Blake Walsh

15 Best Things to Do in Blackshear, GA

  • Published 2022/08/23

Blackshear is one of the hidden gems of Pierce County, Georgia.

Named after a patriot of the American Revolution, General David Blackshear, the 4.4 square mile city is full of history.

Blackshear offers a lot to any curious traveler despite being a small city.

Tourists and locals alike will find themselves busy exploring the city, taking in its sights and sounds, and doing its many activities.

Here are the 15 best things to do in Blackshear, Georgia:

Learn History at Pierce County Heritage Museum

Because Blackshear’s namesake was an important figure in the American Civil War, much of the place’s history involves the events of that period.

Blackshear sought to memorialize the Civil War by preserving its artifacts for future generations.

They put these artifacts in a museum inside an old railroad depot.

The Blackshear Railroad Depot is a well-preserved remnant of 1903, registered on the National Registry of Historic Sites.

Nowadays, you can find both the Pierce County Heritage Museum and the Genealogical Library inside the depot.

Inside the museum are Civil War artifacts such as objects and photographs, and it even houses a fully-furnished storefront counter from that period.

On the other hand, the Genealogical Library holds a massive archive of books on the local history of Georgia and the genealogy of its people.

With over 200 books and counting, the Genealogical Library’s collection continues to grow.

The Blackshear Railroad Depot also houses the Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.

Play Golf at the Lakeview Golf Club

How about a round of golf with a magnificent view?

Lakeview Golf Club is the premier golf course in Blackshear, known for its challenging 72-par 18-hole golf course.

Aside from playing golf, the public can also watch regular tournaments as they enjoy the view of the country club’s lake.

With its reasonable fees and well-maintained course, Lakeview Golf Club is an excellent place for serious and casual golfers.

To reach the golf club, turn at Golf Course Road along College Avenue and drive to the end.

Discover Old Goodies at Corner Market Antiques

Anyone with an eye for vintage curios will love Corner Market Antiques.

Once you enter the shop, you’ll immediately smell a familiar fragrance: old wood, aged brass, and paper.

Embrace the classic welcoming scent of days gone by.

You’ll find a treasure trove of classic items when you look around.

Check out vintage toys, books, and clothes.

You’ll even find some rare items like retro keychains and celebrity memorabilia.

They’re also Blackshear’s very own Elite Retailer of Dixie Belle paints, known among painters as high-quality products you can use on any surface.

This place is worth checking out if you’re into painting!

You can find Corner Market Antiques along Highway Avenue.

Get Inked at Jones Tattoo Emporium

Are you into tattoos?

If you are, Cody Jones has got you covered.

He runs the Jones Tattoo Emporium is the local tattoo shop in Blackshear.

Today, the shop only accepts tattoo sessions by appointment but still sells various in-store merchandise.

You can buy hoodies and shirts with designs done by Cody himself.

Likewise, you can purchase gift cards to spice up your presents for your loved ones.

Stop by Jones Tattoo Emporium at northwest Central Avenue, and check out Cody’s fantastic work!

Find Hidden Treasures along the Blackshear Geo Tour

Geocaching has become a popular trend recently.

You can try this fun international outdoor activity in Blackshear, too!

For the uninitiated, geocaching is a worldwide easter egg hunt involving geographic landmarks and small containers called caches scattered all over the globe.

You use an app to give you the coordinates of a location.

Then you find a hidden cache in the area.

Some of these caches involve solving a riddle to find them.

It might be a good idea to brush up on your puzzle-solving skills.

When you find the cache, you’ll have to open it up and see what’s inside.

However, you can’t take anything from it!

You must accept the log inside and write your name alongside others who’ve found the cache.

There are over 50 geocaches hidden in Blackshear, so find them through the Blackshear Geo Tour!

Pick Up a Souvenir at Josiah’s Blessings

Scott and Robbie run Josiah’s Blessings, a specialty store and gift shop.

They are a kind-hearted couple who follow the concept of fair trade.

Likewise, they sell handcrafted products from disadvantaged artisans from all across the globe.

You can buy merchandise such as purses, jewelry, home decor, journals, stuffed toys, and many more.

If you want to satisfy your cravings, the shop also sells coffee and chocolate!

Every purchase you make at Josiah’s Blessings helps their international partners enjoy fair wages and empowers them to live better lives.

Going to southwest Central Avenue, you can shop for a cause at Josiah’s Blessings.

Give Yourself a Scare at E.L. Cravin’s Haunted Funeral Parlor

If you’re a fan of scary movies, then E.L. Cravin’s Haunted Funeral Parlor is right up your alley.

Notably, this haunted attraction gets its horror from an urban legend based on actual events and personages.

E.L. Cravin, this place’s namesake, was a doctor who moved to Blackshear in 1909 after retiring from his private practice.

He opened a funeral parlor, which became the site of a tragedy: a fire burned down the building.

His wife and son were inside when the fire happened.

Months later, Dr. Cravin rebuilt the parlor but never opened it to the public.

His reclusive nature, combined with the mystery behind the building’s renovation, birthed rumors about the place, ranging from benign to horrifying.

Some people say that they heard screams coming from inside the boarded-up parlor.

Others reported seeing vans loading and unloading mysterious cargo behind the building.

Today, E.L. Cravin’s Haunted Funeral Parlor is a haunted attraction that holds the answer to two questions.

What was going on inside the building?

What happened to Dr. Cravin?

Are you brave enough to find out?

Then head west of Main Street and step inside E. L. Cravin’s Haunted Funeral Parlor!

Play Laser Tag at Laser Action Warfare LLC

Why not go for a game of laser tag?

A US veteran owns and runs Laser Action Warfare LLC, a laser tag company.

The property’s six-acre combat zone has seen a lot of action from clients who booked their laser-shooting experience.

Interested clients can either schedule their laser tag events or join tournaments held in the center.

Laser Action Warfare LLC is at Fleetwood Drive.

Other Things to Do Nearby

Go Boating with the ‘Gators at Okefenokee Swamp Park

Scenic view of Okefenokee Swamp Park

Vadim 777 / Shutterstock.com

The Okefenokee is the largest blackwater swamp in North America at 438,000 acres.

Home to several species of flora and fauna (most notably, alligators), the Okefenokee is a destination travelers should visit near Blackshear.

One of the best places to experience the Okefenokee is through Okefenokee Swamp Park.

The great thing about this park is the variety of things you can do to experience the swamp’s beauty.

Wooden footbridge at Okefenokee Swamp Park

J K Laws / Shutterstock.com

If you want to go sightseeing while listening to a guide, you can take the train tour to Pioneer Island or the boat tour down the Seminole Indian waterways.

If you’d instead set out on your adventure, you can do that, too!

Just rent a canoe or a kayak and chart your course through the swamp.

When you reach land, visit the nature center and exhibits so you can learn more about Okefenokee and its famous residents: its snakes and alligators!

Okefenokee Swamp Park is easy to find.

This park is in Waycross, Georgia, 29 minutes from Blackshear.

An alligator at Okefenokee Swamp Park

Stacy Funderburke / Shutterstock.com

Learn about Georgia’s Roots at Okefenokee Heritage Center

Okefenokee Heritage Center prides itself as the region’s art center and history museum.

Since its establishment around 30 years ago, the site has consistently promoted Georgia’s heritage through its many exhibits and activities.

Okefenokee Heritage Center sits amid dense pine woodlands and delivers a rich cultural experience like no other.

See what it was like in Georgia centuries ago.

Learn how the Okefenokee people have developed the land into its modern-day version.

If you time your trip right, you might be able to join their yearly events, like art fairs and summer camps.

Make sure to visit “Old Nine,” a restored 100-ton steam locomotive from 1912, complete with a baggage car, mail car, passenger car, and caboose!

You can find Okefenokee Heritage Center in Waycross, 17 minutes from Blackshear.

Dive into the World of Trees at Southern Forest World

If you love the great outdoors, go to Southern Forest World in Waycross.

Southern Forest World is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the masses about forestry.

In this place, you can learn about the science and craft of forestry and what it means to be a forester in southeastern Georgia.

Among the things you can see in Southern Forest World are a 38-foot tall fiberglass pine with a spiral staircase, a scale model of the Saturn rocket, and multiple exhibits about forestry-related industries.

Besides the place’s numerous exhibits, you can see the world-famous mummified dog, Stuckie (the mummy dog stuck in a tree).

Before you leave, check out their gift shop and take home a piece of the forest with you!

Southern Forest World is 17 minutes away from Blackshear.

Visit a Legend’s Old Home at Obediah’s Okefenokee

Exterior of Obediah’s Okefenok

Bubba73 (Jud McCranie), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Obediah’s Okefenokee is a 127-year-old restored homestead.

The legendary local figure Henry “Obediah” Barber, one of Georgia’s early pioneers, once owned this property.

Known for his extensive knowledge of the area and his imposing figure, Obediah served as an explorer and guided surveyors mapping the swamp for close to 40 years.

The log cabin he built for himself and his family is the oldest settler’s home that remains in the area.

Today, you can visit this famed attraction.

The humble rustic house exudes an air of dignity, thanks to the preservation efforts of Obediah’s living descendants.

You’ll see that the items in the cabin looked – and smelled – as they were decades ago when Obediah Barber and his family still lived there.

Likewise, the city of Waycross built an entire historical park around the homestead.

Check out nature trails, educational exhibits, and an 1100-foot-long boardwalk.

As long as the park helps keep history alive, Obediah’s Okefenokee will remain an essential cornerstone of the swamp in years to come.

Obediah’s Okefenok is also in Waycross, 24 minutes from Blackshear.

Check Out the Agricultural Fair at Okefenokee Fairgrounds

If you time your trip right, you can catch an essential Georgian tradition at Okefenokee Fairgrounds.

Okefenokee Fairgrounds has become the official venue of the annual Okefenokee Agricultural Fair for over 60 years.

The agricultural fair usually occurs in mid-November and offers a variety of events for locals and travelers alike.

Amusements of America, America’s largest traveling amusement park, always visits Waycross during the festival.

With their wide selection of exciting rides and attractions, you won’t run out of entertainment.

More importantly, the fair allows the current generation to reconnect with their farming heritage through various hands-on means.

People have several opportunities to learn what it was like to care for livestock decades ago.

Bring your kids to the petting zoos for children, or check out livestock competitions for breeders.

The Okefenokee Agricultural Fair is a magnificent experience you wouldn’t miss.

You can find the Okefenokee Fairgrounds in Waycross, 16 minutes away from Blackshear.

Test Your Eagle Eye at Dixon Memorial WMA Shooting Range

If you’re a marksman through sport or profession, you should visit this nearby shooting range for your leisure and practice.

This range is inside Dixon Memorial Wildlife Management Area (WMA), a 36,100-acre state forest operated by the Georgia Forestry Commission.

While hunters go out into the forest to hunt game, some people stay in the shooting range to shoot targets.

You have two ranges to choose from: a 100-yard range for rifles and a 25-yard range for pistols.

You can also bring your custom targets and hang them on the range.

One thing of note is that the place only has weekend staff.

Exercise caution and cooperate with the other shooters for your safety and theirs.

Dixon Memorial WMA is also in Waycross, 33 minutes from Blackshear.

Walk among the Pines at Laura S. Walker State Park

The grounds of Laura S. Walker State Park

muffinn from Worcester, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Laura S. Walker State Park is the first state park in the United States named after a woman.

Its namesake was a writer and a conservationist who loved trees and staunchly fought for their preservation.

She is the only person with a state park named after herself while still alive.

You can see the fruits of her conservation efforts when you walk around the beautiful park.

It also has a gorgeous nature trail along the edge of a lake.

The park is home to several flora and fauna living together harmoniously.

Aside from alligators and tortoises, visitors may also see great blue herons and owls around the area.

Picnic tables on a deck over Laura S. Walker State Park's lake

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

You can also go fishing, boating in the lake, or cycling among the pines on a rented bicycle.

Likewise, the park has an 18-hole golf course, a public clubhouse, and a great lake view.

Laura S. Walker State Park is a 22-minute drive south of Blackshear, in the nearby city of Waycross.

Playground at Laura S. Walker State Park

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Final Thoughts

Don’t let its small size fool you: Blackshear is a town full of heart and heritage.

Think of it as a city-sized museum, where you can learn about Blackshear’s history in every location.

If you’re looking for an experiential and educational place to visit around Georgia, go to Blackshear.

Plan your trip today and discover the best things to do in Blackshear!

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