The 17 Best US Islands in the South

From North Carolina to Texas, America’s coastline is home to hundreds of islands. Pack your sunscreen and your swimsuit — we’ve tallied a list of the best islands for a tropical island getaway.

Of Georgia’s 4 barrier islands, the Golden Isles comes closest to an unspoiled paradise. The island has been privately owned longer than the United States has been a country. Today, the descendants of the most recent owner oversee the maintenance of the island’s 100,000 acres.

A young visitor does the “Sanibel Stoop.” Sanibel Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast attracts travelers with its large number of seashells that wash up on the beach (peak shell-collecting season is May to September). The island is also home to more than 6,000 residents, but don’t expect any stoplights here. Locals are fiercely protective of the island; more than half the island is composed of wildlife refuges.

In northeast Florida, Amelia Island is easy to reach, but hard to forget, so says the local tourism bureau. Thirteen miles of breathtaking beaches, abundant wildlife and clear blue waters make this a beloved - yet not overtouristed - destination for visitors and residents alike. Explore artifacts and uncover maritime history at the Marine Welcome Center & Shrimping Museum.

Welcome to the “happiest seaside town in America.” That’s the motto of South Carolina’s Kiawah Island. Its world-class golf courses are a big reason why. Kiawah is home to 5 award-winning golf courses, including Ocean Course designed by Pete Dye. The course, located on Kiawah’s easternmost end, hosted the 2012 PGA Championship. For non-golfers visit Kiawah Beachwalker Park.

Look, Forrest, it’s Bubba Gump Shrimp! Load up the kids and head an hour’s drive from Houston to Galveston Island. The island is just 27 miles long and 3 miles wide, but big on family entertainment. At Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, enjoy rollercoaster rides, carnival games and Bubba Gump Shrimp’s first-ever Texas location.

Take a 20-minute ferry ride from the town of Southport to reach Bald Head Island. Located at the tip of North Carolina’s Cape Fear, the island unfolds at an easy pace: No cars are allowed here, just golf carts — and your 2 feet — to get around. Kick back in a vacation rental, enjoy wine and music festivals, and take part in an annual fishing rodeo.

Love oysters? Head to Apalachicola Bay on St. George Island. The estuary is one of several outdoor pleasures on St. George, located off the Florida Panhandle. Along with oysters, the island offers great fishing spots for grouper, scallops, flounder, redfish, snapper, mullet and trout. Also try bird-watching at St. George Island State Park.

The cluster of islands known as Cedar Keys near Florida’s mainland offer a laidback experience, and the city of Cedar Key is among the star attractions. The tranquil fishing village comes with a small-town Florida feel and wood-frame homes like this. Come lunchtime, swing by Tony’s Chowderhouse, known for its famous clam chowder. For a dose of nature, visit Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge.

Enjoy kiteboarding on Hatteras Island, part of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The barrier island off the state’s coast is known for windsurfing and sport fishing — earning it the nickname, “the blue marlin capital of the world.” Also check out Cape Hatteras Light Station and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Walk through the shimmering quartz sand of Ship Island, one of 2 barrier islands located off the coast of Mississippi; you’ll find Fort Massachusetts on the island’s western end. The fort was built following the War of 1812, and has stood the test of time and nature's fury; it faced Hurricane Katrina with minimal impact.

Louisiana’s only inhabited barrier island is home to 1,500 residents who make their living from the seafood and oil industries. While the effects of the BP oil spill will be studied for years to come, the dolphins have returned, the waters washing up on the shore are clear, and the annual Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo (one of America’s largest saltwater fishing events) continues. There are more than 280 species of fish in the surrounding waters.

What do Shania Twain, Leighton Meester and Alan Jackson all have in common? They all have homes on Marco Island. Located on southwest Florida’s Gulf coast, Marco Island entices visitors with white-sugar sand beaches and amazing marine life like this bottlenose dolphin. The largest of Florida’s 10,000 Islands, Marco offers miles of beautiful beach.

Before you dismiss this as a boring woodshed shot — look closer: JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's nuptials took place inside this structure, known as the First African-Baptist Church, in September 1996. The small, 1-room church was established in 1893, rebuilt in 1937, and is located on Cumberland Island’s northern end.

The expansive Seven Mile Bridge is your gateway to the Florida Keys. As you cross the bridge, linking the Middle and Lower Keys, get ready for a breathtaking sight: the Gulf of Mexico on one side, the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Keep going and you’ll reach the “southernmost city in the continental USA,” Key West.

We can’t forget Alabama. Of the dozens of islands off Alabama’s coast, Dauphin Island is among the star attractions. The barrier island, located 3 miles south of the mouth of Mobile Bay, is home to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and 164-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary, making it a great getaway for the whole family.

Like Savannah, Tybee Island, has a similar policy on the beach. Pack a cooler and head out to North Beach for a day of sun and sips. Just remember the beach has a no glass policy. For fewer tourists, visit in the fall, what the locals call their "second season," because the air and water temperatures usually stay warm enough to enjoy even after the kids go back to school.