Georgia's City of Brunswick is an historic and stunning southern city that combines century-old oaks, 19th Century Victorian homes, and magnolia tree lined streets with contemporary restaurants, art galleries, boutiques, and cultural venues. Shrimp boats come into the port laden with their daily catch. The Farmers' Market offers the best of local vegetables and fruits. The Port of Brunswick is also the gateway to Georgia's Golden Isles, one of the most popular vacation and resort areas on the US East Coast. It is also a popular spot for fishing charters.
The Port of Brunswick has a humid subtropical climate with hot humid summers and short mild winters. Summers bring frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Snow is rare, but the Port of Brunswick averages almost 50 inches of rain each year. Hurricane season reaches its peak in August and September, the wettest months of the year. Temperatures range from an average high of 33°C (92°F) in July to an average low of 7°C (44°F) in January.
The F.J. Torras Causeway links the Port of Brunswick to St. Simons Island, a natural and historic gem. The Bloody Marsh Battle Site recalls the struggle between Britain and Spain over control of the area. The area was rumored to be "? running red with the blood of Spaniards," even though documents prove this to be untrue.
The Cassina Garden Club Slave Cabins, near St. Simons' Epworth by the Sea, have been restored by the County's oldest garden club. The two small tabby cabins (concrete made from oyster shells, sand, and water) are the remains of the slave quarters of the old Hamilton Plantation. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the cabins are now the centerpiece of grounds that support native plants and flowers carefully tended by the Garden Club.
Today, the US National Park Service preserves and protects the remains of Fort Frederica at the National Monument. Fort Frederica was pivotal in the British defeat of the Spanish as they struggled over the lands around the Port of Brunswick. Named for the Prince of Wales, Frederick Louis, the fort controlled shipping along the Frederica River. Activities at the park include a museum with artifacts from the fort area, self-guided tours through the archaeological site, and a 23-minute film called "History Uncovered."
The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation Historic Site in the Port of Brunswick tells the story of old Georgia's rice coast. The rice plantation was created by William Brailsford in the early 1800s, and the family continued to cultivate rice there until 1913 despite the difficult years after the American Civil War. Bequeathed to the State of Georgia by the last Brailsford heir in 1973, the museum is open from Thursday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm. The museum's highlights include the family's silver collection, a model of the plantation during its peak, Cantonese china, and 18th- and 19th-Century furnishings. On the plantation grounds is one of the Colonial Coast Birding Trail sites, a nature trail along the edge of the marsh where rice was once grown.
Visitors can gather at Gisco Point Marina in the Port of Brunswick to board the Emerald Princes II Casino Cruise Ship. Five- and six-hour cruises leave the Marina at the southern foot of the Sidney Lanier Bridge. Once in international waters, passengers enjoy gaming in one of two casino levels where they can play blackjack, poker, slot machines, craps, roulette, and even bingo. Tickets include dining in the ship's Bistro, entertainment, and parking.
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