Savannah South to Palatka

03 November 2024 – Sunday

Day 3 of 4 as we drive to Sarasota, Florida for a Pleasure-Way Owners Rally. We travel from a Harvest Host brewery in Savannah, GA to another in Palatka, FL with a stop in the charming waterfront town of Brunswick, GA.

0848  69,353  68°F  Savannah, GA
Fall back to Standard Time and leave Coastal Empire Beer Co.

1014  69,423  73°F  Hind Island on GA Scenic Byway

It was high tide when we stopped at a marina. We didn't stay long as many of the docks weren't accessible due to recent hurricane damage.

1115  69,446  76°F  Brunswick, GA     elevation 15' 

Mary Ross Park was almost empty on a Sunday morning.

Yesterday would have been much different as there is a Farmer's Market in the pavilion next to this cool building with a tower.

The park has restrooms, a playground, and a walk along the waterfront.

A unique ship was tied up to the dock. Looking it up later we learned that the m/v Ocearch is a research platform where scientists learn about Great White Sharks.

Check out their Shark Tracker and find more information about the organization at Ocearch.org.

Speaking of ships, the park has a scale model of a Liberty Ship

"During World War II, the J.A. Jones Construction Company operated a plant in Brunswick. Between 1942 and 1944, a skilled labor force of over 16,000 men and women worked in service to the Allied war effort, producing 99 steel vessels for the U.S. Merchant Marines. These vessels served as both cargo and troop carriers, and their reputation for keeping vital supply lines open earned them the name of "Liberty Ships.""

- excerpted from a nearby plaque.

Walking into town, we found fun shops and restaurants, grouped around historic squares. 

The Monkey & Tortoise might be a fun place to visit just from their sign. 

They are just down the street from another spot that combines two of my favorite things; penguins and desserts. We need to return to the Vampire Penguin.

Creative stonework made walking around the town more fun.

Faux shrubbery added interest to brick walls.

Our favorite building was the 1889 Old City Hall. It took four more years to complete the impressive clock tower.

Getting closer, we found the building is decorated with unique carvings. Gargoyles, like this one, guard the four corners.

If you aren't van camping, the Kress Hotel might be a fun place to stay. An old S.H. Kress Department Store has been renovated into an eight room hotel. Each room is unique and amenities include a climbing wall.

1243 Leave Brunswick

On the way out of town we passed the new City Hall. It's a nice building but doesn't have the charm of the old city hall.

1518  69,575  80°F  Palatka, FL    elevation 22'

Azalea City Brewing Company

A Harvest Host (Click  for a discount code)

The beer and cider tasted fine and it was a perfect spot to watch the Detroit Lions beat Green Bay. 

We met Andrea Conover, the pleasant owner, tending plants in their outdoor seating area. She started the business four years ago and has built a fun, community meeting space. She's interested in travel by van but hasn't tried it yet. We shared a few of our favorite places and thanked her for participating in the Harvest Host program. 

Shiny stainless brewing equipment is viewable through a window in the taproom. The cobwebs are only here for halloween.

We found room for some Coconut Stout in our little fridge.

After the game we walked into town. Amtrak's Silver Meteor was pulling in to the 1908 train station just as we arrived.  This long distance train runs from New York City to Miami. The Floridian also stops here on the way from Chicago to Miami.

The train was much longer than the passenger platform, so stopped twice. The first stop is for the coach passengers and the second, shown here, is for the sleeping car section.  I've taken the sleeper from NC to Tampa once and it was a lot more fun and restful than riding coach.

Walking back to the brewery we noticed this cool mural.

A little research revealed that "On February 21, 1908, Annie Oakley and her husband Frank Butler brought their shooting exhibition to Palatka as part of a tour of towns and cities in the South to drum up business for the Union Metallic Cartridge and Remington companies." Excerpted from Annie Oakley.

The second mural we found celebrates a local band, the Belton's Society Syncopators.

There aren't just two. Murals abound in Palatka.  The city even has a website dedicated to the Mural Tour.

Ashland, WI and Paducah, KY are other towns with lots of murals.

The overnight parking here was much more protected than last night's stop in Savannah. We highly recommend the brewery and have marked it as a new favorite spot on our map.

Good night from Azalea City Brewing.

Today's Route

220 miles from Savannah, Georgia to Palatka, Florida