Folkston is a city in South Coastal Georgia in the US South.
Folkston is the gateway to the Okefenokee Swamp and the place of the Folkston Funnel (a train watchers' paradise). If you want to explore the best of Georgian nature, from alligators to woodpeckers or bladderworts to water lilies then Folkston is the place to be!
Get in
By car
Folkston can easily be reached by car. Major highways entering the city include US-40,US-1/301,and FL-A1A.
By plane
Jacksonville International Airport (IATA: JAX), 2400 Yankee Clipper Drive. Has regular flights to many US cities with major carriers such as Delta, United, American, and Southwest.
By bus
- Greyhound Bus Lines, 10 North Pearl Street, +1 904-356-9976. Greyhound is centrally located downtown. Station is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
By train
- Amtrak, 3570 Clifford Lane, +1-800-872-7245 . Service by the Silver Service/Palmetto lines.
Get around
Getting around Folkston can be done on foot, bikes or car.
See
- Train watching - As many as 40 very large trains (CSX freight and Amtrak passenger services) pass through every day on their way to or from Jacksonville, Florida each day. Some rail watchers live right in Folkston, some visit from other countries and so many people watch trains there that the town built Folkston Railfan Platform and installed floodlights for night viewing, making it possible to rail watch in all kinds of weather, day or night. The platform is equipped with ceiling fans and a radio scanner that allows railfans to hear railroad-related radio traffic. Wireless internet access is also available.
Do
- Birdwatching - Folkston, being the gateway to the Okefenokee Swamp is a prime place to plan your birdwatching excursions. You can explore on your own or for woodland birding tours may wish to contact Sheila Willis of Okefenokee Adventures. Sheila is president of the Okefenokee Birding Club, has a BSc in Biology and is a Native American naturalist with 25 years of experience in the field. An all day tour with Sheila is $100 for two people; $25 extra for each additional person. Please note that these rates do not include lunch or fees (such as park entrance fees). Sheila can be contacted at +1 912 285-0419 or through Okefenokee Adventures at +1 912 496-7156.
- Outdoor recreation - Canoeing and kayaking the Okefenokee Swamp and the nearby St. Marys River are popular activities. Okefenokee Adventures offer canoe, kayak, motor boat and bike rental for refuge tourists.
Events
- Okefenokee Festival with a parade and live music around the 2nd week of October.
- Railwatch events in April and December.
Buy
Eat
- Okefenokee Restaurant, +1 912 496-3263.
- Brickhouse Restaurant, 3566 S 2nd St S, +1 912-496-2222. Daily 6:30AM-2PM. A Southern cooking-style buffet.
Drink
Sleep
- Western Motel, 1207 S 2nd St, +1 912 496-4711.
- Star Motel, 1900 N 2nd St, +1 912 496-7767.
- Inn at Folkston, 509 West Main Street, +1 912 496-6256. eco-friendly hotel
Connect
Go next
- Amelia Island - A beautiful island about 45 min north/east of Folkston up US-40 to US-17 then along FL-A1A, it is home to upscale houses, and the Amelia Island Plantation. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Amelia Island was used as a pirate base for raids on Spanish shipping. Known as the Isle of Eight Flags, it is the only location in the United States to have been under the allegiance of eight different nations.
- St. Augustine - Founded by Spanish colonists in 1565, St. Augustine lays claim to being the oldest permanent settlement in the United States. It is about a 90 minute drive south of Folkston byUS-1/301,I-295 then I-95. It boasts many fine restaurants and tourist attractions, as well as a unique blend of old world architectural styles inherited from its Spanish and British masters. The fort, the old city, the Flagler Museum, St. George's Street, the St. Augustine Lighthouse, and the Bridge of Lions are all recommended.
- Saint Simons Island - Located 45 miles North/East of Folkston traveling on US-252 and US-17; 10 miles E of Brunswick.
- Jekyll Island - Located 45 miles North/East of Folkston travaling on US-252 and US-17; 10 miles E of Brunswick.
- Jacksonville - 35 miles South of Folkston down US-1/301. There are art museums, beaches, shopping, theaters and Pro Football.
- Savannah - Just 100 miles North on I-95.