Families have been vacationing or living full-time at The Ford Field & River Club for decades. With 1,800 acres of natural splendor filled with endless opportunities for fun and adventure, it’s the kind of place where new traditions come easily.

The Ford’s magical setting delights adults and kids alike—young ones will love making friendships that will last a lifetime. Here are some of the unforgettable memories your kids will make—both with and without you—while at The Ford.

Interactive Lessons at the Naturalist Center & Oyster House

On-site naturalist Brittany Dodge makes learning about wildlife and the environment fun for all ages. Kids can learn how to live harmoniously with nature through habitat preservation activities, up-close encounters with wildlife creatures and explorations around the lowcountry grounds.

Cooling Off With an Epic Swim

The Ford has two swimming pools, one at The Main House and one at the Lake Dye Complex. While The Main House pool is best for leisurely days of sun and relaxation, the Lake Dye Pool is designed to be family-friendly, with a kiddie pool, hot tub and adjacent grill and Sports Barn.

Fishing on the Ogeechee River

The Ford enjoys four miles of Ogeechee River frontage, perfect for fishing. The river supports a healthy ecosystem of freshwater fish, including largemouth bass (most abundant during the springtime), catfish, crappie and redbreast sunfish.

Horseback Riding Lessons

Kids of all skill levels are invited to take lessons and saddle up for trail rides at the on-site Equestrian Center. Members can board their own horses or borrow one of The Ford’s for a day of lessons or leisurely rides through the property’s 10 miles of trails.

Golf on the Pete Dye-Designed Course

This scenic, award-winning course is open to golfers of every skill level. The no-tee-times course is challenging enough for pros, while still offering fun for the whole family. Kids can enjoy playing the course with their family or friends year-round, and every week, we offer a clinic for junior golfers to learn etiquette and rules and improve their game.

Enjoy a Little Healthy Competition

In and adjacent to the Sports Barn, find pickleball, tennis and squash courts; a dock for canoeing and kayaking and cycling trails. Adventure is calling, and here at The Ford, kids will have a blast answering on their terms.

Learn to Shoot Like Katniss with Archery Lessons

The Ford’s on-property archery range gives new shooters an opportunity to learn more about the sport and provides a setting for the seasoned archer to practice prior to an actual hunt. A wide variety of 3D targets, including deer and wild hog, replicates real hunting situations. As an added bonus, we also have a BB and pellet gun range for junior shooters. Members of the Outdoor Pursuits team assist in instructing all junior participants. Private archery lessons with the Atlas Target Thrower or at the 3D archery range are also available.

Kids Crabbing and Shrimping

Kids will learn how to catch and clean crabs and use a cast net to catch shrimp from Lake Clara. This seasonal activity is an excellent way to expose children to some of the wonderful bounty of the Lowcountry.

There’s nothing quite like springtime in the South. Birdwatchers, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers—you all know how special the country is when the days get a little brighter and the weather a little warmer. With its 1,800 acres to explore, The Ford Field & River Club is a springtime paradise, and is the perfect starting point for so many excursions into prime, untouched lowcountry land.

On April 16, members of The Ford and guests are invited to join our naturalist Brittany Dodge at the Deepwater Marina to set out for a springtime paddle of Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge—just two hours from home. Participants will meet at the Deepwater Marina, drive to the refuge then set out for some scenic adventures by kayak and canoe.

Established as a refuge and breeding ground in 1937, the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge comprises 353,981 acres of National Wilderness Area. It’s also considered a Wetland of International Importance as one of the world’s largest intact freshwater ecosystems. The Suwannee and St Marys Rivers both come to a head within the refuge. Visitors can explore the vast wilderness by hiking, canoeing, or kayaking, or on a guided boat tour.

Because of its protected status, the refuge supports a thriving ecosystem of extraordinary wildlife—from more than 600 species of plants to rare swamp animals, birds and more. Spring is the perfect time to visit, with water lilies in bloom and wildflowers coming to life on the canals of the swamp. Below, get a glimpse of what you might encounter on this day trip. Just remember: it’s infinitely better in person.

5 Wildlife Species You Might Encounter at Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge:

1. American Alligator

With life spans of up to 50 years in the wild, the American alligator is one of the few native species without a natural predator (except for humans and the occasional adversarial alligator). Female a

lligators typically reach lengths of 8.2 feet, while males average around 11.2 feet. They’re found in freshwater—including rivers, swamps, and marshes—from North Carolina to Texas.

2. American Black Bear

Once at risk of endangerment, the black bear has made a successful comeback—thanks to wildlife management and conservation efforts. Spring sightings of black bears are now fairly common within the South, especially if venturing into dense wooded or swamp regions. These solitary animals range in weight from 200 to 600 pounds, making them the smallest bear species in North America.

3. Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Taking up residence among the Longleaf Pine, these small woodpeckers are likely to be heard before they’re spotted. Keep your ears tuned to the sounds of nature and look out for a black-and-white striped back and white cheek. Though it’s unlikely to be seen without binoculars or a camera, the bird has one standout feature: a tiny red streak (“cockade”) at the top of its cheeks.

4. Gopher Tortoise

Protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), gopher tortoises are much smaller than you might imagine. Reaching weights of eight to fifteen pounds, these long-living reptiles (up to 100 years) are primarily herbivores. They provide invaluable services to the local ecosystem: their burrows offer shelter for smaller species, and their droppings spread seeds from many plants.

5. Sandhill Crane

Along the waters of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, you’ll spot many wading birds. The most distinctive is arguably the sandhill crane—a tall, gray bird with a red “crown” at the top of its head. Keep your eyes peeled among tall grasses and shrubs, as you may spot a pair of these beauties nesting together.

Spring has arrived in the lowcountry, and The Ford’s 1,800 acres of oak groves, meadows and riverfront are buzzing with an array of winged friends—making now the perfect time to take up birding. Accessible to all ages, birding can be done in any part of the world, and it’s now the fastest-growing outdoor activity in America. According to a survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 51.3 million Americans report that they watch birds. And more are taking up the hobby all the time.

Come Sunday, March 28, members of The Ford and guests will be able to partake in the season’s Birding Bonanza, led by naturalist Brittany Dodge in partnership with the Ogeechee Audubon Society. During the two-hour event, members will receive a laminated photo field guide, The Ford bird checklist and a Bird Bingo game perfect for practicing one’s skills.

“Backyard birding really kicks up a notch in spring time, since many birds we learn to recognize at our feeders over the winter are now getting ready for nesting season and looking for prime nesting sites,” says Brittany, who recommends the McAllister Dike trail and the Woodpecker Walking Trail as great (and somewhat secret) areas for birding at The Ford.

“The coolest birds to me are the raptor-like songbirds, like the loggerheaded shrike or the mini-raptor, the kestrel,” says Brittany. “Though we rarely see these birds here at The Ford, there is one loggerheaded shrike that resides right in front of Lake Sterling, and I always get excited when I see him. I also love seeing the belted kingfishers when they show up during spring and summer, as well as ‘butterbutts’—or yellow rumped warblers. These warblers are true songbirds and pretty easy to spot here at The Ford.”

Brittany’s top tips for new birders? “Get a good set of binoculars and don’t get overwhelmed,” she says. “Learn a few basic birds that are easy to recognize and learn them well. You will eventually be able to distinguish the tougher birds. Going by color is a good start, but learning the silhouettes of birds are the most important!”

Below, we highlight five birds to watch—and listen—for this spring at The Ford.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

This petite, long-tailed forest-dwelling bird is known for its near-constant motion and high-pitched, rather rambling and squeaky calls—birders often hear a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher before they see it.

Carolina Chickadee

Found in wooded areas, this jaunty chickadee sports a black cap and bib separated by stark white cheeks. Its call echoes its name: “chick-a-deee-deee-deee.” This is a great bird for first-timers to get acquainted with, as warblers and other migrating songbirds often associate with them—spot a chickadee and one will likely find many more species.

Eastern Bluebird

A ground forager that lives in grasslands, both male and female Eastern Bluebirds boast the striking royal blue hue on their body, head and tail feathers. Their short, wavering call sounds like “tu-a-wee.”

Tufted Titmouse

This stocky, soft grey and white songbird has a splash of peach under each wing and whistles out a call that sounds like “Peter-Peter-Peter.” It can be seen flitting through forest canopies, hanging from twig-ends and dropping into bird feeders.

Carolina Wren

While the cinnamon-hued Carolina Wren is shy and usually tricky to spot, there is no mistaking its call—one of its startlingly loud exclamations sounds like “teakettle-teakettle!” This wren resides in brushy thickets, lowland swamps, bottomland woods and ravines.

Living tucked away in The Ford’s magical riverfront setting can make it easy to forget that just 20 miles away is Savannah, our region’s beloved “Hostess City of the South.” Now, this vibrant historic city has a fresh new accolade—the publication Site Selection recently ranked Savannah as the nation’s number one city for new industry and job creating developments.

Rising to the top spot from number 12 in last year’s rankings, Savannah is a burgeoning economic powerhouse. Site Selection highlighted the growth of the Port of Savannah, Gulfstream Aerospace and local e-commerce retailers in their ranking decisions.

Savannah’s continued growth expands the opportunities for cosmopolitan adventures for members of The Ford, many of whom already enjoy revelling in the charm of Savannah’s cobblestone streets and oak-shaded parks, and exploring its captivating selection of independent boutiques, award-winning restaurants, buzzing bars and breweries, historic buildings and contemporary museums.

Enjoying a day or a whole weekend in Savannah may entail everything from embarking on horse-drawn carriage rides to catching live music performances. There’s already ample charm to city outings, but with this historic surge in Savannah’s development, we can expect to see even more exciting possibilities in months and years ahead.

Read the full article here.