Lying within Georgia’s fertile marshlands, Laurel Island encompasses over 2,000 acres of old-growth maritime forests; high, sandy bluffs; vast sweeping plains of marsh; and emerald, tidal waterways.  Surrounded by the pristine Crooked River estuary, Laurel Island is just west of Cumberland Island, with this most majestic of all barrier islands sheltering Laurel Island from the Atlantic Ocean.  Boaters of all experience levels will enjoy the beautiful, protected rivers and bays, access to the Intracoastal Waterway, and the call of the open sea.  Long, natural views and a rich palette of greens, browns, and blues add to the allure of Laurel Island.  Visited by playful dolphins, abundant game fish, and an extended family of egrets, ibis and other waterfowl, Laurel Island plays host to the Georgia Coast’s rich ecosystem of flora and fauna.

A tremendous amount of care has been taken to preserve the remarkable canopy of live oaks and magnolias that give Laurel Island its gentle, yet magnificent, character.  One majestic magnolia near the original Oxley plantation home site is said to be the largest magnolia in existence.  The carefully prepared covenants of the community will ensure that this canopy is preserved in perpetuity.  The most dominant and majestic of the trees here are certainly its live oaks, with some of these specimens over 500 years old.  A broad diversity of trees exists on Laurel Island, including specimens of spruce pine, a rarity in itself in this subtropical environment.  Even more amazingly, some of these specimens tower over 120 feet in height.