Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park

This southeast Georgia park is a favorite for picnicking, family reunions and golf. Picnic tables and shelters surround a small lake where visitors can rent aquacycles and fishing boats during warmer months. Docks are available for anglers, and children will enjoy looking for beaver dams from the observation deck. Eight rental cottages face the golf course, all with screened porches, fireplaces and televisions.

Gordonia-Alatamaha’s unusual name comes from the rare Gordonia tree and the original spelling of the nearby Altamaha River. The Gordonia alatamaha tree, better known today as Franklinia, is a member of the Camellia family that once grew in the Coastal Plain of Georgia. It is shrouded in mystery as it was discovered by the famous botanist explorer William Bartram and was last documented in the wild in 1803.

The park’s Brazell’s Creek Golf Course offers a pro shop and junior/senior discounts. The course was expanded to 18 holes a few years ago, making it a challenging—yet fun—test of golf. The Par 71 layout plays to just under 7,000 yards from the tips, boasting five sets of tees. The signature 17th hole is a 207-yard Par 3, which plays over scenic wetlands to a large island green. A 1,500-yard winding bridge connects the original holes with the back nine.