For a stay in Bryan, the attractions described can be grouped by two interests: regional history and activities on land or water. The Coastal Bryan Heritage Trail is designed as a self-guided driving tour; the museum and historic sites reveal more chapters of the region. Parks and waterfront access points vary according to their purpose.
Discover history on a self-guided drive
The Coastal Bryan Heritage Trail shares the history and heritage of southern Bryan County. The driving tour is self-guided and follows public roads. Along the way, the route passes the fronts of private homes and active cemeteries and churches. Stay on public roads and do not enter private property. Trail maps are available at the Richmond Hill Museum, Fort McAllister and the Richmond Hill Visitors Bureau.
The Richmond Hill History Museum explores the Fords’ contributions to the region and Richmond Hill’s long human and natural history. Topics include the Guale, Gen. James Oglethorpe, Gullah-Geechee culture and Gen. William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea during the Civil War, which ended in Richmond Hill. The museum is housed in the former kindergarten building built by the Fords in 1940.
Other historical insights come from a variety of places and traditions: Henry and Clara Ford built Martha-Mary Chapel in 1937; it was furnished with locally handcrafted furniture and other furnishings. Students learned to cook, sew and dance at the Ford Community House. When it opened in 1936, it was a busy gathering place. Burnt Church Cemetery preserves the graves of founding families from the plantation era, including the Clay, McAllister and Maxwell families. Bryan Neck Presbyterian Church is the oldest congregation in lower Bryan County.
Distinguishing between parks and protected areas
J. F. Gregory Park in Richmond Hill is a 335-acre multipurpose recreation area. The Richmond Hill Wildlife Management Area is much larger, at 7,400 acres, and extends across Bryan County and McIntosh County. The Richmond Hill Shooting Range is located in the Bryan County portion of the area. J. F. Gregory Park is a multipurpose recreation area; the much larger Richmond Hill Wildlife Management Area is a protected area that contains the Richmond Hill Shooting Range in Bryan County.
Fishing and boating access points
The Tivoli River Fishing Pier & Kayak Launch in Bryan County has an ADA-accessible fishing spot, accessible parking spaces, paved paths from the parking lot to the fishing spot and wheelchair cutouts in the railings. These specific features can help you plan if the fishing spot is important to your visit.
Fisherman's Co-op Park serves as a launch site for small boats. Another access point is the Bryan County Fort McAllister Boat Ramp: reach it from Exit 90 via GA Highway 144 and GA Highway Spur 144. The ramp is located before the entrance to Fort McAllister State Park. The Tivoli River Fishing Pier & Kayak Launch has an ADA-accessible fishing spot; Fisherman's Co-op Park serves as a launch site for small boats, and the Bryan County Fort McAllister Boat Ramp is accessible from Exit 90 via GA Highway 144 and GA Highway Spur 144.
Ranger-led tours, subject to scheduling
Ranger-led tours of the fort are offered at Fort McAllister State Park Wednesday through Sunday at 2 p.m., subject to events and scheduling. Unlike the self-guided drive on the Heritage Trail, this tour takes place at a set time. If you plan to attend, check the park’s schedule before your visit.
Explore more destinations: Richmond Hill, Muscogee, Douglas, Stewart County, Whitfield, Union, Coffee County, Putnam.
For the main travel overview: Georgia.
