Background Info
Brunswick & The Golden Isles: A Treasure on Georgia's Coast
Nestled on the Georgia coast, midway between Savannah and Jacksonville, lie the mainland city Brunswick and four barrier islands: St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. Spanish explorers came to the area more than 400 years ago, seeking gold. Instead they found astonishing beauty, mild weather and a natural radiance that inspires the name, The Golden Isles.
One of the first things you notice is the marsh. Huge expanses of marshland, punctuated by small islands, known as hammocks, define the landscape and create the appearance of continuous land between the mainland the barrier islands. The marshes and the rivers that flow through them on their way to the sea teem with all sorts of fish, birds and animals.
Mainland Brunswick was named for Braunsweig, Germany, the ancestral home of King George II who granted Georgia's original land charter. The city's streets and squares are laid out in a formal grid, similar to Savannah and other colonial cities, and continue to bear their colonial names. Old Town, a National Register District, is filled with majestic homes noted for their turn-of-the-century elegance and eclectic mix of styles. The burgeoning downtown is filled with interesting antique shops and a growing number of specialty shops and art galleries. At Mary Ross Park on the waterfront, you'll see fleets of shrimp boats that work the local waters and contribute to the area's rich seafood industry.
Cross the Marshes of Glynn, immortalized by Georgia poet Sidney Lanier, to St. Simons Island, the largest of the Golden Isles. Moss-draped oaks line the island's streets, creating an image worthy of Faulkner. The Village offers a charming selection of shops and restaurants that range from fine dining establishments to casual outdoor eateries. Young visitors will especially enjoy Neptune Park, with its mini-golf course, playground and the fishing pier. They may even see a shark or some other sea creature, landed by one of the local anglers.
St. Simons Island offers plenty of interesting historical sites and attractions, from the St. Simons Lighthouse (a working lighthouse in operation since 1872) to Bloody Marsh, where British and Scottish soldiers successfully defeated a larger Spanish force and ended Spanish incursions outside Florida. Fort Frederica National Monument and historic Christ Church are on the island's north end. There are great beaches (check out East Beach by the old Coast Guard Station) and a nature center that offers fun day programs for kids.
Little St. Simons Island is a private island, accessible only by twice-daily boats from Hampton Point on St. Simons Island's north end. The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island was built in the early 1900s by the same family that owns and operates it today. Today, the Lodge offers accommodations for up to 30 guests, making it a wonderful destination for family reunions and small group gatherings. Guests enjoy a wonderful array of activities from guided nature walks with a staff naturalist to canoeing and kayaking and horseback rides. During inclement weather, the library in the main lodge is a wonderful spot for reading, cards or quiet chats.
Sea Island is home to The Cloister, a world-class resort renowned for its luxury and gracious service. The new Ocean Houses offer beautiful oceanfront accommodations and flexibility for accommodating groups of most any size. Top-notch amenities include a full-service spa, golf, tennis, Shooting School, horseback riding, kids programs, a private beach, fishing, waterway excursions and more. Special theme weekends throughout the year are devoted to ballroom dancing, bridge and fine wines.
Jekyll Island, the southernmost of the Golden Isles, was once an exclusive winter retreat for some of America's wealthiest families. From 1887 to 1942, the Jekyll Island Club counted among its members such men as J.P. Morgan, William Rockefeller, Joseph Pulitzer and other industrial and financial leaders of their day. They created a complex that included a grand clubhouse (now the Jekyll Island Club Hotel), a collection of "cottages" and a variety of support structures. Now a National Historic Landmark, the Historic District is open to the public.
Jekyll Island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947 and is today a popular year 'round destination for families and business travelers. The island offers a wealth of amenities and activities including 63 holes of golf, tennis, beaches, 20 miles of bike paths, mini-golf, nature tours and Summer Waves waterpark. Jekyll Island retains much of its natural beauty, which is protected by law. There are places, such as the "driftwood beach" on the island's north end and St. Andrews beach on the south end, where you can feel as though you're Robinson Crusoe on your own desert island.
Golfers will find plenty to captivate their interest, with 216 holes of golf on 14 different courses. Or, try your luck aboard the Emerald Princess casino/cruise ship, which offers afternoon and evening cruises from downtown Brunswick.
Brunswick & The Golden Isles offer a great selection of accommodations, ranging from convenient Interstate hotels to island resorts, waterfront hotels, and small inns. Several companies offer rental cottages and there are three campgrounds: two on the mainland and one on Jekyll Island.
Getting to Brunswick & The Golden Isles is a snap. The area is just minutes from I-95, making it a fairly easy drive from much of the eastern U.S. International airports in Savannah and Jacksonville are just an hour either way, and round-trip regional jet service is offered four times a day between Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and the Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport. For those who prefer to sail, Brunswick & The Golden Isles are located along the Intracoastal Waterway.
For a free 80-page Visitors Guide, call the Brunswick-Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-933-COAST (2627). Or, visit them online at www.bgicvb.com .
