Where History, Nature, and Luxury Meet
The magnificent Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island is more than a romantic coastal getaway. It’s a classic Southern destination. It’s an opportunity to enjoy Georgia’s coast at a slower pace. And it’s a chance to take a step back into another era.
Cumberland Island overflows with natural history as well as stories of America’s past, and those continue at The Greyfield Inn. As soon as you step off the boat and are guided toward the old Carnegie home, you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into a Southern Living magazine. You’ll find yourself wondering how long you can possibly stay before you really have to return home, and you’ll be in good company – everyone else is wondering the same thing. There are few inns that offer such an exceptional experience. This, friends, is how you vacation.
For more on visiting Cumberland Island National Seashore, you can see our full guide here.
About The Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island
Thomas and Lucy Carnegie built Greyfield as a wedding present for their daughter, Margaret Ricketson in 1900. And what an amazing gift it was! In 1962, Margaret’s daughter Lucy Ferguson converted it to an inn, and it’s still run by members of the Ferguson family today! The home is furnished with gorgeous family heirlooms including paintings of the women who story its history, a desk salvaged from the Dungeness fire, and an amazing collection of books many of which are first editions.
Staying at The Greyfield Inn is an intimate experience. There are only 10 rooms in the main inn, some of which have shared bathrooms, retaining the integrity of the house as it was when it was built. There are also two cottages across the lawn from main inn that house 6 rooms.
Dining at The Greyfield Inn
Much of the fine dining at The Greyfield Inn is sourced from the organic Greyfield Garden on the property. A continental breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and is followed by a Chef’s breakfast at 8:30. Our homemade biscuits with gravy and eggs were the perfect start to a day of exploring the island.
Your gourmet picnic lunch will be packed in a charming wicker basket that you can take with you as you explore the island or enjoy at the picnic tables on the property. We dined under the tall oaks as soon as we arrived on the island, and it set the pace for our weekend.
A Saturday evening oyster roast brings everyone around the table for drinks, delicious oysters, and exciting conversation.
Every night brings a chance to gather with your fellow guests during cocktail hour over hors d’oeuvres served in the living room. If you’re at Greyfield on a Saturday night and the season is right, you’ll be treated to an outdoor oyster roast with fellow guests! One of the best aspects of our stay at Greyfield was meeting the other guests and building camaraderie with them. We shared stories from our day’s activities, ranging from naps on the porch to cycling along the beach. The Greyfield Inn’s unique setting and intimate size brings people together! We also learned what brought them to Greyfield, and many were celebrating anniversaries and birthdays. It’s the perfect place to celebrate, and they host many elopements and honeymooners!
A three-course dinner begins at 7:30 with a set menu and exceptional wine pairings. We’re still not sure how we saved room for dinner after the delicious cocktail hour, but thank goodness we did! We enjoyed a delicious salad from the organic garden, beef bourgogne, and a delicious lemon pudding cake rounded out dessert. Our wines from Meursault and Santenay were a wonderful compliment to our dinner and transported us back to our tour of Burgundy’s wine region.
Activities at The Greyfield Inn
The live oaks dripping with Spanish moss dwarf explorers on Cumberland Island.
Cycling
Bicycles are included as part of your stay and are a great way to explore the island. The nearby bicycle barn houses all the cruisers perfect for riding on the beach or along the live oak-lined main road down to Dungeness. They have baskets for carrying your picnic or other goodies to the beach! Kayaks are also available so that you can explore the coastline.
A glass message board near the dining room keeps guests informed about the day’s excursion opportunities… and the delicious oyster roast!
Excursions
The Greyfield Inn offers naturalist-led excursions each day, but daily schedules vary. One of the most common tours is a 4 hour North End tour which takes you to Plum Orchard, the African Settlement, and back to the inn along the beach. You can see more photos of those sites here. It was breathtaking to ride in the back of the truck and soak up the sun and sea spray with the ocean on one side and the sand dunes on the other! Private or specialty tours can also be arranged based on your interests.
While you’ll never run out of outdoor activities on Cumberland Island, The Greyfield Inn offers the perfect opportunity to slow down and take time to enjoy the peace and quiet of coastal life. Cell signal can be spotty, and that helps with the ability to unplug and relax. There are two daybed porch swings for lounging, reading, and napping, and many rocking chairs on the verandah as well.
Reservations
The Greyfield Inn requires a two night minimum stay. Reservations can be made by calling 800-717-0821 or 904-261-6408 or by emailing seashore@greyfieldinn.com. Please let them know that you heard about The Greyfield Inn on A Friend Afar. Rates start at $425 per room per night and include round-trip transportation from Amelia Island on their private ferry, a delicious breakfast, a gourmet picnic lunch, cocktail hour, and a luxurious dinner. Reservations also include naturalist-led tours of the island, bicycles, sports equipment, and a healthy and delicious variety of snacks for your excursions.
Day Pass
Day Passes are available for visitors at a rate of $120 per person. They include round-trip transportation from Amelia Island on The Greyfield Inn’s private ferry, a delicious picnic lunch, access to the inn’s grounds, including the bar, the breezy porch, and the outdoor showers, as well as the bicycles. If you only have a day to visit Cumberland Island, this is a great way to see it! For day trips, the ferry leaves Amelia Island at 9:30am and The Greyfield Inn at 3:30pm.
Dinner Reservations
For those unable to spend an entire day on the island or who are looking for a special dinner opportunity, contact The Greyfield Inn to make a dinner reservation. You’ll take the 5:30 ferry to the island and arrive just in time for cocktail hour with your fellow guests. A private charter boat will return you to Amelia Island after dinner. The dinner rate is also $120 per person, and includes transportation.
When you visit The Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island, please let them know that you heard about them on A Friend Afar.
This post is part 3 of a 3 part series on visiting Cumberland Island. View Part 1 and Part 2 here.
The Greyfield Inn is a member of Select Registry. Select Registry is a portfolio of more than 300 quality-assured premier bed and breakfasts, inns, and hotels throughout North America. Each of their member bed and breakfasts, inns, and hotels has passed an unannounced, rigorous, 200-point quality assurance inspection to earn and maintain its Select Registry membership, and to ensure it provides travelers with guaranteed quality, exceptional service, and an unforgettable lodging experience.
[Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. The Greyfield Inn gave us a complimentary night’s stay, but all opinions posted here are our own. We completely adored it and can’t stop dreaming about our next chance to visit!]
