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Guidebook
Brunswick & The Golden Isles of Georgia A Treasure on Georgia’s Coast
Location/Region:
Coastal Georgia
Geographical Description:
Brunswick & The Golden Isles of
Georgia -- St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons
Island and Jekyll Island -- are located on the Georgia coast,
midway between Savannah, GA and Jacksonville, FL and just
minutes from I-95 at Exits 29, 36, 38 and 42. |
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Climate: Mild year 'round weather, with average
daytime temperatures ranging from the mid-50s in the winter months to
the 80s in the summer months.
Population: 70,000
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 15 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 Airport and
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 Visitors Bureau at 800- 933-COAST (2627). Or,
visit them online at
www.bgicvb.com.
Information and photos submitted
by:
Brunswick-Golden Isles
Convention & Visitors Bureau
4 Glynn Avenue,
Brunswick, GA 31520
Toll-free 800-933-COAST (2627) or 912-265-0620 |
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