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Charlton County Courthouse

Folkston is a city in South Georgia. 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 (JAX IATA), 2400 Yankee Clipper Drive, [dead link]. 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

January

  • Second Saturday. Nocturnal Nature at the Okefenokee: Staff and volunteers listen and look for bats, frogs, raccoons, and owls, as well as other creatures of the night, on a 1.5 mile stroll down Swamp Boardwalk. Pre-registrater for this activity at the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 
  • [dead link] 25th. Annual Chamber Membership Banquet 

February

  • 10th: Dinner Theater - Keep Charlton Beautiful: Enjoy Dinner and a show...proceeds benefit "Keep Charlton Beautiful". Get your tickets early, seating is limited. +1 912 496-2536
  • Second Saturday: Sandhill Crane Awareness Day and Wings Over the Swamp: Activities, games, demonstrations, and bird walks provide visitors information about Sandhill Cranes and other birds that rely on the refuge for survival.
  • Second Saturday. Nocturnal Nature at the Okefenokee: Staff and volunteers listen and look for bats, frogs, raccoons, and owls, as well as other creatures of the night, on a 1.5 mile stroll down Swamp Boardwalk. Pre-register for this activity at the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 

March

  • 1st Weekend : Cherokee of Georgia Council Spring Pow Wow: St George. Lots of fun activities and demonstrations. Bring the whole family...there is something for everyone.
  • Second Saturday. Nocturnal Nature at the Okefenokee: Staff and volunteers listen and look for bats, frogs, raccoons, and owls, as well as other creatures of the night, on a 1.5 mile stroll down Swamp Boardwalk. Pre-register for this activity at the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 
  • 17th: St Mary's River Clean-up: Come out and take part is this community wide clean-up effort.

April

  • First Saturday: Annual Railwatch Day: Trains on the screen, trains on the tracks.
  • Second Saturday. Nocturnal Nature at the Okefenokee: Staff and volunteers listen and look for bats, frogs, raccoons, and owls, as well as other creatures of the night, on a 1.5 mile stroll down Swamp Boardwalk. Pre-register for this activity at the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 
  • Third Saturday. National Wildlife Week: Join Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge staff and volunteers to clean up the environment and learn how Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge protects, conserves and enhances habitat for fish and wildlife. For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 

May

  • Second Saturday. International Migratory Bird Day: Join the nation in celebrating and learning about migratory birds at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Activities include early morning bird walk, handouts, exhibits, and night time Owl Prowl. For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 
  • Second Saturday. Nocturnal Nature at the Okefenokee: Staff and volunteers listen and look for bats, frogs, raccoons, and owls, as well as other creatures of the night, on a 1.5 mile stroll down Swamp Boardwalk. Pre-registrater for this activity at the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. | Top |

June

  • First Weekend. Free Fishing Weekend & Youth Fishing Tournament: Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Show off your fishing skills! Have fun in a Fishing Derby for children age 3 – 15 and a CastingKids contest. Attend a knot tying demonstration and discover which knots are best for different test lines. Find out how folks "grunt worms" for bait. Bring a plain t-shirt and get free fish art to wear home. Take home free fishing information and fun gifts. Free refreshments will be available. For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 

September

  • 27th: Miss Okefenokee Festival Pageant Charlton County High School. Contact the Chamber for more information on participating or sponsoring a contestant. +1 912 496-2536
  • 29th. National Public Lands Day/Paddle for Wilderness Celebration at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Activities include a cleanup at the Chesser Island Homestead, a paddle through wilderness to Cedar Hammock Shelter and back, demonstrations and an exhibit about Leave No Trace, and a spaghetti supper. Sign up by September 13th. For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center at +1 912 496-7836. or visit their website. 

October

  • Second Week. National Wildlife Refuge System Week. Visit their website. 
  • Second Saturday (11th): Okefenokee Festival: Jesse Crews Sr. Memorial Park and Main Street Festival Parade, street vendors and games, food and fun, night-time street dance.
  • Second Saturday. Chesser Island Homestead Open House: Visit the Chesser Island Homestead to discover how people once lived in Southeast Georgia at the time the refuge system was established. Learn how settlers made soap, brooms, butter, quilts, baskets, and other everyday items. Examine how settlers washed clothes, smoked meat, made pickets, and survived in and around the swamp. Sample boiled peanuts, soup, biscuits, and other items cooked on a wood-burning stove. Listen to the sounds of bluegrass music, stories, and four-note singing. Encounter horses, mules, and other livestock. Enjoy the games your grandparents played - musical chairs, wheelbarrow races and more! For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center at +1 912 496-7836. 
  • 31st: Trick or Treat on Main Street: Join the fun downtown as the merchants hand out treats to the kids.

November

  • First Saturday: City of Homeland Founder's Day
  • Third Saturday. Cane Grinding Demonstration at Okefenokee NWR: Discover how to make delicious sugar cane syrup, from start to finish. Cut and grind stalks fresh from the garden. Sample fresh-squeezed cane juice. For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center, at +1 912 496-7836 or visit their website. 
  • 25th: Hometown Christmas at the Depot.

December

  • Second Saturday. Christmas on Chesser Island: Celebrate the holiday season at the Chesser Island Homestead with a hayride, luminaries, refreshments, caroling, and live music! Discover the region’s traditions as you tour a “swamper” home decorated with traditional homemade decorations and enjoy a bonfire. For more information, contact the Okefenokee NWR Visitor Center at +1 912 496-7836. 

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

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 travaling 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.
Routes through Folkston
Augusta ← Waycross ←  N  S  → Callahan → Jacksonville
Macon ← Waycross ←  N  S  → Callahan → Jacksonville


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