sapelo island private tours

Book your tour today: Call JR (912) 506-6463 or email [email protected]

• Geechee Basket Making Demonstrations
• The Plight of Sapelo
• Sapelo Beach House
• Blue Heron – Darien GA

Call JR (912) 506-6463 or email [email protected]

Sapelo Island Tours

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Tour Information

Sapelo Island is a 25-minute ferry ride.  For information on some of the sights, you'll see on Sapelo, visit our Tour Information Page.

Your Tour Operator

JR Grovner is a native of Sapelo Island and knows the island like the back of his palm with years of guiding experience.   

With Sapelo Tours you experience more than just a tour of Sapelo Island... you go on a journey! Take a Journey of Sapelo Island with JR Grovner, a direct descendant of slaves brought to Sapelo in the early 1800s to work the plantations. Explore Native American shell mounds, visit the tabby ruins of an old French estate, check out Nannygoat Beach, tabby ruins of the slave cabins, and see the newly-restored Sapelo Lighthouse.

Why Take JR Grovner’s Sapelo Island Tour?

For the Nature Lover.

On your 25-minute ferry ride over to Sapelo, keep an eye out for the dolphins that frequent Doboy Sound. Sapelo and adjoining Blackbeard Islands are where sea turtles nest and hatch their protected young from May to October.

Your tour will include 30 minutes to beachcomb at Sapelo’s Nanny Goat Beach. It’s where those giant sea turtles love to nest. Sapelo’s nature trail, near the beach (plan an extended Sapelo visit to take full advantage), takes you through six ecosystems from the beach at low tide to the high ground pine and live oak trees.

During your visit, notice the twice-daily rhythms of Sapelo’s tidal creeks and marshes. If the sea and surf weren’t enough, eagles are known to nest in the tall pine trees in Sapelo’s interior. You may be lucky enough to glimpse one soaring overhead. Sapelo is also home to heron, egrets, alligators, deer, wild pigs, and feral cattle … keep an eye out for their tracks, especially near the water’s edge.

For the History Buff . 

Your Sapelo tour will include the Sapelo Lighthouse, which once guided tall-sail timber ships in and out of Doboy Sound en route to Darien, the one-time timber capital of the Atlantic coast. Check out the Civil War cannon emplacement near the lighthouse and imagine Union and Confederate ships and blockade runners vying to reach (or blockade) the port of Darien.

Ask JR about Sapelo’s prehistoric Indian shell mounds; find out how adjoining Blackbeard Island got its name (hint: piracy was involved); and how numerous “tabby” slave cabins have survived the elements on Sapelo. Ask JR why Sapelo’s first rice, cotton, and sugar plantations were started by French noblemen; how Sapelo’s plantations, owned by a U.S. Congressman and Agricultural Scientist, were actually operated day-to-day by an African scholar named Bilali.

You’ll ride through the Hog Hummock community, stopping in at its diminutive General Store for a cold drink and snack. Along the way, JR can explain which African traditions have survived on Sapelo for over 240 years since the Middle Passage. Closer to modern times, JR will tell how a pioneer auto engineer entertained President “Silent Cal” Coolidge at Christmastime here in the Roaring 20’s; exactly where Charles Lindberg landed his Spirit of St. Louis on Sapelo; and how the modern science of ecology took root right here, where UGA still carries on its world-class environmental research focused on the unique role of coastal marshlands.

Explore Sapelo with the inside knowledge that only a Sapelo native can provide.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Use the contact form or call us at (912) 506-6463 to book your tour today. 

The tour typically takes about 2 hours once you arrive on Sapelo. We travel by bus to several sights all listed here.

Follow the directions to Meridia where the ferry will pick you up and drop you off on Sapelo. The ferry takes about 20min from Meridia to Sapelo. 

What Other Are Saying

Over a period of the last 40 years the most popular of the Golden Isles Tours had to be Sapelo Island hands down. First you board the Sapelo Queen for a half-hour ride that has to be experienced to believe. You will arrive in the community of Hog Hammock. You will meet descendents of Spaulding owned slaves. And learn of the prehistoric Native Americans who once inhabited this island. AWESOME ! - Bonaventure Cemetery Journeys

Our group had a wonderful day with Mr. JR Grovner! The tour was amazing. We had lunch on the beach! It was a day well spent and worth every dime! We were also fortunate enough to see a Sweet Grass weaving demonstration with Ms. Yvonne! - Arlene Cameron-Lloyd

Call us today at (912)-506-6463 or email [email protected]

Experience the hidden history of Sapelo Island with expert guidance from a direct descendant of the slaves brought to Sapelo in the early 1800s to work the plantations

Sapelo Island Tours

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Serving Darien Area

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Tour Sapelo Island! See beautiful unspoiled beaches, historic lighthouse, millionaire's mansion. Hear fascinating stories! Guided by a local writer and history buff. …

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Saturday about 9:00 am. Fascinating adventure. I booked through the Visitors Center. $15 included tour and ferry ride over and back. Our guide was professional and very knowledgeable about island nature and history. She gave us ideas for future visits and current events of the island. Can't wait to go back!

See all photos from Melody O. for Sapelo Island Tours

Great Island to visit with very rich history. Our tour guide was actually a descendent of the original residents. Only one small convenient store so you might want to bring some snacks. Also, as with many of the islands, you will need your bug spray.!

PT1Unfortunately everyone who does a tour on the island uses the same name for their tours. This IS NOT about Jim's tour which we should have taken, this is about JR's/Yvonnes's tour which I regret booking. We wanted a private tour and booked with JR (who we found out later was Yvonne's no good son). He promised us a great tour, time on the beach shelling, walking around the outskirts of the Reynold's mansion, a visit to the Gullah/GeeChee area, and most of all a trip to the lighthouse which we could climb since his mother (Yvonne) holds the keys. We booked in March 2023 and our trip was for end of April 2023 for my daughter's birthday. I called 2x and emailed once. He doesn't like to answer his phone but I was able to speak to him finally the Thursday before our Saturday trip. He assured me everything was good to go and we had our names on the list for the ferry. Fast forward to our trip day we had a nice visit at the Visitors center and got down to the ferry landing to be told we weren't on any list. Yvonne, who was checking people in said it was OK and to pay her $5 cash for the ferry ride. We rode the ferry over to the island to find out JR had cancelled his tour. Don't know when, but we never received any notification by email or text or a phone call, yet he had all that info. Us and 3 others got pushed onto Yvonne's public tour. She wanted us to pay her cash right then for the tour, which was $10 a person. Luckily my spouse had some cash on him so we paid her and asked when we would get a refund from JR since we paid him in advance. NO less than 3x during tour she walked up to us and asked us if we paid her for the tour. I believe she was trying to shake us down for a tip for the tour. Hopefully she's not that forgetful. We boarded a bus and were going to be in the front, but a lady that needed assistance and had a scooter/wheelchair needed the seat so we went to the back. She was complaining because she had called ahead to make sure the tour was ADA compatible and was told it was, but it was not. Yvonne told her if she had known she would have brought the other bus. (which we heard her say later the other bus was broken.) So we sit in the back and find out this bus is hot as hell and the A/C can only run when Yvonne is not speaking on the microphone was was garbled and had no volume to hear her. So we roasted for most of the trip. And breathed in diesel fumes as well. Our first stop was the cemetery which as history buffs we love. Unfortunately, we got to spend 5 minutes only, taking a picture of the entrance after she told us their were some unique headstones in the back of the cemetery, but we didn't have time to stop for long. We had to get to the Long Tabby Ed and Research Laboratory as soon as possible. This is where we found out Yvonne was a worker here and recently retired and drove the tour buses for the island tours now. Inside there were aquariums of various marine and land animals native to the island. Time spent inside was about 30 minutes. Place had a bathroom. Then outside for a short and I mean short talk about the Tabby Ruins and then the rest of the time was spent at the Post Office where she was pushing people to buy postcards, one of which was of her. Time spent at this location was at least 1 hour. Should have been a 20 minute stop, TOPS. The next part of the tour was through the Hog Hammock community and I mean through. We only stopped at a rickety convenience store for about 30 minutes. Nothing else to see there. No bathrooms available. Was hoping to meet some locals possibly and see their intricate basket weaving or an opportunity to buy baskets but it wasn't offered. So get what you can at the visitors center because that's the only place to get them. We drove so fast through we only got one picture of the place. Our next drive by was to the Reynolds mansion. I knew we would not go inside but I thought we could stop and take some pictures of the outside. NO GO. Another drive by. Then onto the Sapelo Island Lighthouse. This now was the only good thing about this trip. When we got there she asked in a bored voice, "No one wants to climb the LH right?" I yelled from the back of the bus "Hell Yes! we do!" And ran up the aisle. Since she's the only person on the island with the keys she had to open it for us. I could tell she was unhappy. But everyone on the tour was enjoying seeing it. Many of them climbed as well. You just couldn't go outside on the lantern room balcony because the railing was not safe. You could see the light up close though. The views were great. I was one of the 1st to climb and so I was also down pretty quick. Took a quick walk around and got all my shots and then walked down the road to get a picture of the sign and look at the rear range light. I was also able to climb that. No one else on the tour did. She was itching to go, so I didn't even have time to go back to the bus they picked me up on the road out. Next stop was the beach which on our original

This could have been so good. The tour was NOT the GA park service tour but a private one (JR's, Yvonne et al). The GA tour is $15, our tour was $40! It was said to be the same itinerary but . . . They seemed disorganized and, while there was probably a lot of interesting information proffered, it was mostly unintelligible because of the quality of the PA system and the volume of noise emanating from the diesel engine. There were several phone conversations prior to booking and conflicting information was provided. There were folks who did not make the tour because the ferry was full. NOTE: Residents, relatives, and returnees to the island have preference when loading. Rightfully so, but be prepared not to make the '"cut" on a busy day. We were lucky enough to visit during a local celebration so we could savor some of the local character, but this wasn't enough to save the rest of the experience.

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Spirit of Sapelo Tours

Explore beautiful Sapelo Island, Georgia

[email protected]  | (912) 266-4848

Learn about us.

The Spirit of Sapelo Tours is located on beautiful Sapelo Island, Georgia, the site of Hog Hammock, one of the last intact island-based Gullah-Geechee communities in America. Rent a Sapelo Go golf cart and explore Hog Hammock, visit the lighthouse, the Reynolds Mansion, or take a trip to the beach. Spend the weekend at The Wallow, and immerse yourself in Sapelo's natural and cultural splendor.

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Home › Tybee & Coast › Sapelo & Blackbeard Island Tours

Tours Of Sapelo, Blackbeard & Queens Islands, GA

The remote barrier islands near Darien offer some of coastal Georgia’s most unique and beautiful destinations, accessible as a day trip out of Darien or St Simons Island, or for a longer excursion. Of these islands, Sapelo and Blackbeard are the most well known.

Sapelo Island, home to one of the lowcountry’s several surviving Gullah-Geechee communities, is rich in history and sights (including a lighthouse, mansion and plantation ruins) in additional to its scenic landscape. It is accessible only by ferry or private boat.

Blackbeard Island, part of the National Wildlife Refuge system, offers undisturbed scenery, bird-watching, fishing and other nature-oriented activities in a secluded environment, likewise only accessible by boat or kayak.

Several sightseeing boat tours or kayak tours allow exploration of the island’s marshes and creeks, sometimes with the option of hiking on land too. If you want an overview of Sapelo’s history and sights, bus tours of the island are provided by the state of Georgia and by private island residents.

For details of more local boat charter services that may be willing to transport you to or otherwise tour Blackbeard or Sapelo Islands, see Darien boat charters and St Simons Island boat charters.

See also: – Darien events – Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge – Fort King George – Wassaw Island National Wildlife Refuge

! Availability may vary by season, and tours may be changed or withdrawn without notice. Please check all details directly with the company or guide before planning your trip.

Sapelo Island

– Public Tour, with Sapelo National Estuarine Research Reserve 4hrs or 6hrs30. Wednesday and Saturday mornings, additional days in season. Adults $15, children (6-12) $10, young children (0-5) free. The official tour of Sapelo Island and its main sights, offered by the Sapelo NERR and the State of Georgia. The tour is by bus, with stops. An extended tour covering the whole island is available monthly in season. Ferry transportation to the island is included. Call 912-437-3224 for reservations or purchase tickets at the Sapelo Island Visitor Center. Visit website

– Sapelo Sights Tour, with Sapelo Island Sights Tours Bus tour of Sapelo Island, visiting the Hog Hammock Gullah-Geechee community, the Reynolds Mansion, Sapelo Island Lighthouse, plantation ruins and other sights. Ferry transportation is arranged as part of the tour, for which there is an additional $5 per person charge. Call 912-506-6463 for information and reservations. Visit website

Boat Tours & Transportation

See Darien boat charters for details of local boat operators offering transport to Darien-area destinations including Sapelo Island.

– Sapelo Island Excursion, with Reel Busy Shark Charter 4 hrs. 6 people max. $350 for 2 people, $110 per additional person. Transport to Sapelo Island and back, from the Darien area. Call 912-580-1166. Visit website

Kayak Tours

– Offshore Adventure, with Altamaha Coastal Tours Kayak tour to Sapelo Island. Experience required. Call 912-437-6010. Visit website

Camping & Other Multi-Day Trips

– Sapelo Island Adventure, with Savannah Canoe and Kayak 3 days. Guided kayaking and camping trip to Sapelo Island. Call 912-341-9502 for information and reservations. Visit website

– Sapelo and Blackbeard Island Trip, with SouthEast Adventure Outfitters 2-5days. From $295 per person. Customizable multi-day guided excursion to Sapelo and Blackbeard Islands, which can include kayaking day trips, or exploration by foot or vehicle. Call 912-638-6732. Visit website

– Multi-Day Charter, with Captain Gabby Charters 6 people max. From $350 per person, 5 people minimum. Overnight and longer excursions by boat to Sapelo Island or other local barrier islands, with optional kayaking, hiking and other activities. Call 912-270-5383. Visit website

Blackbeard Island

See Darien boat charters for details of local boat operators offering transport to Darien-area destinations including Blackbeard Island.

– Blackbeard Island Excursion, with Reel Busy Shark Charter 6 people max. $400. Transport to Blackbeard Island and back, from the Darien area. Call 912-580-1166. Visit website

– Blackbeard Island, with Altamaha Coastal Tours Kayak tour to Blackbeard Island with exploration on shore. Experience required. Call 912-437-6010. Visit website

– Sapelo/Blackbeard Day Trip, with SouthEast Adventure Outfitters 8hrs. $125 per person. Kayak trip to Blackbeard Island, then hiking on the island. 4 person, or $500 trip cost, minimum. Call 912-638-6732 or book online. Visit website

Queens Island

– Offshore Adventure, with Altamaha Coastal Tours Kayak tour to Queens Island. Experience required. Call 912-437-6010. Visit website

Camping Trips

– Queens Island Overnight Trip, with SouthEast Adventure Outfitters From $295 per person. Overnight guided camping trip to Queens Island, adjacent to Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge. Call 912-638-6732 or book online. Visit website

More Things To Do On The Georgia Coast

– Beaches in Georgia and nearby – Things to do in Tybee Island – Things to do in St Simons Island – Things to do in Brunswick, GA – Things to do in St Marys, GA – Kayak tours near Savannah

See also: – Savannah events – Tybee Island events – Lowcountry food festivals in spring/summer and fall – St Simons Island events – Jekyll Island events

© Melanie K Jones 2024

Vistors Center (912) 437-3224

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Visit Sapelo Island

• Contact Information
• Partner Agencies
• Reserve Staff
• Privacy Policy

There are no roads going to Sapelo Island, therefore access to the island is restricted to pre-registered visitors only. Access can be acquired by:

• Participating in one of the tours offered by the Reserve/State (schedule below)
• Arrange a private day trip or overnight stay through one of the Hog Hammock community residents
• Make reservations for a group to stay at either the Reynolds mansion or Cabretta campground
• Have work or business to attend to with the Reserve, DNR, the Marine Institute, or a private resident of the Hog Hammock community

Public Tours

Regular Tours: Wednesdays (8:30am – 12:30pm) Saturdays (9:00am – 1:00pm)

There are no Seasonal Tours at this time.

Public tour reservations can be made by calling: (912) 437-3224.

Costs (cash or checks): Adults (13 and up): $15.00 Children (6-12): $10.00 Ages 5 and under: Free

Regular Tours: (Groups of 10-40 people) Tuesday (8:30am – 3:00pm) Thursday (8:30am – 3:00pm)

Seasonal Tours: Friday (8:30am – 12:30pm): Labor Day 2021 – End of May 2022

Group tours can be arranged by calling the Education Office at (912) 485-2300.

• Detailed Group Tour Information

Tuesday & Thursday

Download Ferry Schedule Ferry Holidays The Sapelo Ferry does not run on the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• M.L. King’s Birthday
• Memorial Day
• 4th of July
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day
• Lawn/Beach Chairs
• Oversized boxes
• Oversized coolers
• Folding tables and chairs
• Liquid and flammable fuel (propane is ok)
• Ladder Stands
• Other items at the discretion of the ferry staff

Tickets for public and group tours of Sapelo Island can be purchased at the Visitor Center. T-shirts, books, and videos are also available for purchase.

Notes on Visiting:

• Parking: Ferry parking is at the Visitor Center, handicap parking can be found at the dock.
• Public & group tour participants check in at the Visitor Center.
• Reservations will only be held 15 minutes prior to the Ferry departure for tours offered by the State.
• Guests will have a 20-30 minute ferry ride to get to the island.
• Private tour guests check in with the ferry staff.
• Pets are not allowed on Public Tours.
• Click for more details on what to expect.

Visitor Center

The Sapelo Island Visitors Center is located at 1766 Landing Road Southeast, Darien, GA 31305 , the mainland ferry dock in Meridian, and serves as a key distribution point for information about how coastal ecosystems link to Research & monitoring, Educational opportunities, and tourism activities such as Public and Group Tours.

Interpretive exhibits at the Center highlight Sapelo Island’s rich cultural history:

• Hog Hammock Community
• University of Georgia Marine Institute
• Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary
• National Estuarine Research Reserve System
• Estuarine, barrier island, and shoreline habitats

The Center also offers a wide variety of books related to local and regional history, ecology, and other interests. T-shirts, caps, postcards, and other souvenirs are available to make your visit to the Visitors Center and Sapelo Island a trip to remember. There is something for everyone!

• Welcome to Sapelo Island
• Our mission
• Who is Sapelo
• Sapelo Birdhouses in the media
• Sapelo Island Birdhouse Cottages
• Birdhouse Cottage
• Painted Bunting Cottage
• The Tea Cake Cottage Suite
• The Candy Cottage Suite
• B J Confectionary A New Day
• Sapelo Islands Rich Agricultural History
• Sapelo Island Beaches
• Things to do on Sapelo Island
• Sapelo island transportation
• The Sapelo Island Red Pea Project
• Questions & Answers
• Angels of the Sapelo Island Birdhouse
• Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits Festival Professional Cooking Competition 2014
• Travel With Annita
• Valentines Day on Sapelo Island
• Doc Bill's Page- From the Mountains to the Coast
• Mainland rental near Sapelo Island The Captain's Cottage in Shellman Bluff
• Garden Fresh Heirloom Veggies
• Foods of Sapelo Island
• State ferry schedule
• Birding on Sapelo Island
• Sapelo Island Sweet Grass Baskets
• The fish around Sapelo Island
• Georgia White Shrimp
• Fish markets near Sapelo Island
• Sapelo Soft Shell Crabs
• Renters Resources
• Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge on the mainland
• Volunteer Point East Falkland Islands

                     Sapelo Island Birdhouses is your Private Island Retreat

Sapelo Island

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Sapelo Island - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Marine Institute

The University of Georgia Marine Institute At Sapelo Island

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Evaluating Flood Mitigation on the UGAMI campus

A team of UGA engineering students has completed a year-long capstone project that explored flood mitigation options to protect the UGAMI campus from storm surge. The group identified three potential solutions for consideration (Strong, Cost-Effective, and Green), provided information on the challenges, feasibility, and estimated costs associated with each one, and developed flood maps for storm events of different severity. The students presented their project at the Spring 2024 Engineering Capstone Design showcase where they won first place in the Community Impact – Public Client division. We thank this hard-working group of students as well as Adam Fouche, the Director of the UGA Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Engineering Professor Felix Santiago-Collazo, who served as mentors to the group.

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