Brunswick, GA
79 Miles 1.5 Hours
Brunswick is located in southeastern Georgia, approximately halfway between Jacksonville and Savannah. Brunswick is the lowest city in the state of Georgia, with an elevation of only 10 feet above sea level. Brunswick's land area is estimated at 17.2 square miles. Brunswick is also the second-largest urban area on Georgia’s coast, after Savannah. It also claims to be the place of origin for Brunswick stew.
The city of Brunswick is laid out in a formal grid similar to Savannah's, with city streets and squares still bearing their colonial names. On the south end of Newcastle Street is the Old City Hall built in 1888 with its distinctive clock tower. At the north end of Newcastle Street is the historic Ritz Theatre. The Ritz Theatre, built in 1898, was originally built as the Grand Opera House. It is now Brunswick's center for quality exhibits and performances by local, regional, national and international artists.
The downtown district features antique shops, specialty shops, art galleries, theatres and restaurants. During the First Friday of each month, take a walk through Brunswick's beautiful downtown district. Galleries and shops will be open and serving wine & snacks, with live music in the pocket parks. Also, visit the waterfront as shrimp boats arrive with their daily catch or enjoy fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables at the Farmer's Market.
There are beautiful nineteenth century Victorian-style homes, century old grand oaks, endless golden marshes, old magnolia trees lining the streets. In Historic Downtown Brunswick you will find homes which reflect a variety of styles dating from 1819, including Queen Anne, Jacobean, Eastlake, Mansard, Gothic and Italianate architecture. Along Union Street is a collection of 19th and early 20th century Victorian mansions.
Six original squares still exist in the city, although all but one, Hanover, have been bisected by a city street. There are also two additional squares located within the city, Orange and Palmetto. Numerous parks exist in the city, the largest being Howard Coffin Park. These parks include playgrounds, baseball fields, softball fields, soccer fields, basketball courts, and picnic areas.
The Brunswick area is rich in live oak trees, particularly the Southern live oak. Brunswick has a notable live oak named Lover's Oak (located at Prince and Albany Streets). As of 2005, it is approximately 900 years old and according to the State of Georgia and American Indian folklore, Native American braves and their maidens would meet under the oak.
Brunswick is the center of Georgia's shrimping industry You can try your hand at shrimpin’ aboard the Lady Jane, the only shrimp vessel on the entire east coast that has been certified by the USCG to carry 49 passengers offshore. At night, you can catch a show at the historic Ritz Theatre or enjoy a unique dinner on the Emerald Princess II casino cruise ship sailing seven days a week from Gisco Point near the entrance of Jekyll Island.
