Clear water swimming/tubing in Southeast GA?

[Nate]

Hey guys,
I'm headed to Jekyll Island and wondered if there are any cool swimming holes or clearwater tubing destinations in that part of the state.
I was considering going to the Ichetucknee river in FL but that is a 2.5 hour drive.
http://www.ichetuckneesprings.com/tube-ichetucknee-springs/

My girls are 5 years old and 2 years old and they love the water. I think they would get a kick out of that. I'm open to any other suggestions of what we should do down there

Anywhere I should go that is closer?

 

[Nate]

Any of you local guys down there have suggestions?

 

[wsbrown]

Madison Blue Springs state park is about 30 minutes south of Valdosta, still a haul from Jekyll, but the closest spring in this area. It is small but beautiful and usually not many people.

 

[wsbrown]

And if you want a much better beach experience than the mud hole at Jekyll, Little Talbot Island State Park just north of Jacksonville is night and day better.

 

[mfoster]

Take them to the okefenokee,they have a boat ride thru the swamp they will enjoy.plenty of gators.

 

[robster31316]

I personally think you're missing the point of going to the beach. If you're looking for freshwater swimming holes. however, to answer your question, Summer Waves Waterpark has a lazy river your girls can tube on, as well as all the fun of a waterpark and it's right there on Jekyll. I personally would get in contact with kingfisher paddle adventures https://kfpaddle.com/ or another rental company and either paddle board or kayak.

 

[gh1950]

Not sure that tubing is a big thing on any SE river.

Back in the '60s there was a now inappropriate joke, the punchline of which was "haven't you ever seen anyone trolling for alligators."

I think there is a place in Folkston that has some water adventures on the St. Mary's river. I haven't take time to do a search.

IMO the Okefenokee suggestion is sound, and your children will never regret a trip to Cumberland Island, which should be booked ahead of time .

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

When I lived in southeast Georgia, nobody I knew did any tubing in any natural bodies of water --not the rivers or lakes or swamps.
I never heard of anybody doing it. There were alligators and water moccasins.


Kayaks and canoes? Sure! Bass boats? no problem. But swimming and tubing and floating around on blowup vinyl donuts and air mattresses were out.

Although I did participate in triathlon training in a lake that had a few small alligators way back in a cove.

 

[wsbrown]

The springs in North Florida discourage reptiles as the 60 degree water is not their cup of tea. However, you couldnt pay me to get in any black water creek in Georgia. And since you are at Jekyll, a word of warning there is probably more alligators in the water there than in the Okefenokee, not to mention the massive amount of bacteria in the warm, pollution infested waters that can lead to a case of flesh eating bacteria.

 

[hseII]

Take them to the okefenokee,they have a boat ride thru the swamp they will enjoy.plenty of gators.

This!


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