Cozy Norris Cottage

06/01/2026

St. Marys and Cumberland Island made the list. We have the perfect place to stay for your visit.

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https://www.vrbo.com/2760115?dateless=true

From Tybee Island to Jekyll Island, these are the best beach towns to visit in Georgia, according to local experts.

05/27/2026

05/22/2026

Come stay at the cottage while taking a day trip out to Cumberland Island.

airbnb.com/h/norriscottage-stmarys https://www.vrbo.com/2760115?dateless=true

Cumberland Island National Seashore off the Georgia coast is home to around 150 feral horses descended from domesticated animals brought to the island in the 16th century.

The island's 17 miles of undeveloped beach, ancient maritime forest, and saltmarsh constitute one of the finest wilderness island ecosystems on the entire US Atlantic coast.

Access is by ferry from St Marys, Georgia and daily visitor numbers are capped to protect the extraordinary ecosystem.

Those who spend a day walking the island and watching horses graze in the ruins of the Carnegie family's Dungeness estate describe it as one of the most extraordinary wildlife and heritage experiences on the entire East Coast.

05/06/2026

The Vessel Speed Rule is a necessary lifeline for North Atlantic right whales and reduces mortality risk to right whales by ~90%. With fewer than 400 remaining, the loss of even a single whale, particularly a reproductive female or calf, has profound consequences for the survival of the species. As many of you know, 23 new calves were born this year, and they deserve a chance to live without the ever-looming threat of an accidental vessel strike.

Even though this rule is successful in reducing collisions, NOAA now is considering removing this rule for unproven technology. While technology can help detection, it cannot replace mitigation. Slower speeds not only reduce whale deaths but also increase the chance that vessel operators and whales can avoid collisions altogether.

Use our form with Endangered Species Coalition and tell NOAA to keep the vessel speed rule in place https://endangered.quorum.us/campaign/159842/

04/30/2026

Please join the Georgia Conservancy for a virtual webinar on May 8 from 12:00 - 1:30 PM to learn about the state of right whale conservation, proposed regulatory changes, and the technology being used to help save these animals.

04/30/2026

04/30/2026

👏👏👏

The 2025–2026 North Atlantic right whale calving season produced the highest number of births since 2009! 🤯

As the season wraps up, 23 mother-calf pairs are heading north, the fourth highest total on record. Even more encouraging, scientists at the Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life report that many moms are having calves more frequently again!

It’s been an exciting season for this critically endangered species, including three first-time moms: “Callosity Back” (Catalog # 3760), “Mirror” (Catalog # 4617), and an unnamed right whale (Catalog # 4610).

Meet all the mom-calf pairs from this season: https://bit.ly/4rtkdiv

📸: New England Aquarium, taken under NOAA Permit # 25739-01

04/26/2026

North Atlantic right whales produced at least 23 calves this season, giving researchers hope for the future of the highly endangered species.

04/17/2026

You can visit at least four of these places while staying in beautiful downtown St. Marys!
Cumberland Island, Okefenokee Swamp, Jekyll Island, and Sea Island/St. Simon’s Island are all fantastic day trips from your base at Norris Cottage.

airbnb.com/h/norriscottage-stmarys

https://www.vrbo.com/2760115?dateless=true

Discover 15 of the best places to visit in Georgia, from historic cities and mountain towns to lush forests and barrier islands where wild horses roam.