An island with expansive beaches, lush forests, the ruins of a once-grand mansion, and wild horses roaming around – yes, that pretty much sums up Cumberland Island, easily one of the strangest places in Georgia.

Cumberland Island is beautiful and fun to visit, but there is no denying it’s one of the weirder places in Georgia. The fairytale-esque landscape changes drastically from serene beach to quiet forest, and uh, did we mention the wild horses? You can’t get any more otherworldly than encountering a horse in the wild.

One of the largest undeveloped barrier islands along the Georgia coast, Cumberland Island is located in Camden County and designated a national park. You can visit for a day trip, stay at the iconic Greyfield Inn for a night, or plan a camping trip to soak up the beauty of Cumberland Island.

Cumberland Island was once a working plantation before it became a winter retreat for the famed Carnegie family. Eventually, it became a national park encompassing almost 36,000 acres.
Cumberland Island National Seashore/Facebook
Plenty visit Cumberland Island to play amongst the dunes, swim in the Atlantic Ocean, and generally soak up the sun at this idyllic beach.
Cumberland Island National Seashore/Facebook
Others opt for the motorized jeep tour or bike rentals to explore the interior of the island, a stunning maritime forest that feels worlds away from the shoreline.
Cumberland Island National Seashore/Facebook
The geography varies in so many ways at the island: You can also explore marshes and freshwater lakes on Cumberland Island.
Cumberland Island National Seashore/Facebook

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An eerie sight on the island is the Dungeness Ruins, the remains of Lucy Carnegie’s island mansion. It burned down in the 1950s, but feels like the remnants of a place built centuries and centuries ago.
Cumberland Island National Seashore/Facebook
And of course here's the highlight of Cumberland Island: the wild horses. The horses were thought to have been brought to the island by the Spanish in the 1500s, and there is a long history of domestic horses being used on the island. By 1972, when the park was established, there were many wild horses roaming the island.
National Park Service
You can often find them relaxing amongst the Dungeness Ruins, actually, adding to the strange fairytale vibe of the place. Admire the horses, but make sure you don't touch or feed them!
National Park Service
Don't forget that there is all sorts of wildlife on the island beyond the horses. We're talking unique birds, adorable turtles, massive snakes, and even alligators.
Cumberland Island National Seashore/Facebook

 

There you have it! One of Georgia’s most unique, strangest sites is undoubtedly Cumberland Island.

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Cumberland Island, Georgia, USA