Fort Morris, GA with Kids
One of my goals while we were in Florida was to explore many of the coastal forts with the kids. Fort Morris, located outside of Savannah, was part of that tour. The idea of a fort grabs the boys’ interest and it is a great jumping off point for exploring some of the darker parts of history. There is something about the tangibility of a fort that draws in our kids.
We drove out to Fort Morris from Savannah. We stopped to pick up coffee and treats at the unbelievably cute Way Station Coffee Co. We ordered ahead using the My Coffee Helper App and were on our way to the fort, coffee in hand.
Fort Morris has not only a Jr. Ranger packet but also a Geocache Scavenger Hunt. You will need to pick up instructions for the Geocache at the visitors center when you pick up your Jr. Ranger packet. When you solve the puzzle you come back to the ranger station to unlock the cache box. There is also a Geocache hidden on the property, so plenty to keep the kids busy!
You will want to start your visit in the visitors center. The staff is happy to play the introductory video to anyone who asks. It gives a great overview of how the fort was used in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 to defend the thriving port town of Sunbury. All that is left now are the earthworks walls of the fort and stunning views of the water.
The walk has sign posts to guide your visit. We strained our eyes to see if we could spot any ships on the horizon.
The trail also features a few of these crank boxes. The kids stay busy cranking them, while you enjoy listening to the recording. It’s a win, win!
The Middle Little is an avid birder. He enjoyed the variety of birds that now call this area home. There is a bird kit you can borrow from the visitors center, but we had our hands full with other activities.
If you like to Geocache make sure you have your app open as you explore the fort. There is a great find right on the path around the fort.
The Big Little also successfully completed the scavenger hunt to open the geocache located inside the visitors center. Luckily, we always keep some geocaching treats in the car, so we had plenty of items to leave for others to find.
The ranger at Fort Morris was just so great. Not only did he do the full pledge with the Big Little but he also showed him a hummingbird nest that he had found. The whole front office staff here showered the kids with stickers and all sorts of other state park goodies when we came back from our hike.
Fort Morris is a great stop with the kids. We really felt like we got a ton out of our visit here. There is also a little blacksmith area of the park that was not working during our visit. I’m not sure if that was pandemic related or because we were there on a weekday. (So if you’re coming for the purpose of seeing the blacksmith you may want to call ahead!)
There isn’t much else in the area, so if you’re staying for the day bring a picnic. We opted to picnic at the next stop – Fort McAllister!