BRUNSWICK , the one sizeable settlement south of Savannah, is a hop-off point for the offshore sea islands . It's not in itself very exciting, although the shrimp docks can be quite interesting when the catch is brought in. The wonderful Hostel in the Forest , reached via an inconspicuous muddy driveway on the south side of US-82, is a couple of miles west of I-95 exit 6 (tel 912/264-9738, no reservations); it charges $15 per night for dorm beds in a geodesic dome and for lodging in a few treehouses. In the unlikely event you'll need to stay in town, the visitor center , 4 Glynn Ave (daily 8.30am-5pm; tel 912/265-0620), has lists of budget motels and central B&Bs , such as the comfortable Rose Manor Guest House , 1108 Richmond St (tel 912/267-6369; $75-100). The best food nearby, in an unlikely setting next to a gas station at exit 6 on I-95, not far from the hostel, is at the superlative Georgia Pig (tel 912/264-6664), where luscious smoky barbecue comes with the local Brunswick stew, coleslaw, honey-flavored baked beans and fragrant sauce.

The Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation , ten miles north of Brunswick on US-17, gives a vivid idea of life under slavery (Tues-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 2-5.30pm; $3.50). A good exhibit covers the rice cultivation that made the planters so wealthy, and you can see the surprisingly modest plantation house where their descendants lived until the 1970s. Occasional gospel concerts are held here on summer Saturdays, with soul food on sale.