Explore Coast and Culture in Savannah, Georgia
October 21–24, 2026
The road connecting Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia
Join NRDC for a one-of-a-kind journey to Savannah, Georgia, where history, culture, and conservation meet. This immersive experience will highlight NRDC’s work to protect the Blake Plateau—the world’s largest deep-sea coral habitat—while connecting you with the vibrant coastal environment that surrounds it.
While the Blake Plateau lies miles offshore, you’ll discover its significance through on-the-ground experiences in Savannah and its waterways. Kayak through the winding Skidaway narrows and visit the Tybee Island Marine Science Center to learn about sea turtles and North Atlantic right whales. Uncover the city’s rich history and architecture on a walking tour. Enjoy a traditional meal by Gullah/Geechee chefs while learning about the community's heritage, their ties to protecting the region’s lands and waters, and how they have been a vital partner in NRDC’s work to protect the Blake Plateau.
Throughout your time in Savannah, you’ll share meaningful conversations with NRDC staff and partners, gaining an insider’s perspective on their work to protect the critical underwater treasure that is the Blake Plateau. This trip blends discovery, culture, and purpose—offering an unforgettable look at how people and places come together to shape the future of ocean conservation.
Details
*Flights, travel insurance, personal expenses, like snacks or souvenirs, and any activities not mentioned in the itinerary
Itinerary
Welcome to Savannah! Check in at the Hamilton-Turner Inn and relax before the welcome cocktail reception and dinner, where we will be joined by an NRDC expert and renowned scientist to learn about the Blake Plateau—a vast underwater wilderness teeming with ancient coral gardens and marine life.
Enjoy the Inn’s breakfast at your leisure before setting out for a guided kayak excursion with NRDC experts. After lunch, return to the hotel to freshen up and enjoy some recreational time in the afternoon.
After breakfast, visit the Tybee Island Marine Science Center to learn about the sea turtles that benefit from the Blake Plateau’s sargassum seaweed meadows. After lunch, enjoy a river cruise with a naturalist and then return to the hotel for some downtime before a farewell dinner.
Join an optional early-morning birding tour before transferring to the airport for your departure flight. Those on afternoon flights have the opportunity to visit a local museum after breakfast.
A critically endangered juvenile hawksbill sea turtle swimming amid sargassum
Shutterstock
An alfonsino fish swimming over a cold water coral mound in the center of the Blake Plateau
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
Kayaking through a Skidaway waterway
An octopus rests on the seafloor in the Blake Plateau
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
A Gullah/Geechee master basket weaver creates a traditional sweetgrass basket
Joanne Dale/Shutterstock
Meet your trip leader
Alison Chase
Senior policy analyst, Nature
Chase helps craft and advocate for effective state and federal policies that will protect and restore ocean and coastal health. She works to identify and conserve critical ocean habitats in U.S. state and federal waters and leads the Conserve Blake Plateau Coalition, a collective focused on securing protections for a network of key areas on the Blake Plateau. Chase has helped establish and socialize ocean solutions, such as regional ocean planning entities and responsible offshore wind.
The NRDC experience
Common backgrounds
Your fellow travelers are like you: active, adventurous, and engaged with environmental issues affecting our planet. This is an invitation-only trip open exclusively to NRDC supporters.
Expertise
You will experience this extraordinary environment and its wildlife through the eyes of the people who have devoted their lives to protecting it. NRDC's Alison Chase will bring expert knowledge and unique firsthand experience to your trip.
We’ve got you covered
Our team will handle all the logistics, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty and fragility of this special place—where Savannah’s coastline meets the hidden wonders of the nearby Blake Plateau. We organize transportation, arrange accommodations, and provide packing lists and background materials so you can focus on the experience ahead.
Accommodations
The Hamilton-Turner Inn is a beautifully restored mansion built in 1873, located on Lafayette Square in the heart of Savannah’s historic district. Designed in the French second empire style, it was initially the home of prominent local businessman Samuel Pugh Hamilton. Now a 17-room luxury inn, it preserves many period details—grand entryways, crystal chandeliers, brocade wallpaper, marble, fireplaces—while offering modern comforts.
Guests will stay at the Hamilton Turner Inn, which was once a hub for Savannah's social scene. From the lobby to the rooms to the restaurant, the historic, grandiose touches can be seen throughout.
Courtesy of Hamilton Turner Inn
; 2)Courtesy of Hamilton Turner Inn
; 3)Courtesy of Hamilton Turner Inn
; 4)Courtesy of Hamilton Turner Inn
Register for this trip
Please click the button below to book your trip.
If you have additional questions, we are here to help! Contact trips@nrdc.org with any inquiries.
FAQs
NRDC is actively working to safeguard the Blake Plateau from commercial extractive activities, ensuring its ecological health for current and future generations. As part of this effort, our team has been building support for the creation of a marine national monument on the plateau. A vital partner in this initiative has been the native Gullah/Geechee community, for whom the plateau holds deep cultural significance. We have a unique opportunity to protect this rich and vulnerable resource now—before harmful commercial industries take root offshore.
NRDC has partnered with Iconic Adventures, a leader in mission-driven travel, to plan this incredible experience.
Flights, travel insurance, personal expenses, like snacks or souvenirs, and any activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
All gratuities—including for all local guides, hotel staff, restaurant staff, and Iconic trip leaders—are included.
If you wish to arrive in Savannah early or stay after the trip concludes, please contact concierge@iconicadventures.com to inquire about rates and availability of pre- or post-trip rooms.
Overall, late October is one of the most comfortable times to visit Savannah. At the end of the month, the city usually enjoys mild weather. Average daytime highs are in the mid-70s degrees Fahrenheit, while nighttime lows drop into the upper 50s to low 60s. Humidity is lower than in the summer, making it feel comfortable for walking and other outdoor activities. Rain is possible but less frequent than in the summer months.
Yes, but please inform us of any special dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, food allergies, etc.) on your trip application form.
A $1,500 deposit is due to secure your spot on this trip. The deposit is 100 percent refundable through May 22, 2026, and 50 percent refundable from May 23, 2026, to June 23, 2026.
The final trip balance is due on June 22, 2026. From June 23 to July 22, 2026, the full trip fee is 50 percent refundable. Starting July 23, 2026, the trip is non-refundable.
Those who paid by credit card will be refunded minus the credit card processing fee, which varies depending on your card provider.
Iconic recommends that all travelers purchase travel insurance. We have partnered with Arch RoamRight to offer multiple coverage options with industry-leading support and concierge services. You can learn more about coverage options and get a quote at Arch RoamRight.
If purchased, please share your insurance information (policy number, contact information, etc.) with us so we can better assist you on-trip. For those looking for the most flexibility, we suggest purchasing the Cancel for Any Reason plan. (Please note, Arch Roam Right’s Cancel for Any Reason insurance can only be purchased within 21 days of making your initial trip deposit, and your departure date must be greater than 60 days from the point of purchase of the policy.)
Please reach out to trips@nrdc.org for more information and questions about this trip.
NRDC Expeditions: Purpose-Driven Adventures
Our trips are invitation-only and offered exclusively to NRDC supporters like you: active, adventurous, and engaged on the current environmental issues affecting our planet.