The brick fort whose walls fell to rifled cannon — and ended an era of forts.
Photo: Jud McCranie, en:user:Bubba73 · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
On Cockspur Island in the marshes between Savannah and Tybee Island stands one of the best-preserved 19th-century brick forts in the country — and the place where, in 1862, the rules of warfare changed. Fort Pulaski's walls were considered impregnable, but in roughly 30 hours the Union army's new rifled cannon, firing from over a mile away on Tybee Island, bored straight through the brick and forced a surrender. Overnight, masonry coastal forts were obsolete; you can still see cannonballs embedded in the repaired southeast wall.
It's a drive-up fort, not a boat trip — you cross the US-80 causeway from Savannah and park at the door. Inside, walk the parade ground, the vaulted gun casemates, and the moat with its drawbridge; outside, the famous breached corner tells the whole story at a glance. Beyond the fort, a trail leads through marsh and forest to a view of the offshore Cockspur Island Lighthouse, and the dikes (engineered in part by a young Robert E. Lee) make fine birding walks — the island hosts some 200 species.
It's coastal Georgia, so summers are hot, humid, and the wettest, with hurricane season June–November and biting marsh gnats; spring and fall are the comfortable times. Plan an hour or two, and pair it easily with historic Savannah or a Tybee Island beach day right down the road.
Fort Pulaski is on Cockspur Island between Savannah and Tybee Beach, directly on US-80, so the drive there is the causeway across the marsh — a straight run over tidal creeks with the fort appearing out of flat wetland. It is ten minutes from Tybee and half an hour from Savannah.
Runs east from Savannah to Tybee Island across salt marsh and tidal creeks, crossing the Bull River and Lazaretto Creek. The fort is signed off it and the drive is entirely at sea level.
The interstate runs west of the city. Fort Pulaski is a straightforward add-on to a Savannah visit rather than a destination in itself.
One of the more atmospheric short drives on the Georgia coast, especially at high tide when the water comes up to the road. The fort and the beach sit five miles apart on the same stretch of highway.
TipParts of US-80 flood on king tides. Check before setting out if the forecast is high, because there is no alternative route to the island.
A massive, well-preserved 1840s brick fort — walk the parade ground, climb to the ramparts, and explore the vaulted casemates where the guns were mounted.
Insider tipWatch the 20-minute visitor center film first — it runs on the hour and half hour from 9am, and it makes the breached wall far more meaningful.
Plan a trip to this spot →The most important thing to see — where 1862 Union rifled cannon bored through the 'impregnable' brick in ~30 hours, making masonry forts obsolete. Cannonballs are still embedded in the patched brick.
Insider tipWalk outside along the moat to view the scarred face from the angle the guns fired — the embedded shot and color-different repair brick are clearly visible.
Plan a trip to this spot →A tidal moat rings the fort, crossed by a drawbridge through the sally port — the classic dramatic fort entrance.
Insider tipPause on the drawbridge for the best full-wall photo.
Plan a trip to this spot →A small historic lighthouse on an oyster bed offshore, viewed from the ~1.7-mile out-and-back Lighthouse Overlook Trail through marsh and forest.
Insider tipLow tide gives the clearest look, with the oyster bed exposed under the tower. Stay on the trail — the marsh is closed to foot traffic and the lighthouse itself isn't open to visitors.
Plan a trip to this spot →A 30-minute talk inside the fort covering who built it, how, and what the 1862 bombardment actually did — the fastest way to make sense of what you're looking at.
Insider tipDaily at 11am and 2pm from June through September, usually starting on the parade ground. Outside those months the day's schedule is posted at the visitor center desk.
Plan a trip to this spot →A two-mile loop on Lee's old tide-control dikes through salt marsh and maritime forest, plus a short North Pier Trail past an 1890s battery. The park counts 200 bird species, including nesting painted buntings.
Insider tipEarly morning is best for birds and to beat the heat and gnats; bring binoculars. Look for buntings along the woodland edges in spring and summer. The north shoreline is permanently closed — don't go past the pier.
Plan a trip to this spot →Humid subtropical coastal Georgia — hot, humid summers (June–September the wettest, with afternoon thunderstorms) and mild winters. Atlantic hurricane season runs June–November and can close the park or causeway, and the salt marsh breeds gnats and mosquitoes (worst in warm, still air). Spring and fall are the comfortable windows.
A simple drive-up on the Savannah–Tybee causeway.
About 15 miles east of historic Savannah on US-80, across the causeway to Cockspur Island — drive right to the parking lot, no boat needed. $10/person, card only. Gates are open 9am to 5pm, but last entry is 4:30 and the fort itself closes at 4:30, so don't cut it fine.
No lodging in the monument — stay in Savannah or on Tybee Island.
About 15 miles west, with the full range of hotels, B&Bs, and historic inns — the practical hub.
Booking tipPair the fort with a day in the historic district.
A few miles east on US-80 — beachfront hotels and rentals, handy if you're combining the fort with a beach day.
Booking tipSame road as the fort — an easy add-on.
Is there an entrance fee?
Yes — $10 per person ages 16 and up, good for 7 days; children 15 and under are free. Card only, no cash. The $80 America the Beautiful pass is accepted, and there's a $35 Fort Pulaski annual pass covering the holder plus three other adults.
Can I drive right up?
Yes — it's a drive-up fort about 15 miles east of Savannah on US-80 toward Tybee Island. No boat or ferry needed; parking is on site.
Why is the breached wall so important?
In April 1862, Union rifled cannon breached the fort's 'impregnable' brick walls in about 30 hours — proving masonry forts couldn't survive modern artillery and rendering them obsolete. You can still see cannonballs embedded in the repaired southeast wall.
Are there ranger programs?
Yes — a 30-minute ranger talk inside the fort at 11am and 2pm daily from June through September, plus a 20-minute park film in the visitor center on the hour and half hour year-round. The park does not run a regular cannon-firing schedule; historic weapons demonstrations only happen on occasional event days, so check the park's calendar if that's what you're after.
How long should I plan?
About 1.5–2 hours for the fort, exhibits, and moat — add an hour for the Lighthouse Overlook or dike trails.
Can I combine it with Savannah or Tybee?
Yes — it sits right on the US-80 route between historic Savannah and the Tybee Island beach, making it an easy add-on to either.
Pick your vehicle, line up the stops on the way in and out, and carry the whole route in your pocket.
