sea. We will cruise by Fernandina’s shrimp boats, historic Old Towne, Fort Clinch, the wild horses of Cumberland Island, and ruins of the Carnegie Dungeoness Mansion.

Lunch: At a riverside café.

Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
4
Ferry to Cumberland Island, Field Trip with Naturalist
Cumberland Island, GA
B,L,D
Greyfield Inn

Activity note: Getting on/off ferry; riding approximately 35 minutes. Getting in/out of safari truck with 4 ladder steps, bench seating; driving about 10 miles, approximately 2 hours riding time. Walking about 1 mile, approximately 1 hour; beach and wooded area, uneven, unpaved terrain that leads to the beach.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel and ride via motorcoach with our luggage to the marina. Here, we will board the ferry from Fernandina Beach to Cumberland Island for the ride of about 35 minutes. Upon arrival, Greyfield Inn staff will take our luggage from the ferry to the Inn. We will then check in at Greyfield Inn and walk through the Inn with a member of their staff and get acquainted with the facilities and learn some of the Inn’s history. Cumberland Island is 17.5 miles long and comprises 36,415 acres of which 16,850 are marsh, mud flats, and tidal creeks. It is well known for sea turtles, wild turkeys, wild horses, armadillos, abundant shore birds, dune fields, maritime forests, salt marshes, and historic structures.

Lunch: At the Inn, we will pick up our boxed lunch for a picnic-style meal outside in a spot of our choice to enjoy the scenery—under some of the huge old live oaks, down by the water, and on the patio are just a few options.

Afternoon: A naturalist will take half of the group on a Jeep safari for a field trip on Cumberland Island. Ride in the back of our custom naturalist’s truck on the way to view the secrets of Cumberland: historical ruins, wild horses, and lush maritime forests. The other half will be led by a naturalist on a nature and beach field trip. During the course of the program, the groups will have a chance to swap so that we can all experience both activities. Upon returning to the inn, we will enjoy a cocktail social hour each evening, with hors d'oeuvres in the oceanfront resort inn's well-stocked bar (drinks not included), share stories with fellow guests.

Dinner: In the Inn dining room.

Evening: We will meet in the living room for a presentation by the island naturalist.

DAY
5
First African Baptist Church, Plum Orchard, Free Time
Cumberland Island, GA
B,L,D
Greyfield Inn

Activity note: Getting on/off Jeep. Walking over some uneven, unpaved terrain around First African Baptist Church and Plum Orchard.

Breakfast: At the Inn.

Morning: We will visit the First African Baptist Church by Jeep, where John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married. We will also drive by Plum Orchard, an 1898 Georgian Revival mansion building by Lucy Carnegie for her son, George and his wife, Margaret Thaw. This mansion was donated to the National Park Foundation by the Carnegie family in 1971. We will then return to the inn for lunch.

Lunch: Picnic-style lunch outside the Inn.

Afternoon: On your own. Bikes are available free of charge for anyone staying at Greyfield Inn. Comb the beach, which is a .5 mile walk from the Inn or just enjoy the swing on the front porch with the beautiful view of the ancient live oaks and possibly a wild horse or more.

Dinner: At the Inn.

Evening: After dinner, we will share stories and bid farewell at the inn social hour. Prepare for departure in the morning.

DAY
6
Program Concludes
Cumberland Island, GA
B

Activity note: Greyfield Inn check-out is 10:00 am. Ferry returns guests to mainland at 8:00 am and10:45 am. Consider this when making flight arrangements.

Breakfast: At the Inn.

Morning: Staff from the Inn will gather your luggage from your rooms and load the ferry trip to the mainland at Fernandina Beach. The ferry will leave around 10:45 am from Cumberland and the Inn and arrive at 11:30 am. For those who have left cars at the Fernandina dock, you will only have to walk across the street to retrieve your car. This concludes our program.< br> We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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