Getaways

A couple years ago, when John F. Kennedy Jr. and his bride were secretly married on a remote island just off the Georgia coast, Cumberland Island found itself suddenly on the map. Just to the north of Cumberland, however, lies another island, also topographically mesmerizing and situated along a peaceful stretch of the Intercoastal Waterway, but without the limitations of an island accessible only by boat or airplane.

Once the private playground of America's wealthiest families, Jekyll Island now has its arms graciously open to whomever will appreciate its wild beauty, fascinating heritage, and appealing amenities. Part of Georgia's "Golden Isles," Jekyll is in the chain of barrier islands running parallel to Georgia's marshy coast, starting with Cumberland Island National Seashore on the Florida/Georgia border. It is, in fact, the drive through acres of Georgia salt marsh that sets the mood for a stay on Jekyll or a visit to its sister islands of St. Simons, Little St. Simons, and Sea Island. Golden spartina grass waves lazily from both sides of the road as visitors traverse the six miles leading to Jekyll's tiny toll bridge.

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Morgan are but three of the families who decided early this century that Jekyll was irresistible. They and their friends purchased the island, building a cluster of summer "cottages," palatial by normal standards. Even without today's inviting bicycle trails, fishing pier, golf courses, and tennis courts, the barrier island's magic was easy to appreciate. These families, who could afford to be anywhere in the world, gazed upon a tiny island with its 10 miles of pristine beach, moderate climate, abundance of live oaks, palm trees, and sand dunes, even a natural, protected harbor...and those few who could have anything they wanted, wanted Jekyll as their place to relax and retreat from the world at large.

Their residential enclave makes up the 240-acre historical section of the island, its magnificent homes filled with period furnishings, fine art, and historical photos. A narrated, horse-drawn carriage tour will entice those history or architectural buffs wanting a glimpse into the lives of Jekyll's illustrious former summer residents. Painstakingly restored since the early 1980s, the historic district surrounds the island's heart: the four-star, four-diamond Jekyll Island Club Hotel, a registered National Historic Landmark and former private club of Jekyll's well-heeled residents.

In 1947, the club once dubbed "the most exclusive, inaccessible club in the world," became the property of the state of Georgia with its purchase of the entire island from the Jekyll Island Club. No more than 35 percent of Jekyll will ever be developed, thanks to a state law protecting its delicate environment.

A Natural Beauty

If you saw the Civil War film Glory, you've actually spied Jekyll's beaches. Final battle scenes of the film were shot on the island's south end. The search for seashells on these beaches can be rewarding, although their appearance is sporadic, depending upon tides and surf. Jekyll's dark surf is full of nutrients from nearby salt marshes, thereby supporting a wide range of marine life, including dolphins and sea turtles.

The land itself is a broad mix of forest and dunes. Year-round nature walks, led by docents of the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service, fascinate visitors unfamiliar with Georgia's unique coastal environment. Besides its human residents, Jekyll is home to many other families: hawks, deer, wild turkeys, alligators, egrets, herons, shore birds, and raccoons.

You won't be caught in traffic jams on Jekyll Island, nor will you see crowds of people or glaring lights. Much like Sanibel and Captiva islands, its course has been cleverly and carefully set; Jekyll will be preserved for future generations to experience its vast natural resources.

From Luxury to Camping

While a stay at the posh Jekyll Island Club Hotel is one possibility, the other end of the spectrum awaits you as well. At the northern end of the island, you'll find the large and accommodating Jekyll Island Campground. Populated with squirrels and woodchucks, this camper's paradise lies under a canopy of tall trees. We visited in the late fall, off-season, and had as much privacy as we could have wished for.

Lodging options are plentiful on Jekyll; about 10 inviting inns are sprinkled along the island's east coast, facing the Atlantic, an arrangement that gives the western side of the island a remote feel. Well-known names-Best Western, Clarion, Ramada, and Holiday Inn-are interspersed with other inns, rental cottages, restaurants, a convention center, fitness center, beach pavilion, and picnic areas.

Our favorite evening was at SeaJay's Waterfront Caf‚ and Pub. We could see, just across the street, a party on the porch of the Jekyll Island Club, the tinkling of glass accompanied by the laughter of the tuxedoed gentlemen and their glamorous dates. As the last rays of sun glanced off the towers of the club, we strolled out onto the Jekyll Harbor Marina docks, intrigued by the variety of working boats and cruising yachts tied up for the night. A lone guitarist played and sang for the few people sitting outside. Wandering indoors, we found a lovely bar overlooking the picturesque Marshes of Glynn, and an inviting restaurant with mouth-watering menu and what appeared to be local patrons.

SeaJay's is only one of several dining establishments on Jekyll. There's something decidedly island-y in choosing from among restaurants named Blackbeard's, Latitude 31, or the Blue Marlin Grill.

Explore and Discover

Adventure is encouraged with 20 miles of paved bicycle and jogging paths on the island. You'll undoubtedly come across the ruins of the Horton House, circa 1742, as well as those of Georgia's first brewery, a plantation-era cemetery, and a runway for light aircraft.

Perhaps you'll want to practice your putting on the miniature golf course before you try out the 63 "real" holes of golf available on-island. The historical Oceanside Nine course, built in the late 1800s, was the waterfront course of Jekyll Island Club members.

Jekyll Island Tennis Center has several clay courts. Hosting eight USTA-sanctioned tournaments throughout the year, the center beckons all ages with junior camps in the summer and ongoing adult programs offered from October through March.

You and your family can also enjoy water-skiing-without a boat. An overhead cable system at the Water Ski Park pulls multiple skiers; knee boarders, slalom, barefoot, and trick skiers can all be found making waves April through October.

The fishermen in your family will surely be tempted by flounder, blue crabs, and trout that can be caught from Jekyll's fishing pier. The island's south end is where you'll find the surf fishing best. A Georgia fishing license is required for freshwater fishing, an option at one of two freshwater lakes on Jekyll.

The most unique day of your trip might be spent aboard a working shrimp boat, helping the crew while learning about marine life and the life of a shrimper. Guests divide the day's catch back at the dock. In season, visitors to the Jekyll Wharf can enjoy live entertainment and the option of buying seafood fresh from the shrimp boats.

Jaunts from Jekyll

Easy day trips from Jekyll are so plentiful, you might want to stay an extra week just to do them all. The neighboring town of Brunswick has several turn-of-the-century homes in its historic district. Horseback riding, biplane rides, and a multitude of shops and galleries will fill many happy hours on St. Simons Island, just across the bridge from Brunswick.

Prefer the wilderness? Take a ferry to Little St. Simons or Sapelo Island, both undeveloped and formerly home to Indians, French royalists, and Spanish missionaries. A short boat trip from St. Mary's will land you on the now-famous shores of America's most romantic wedding spot, Cumberland Island.

Savannah is one of the more charming cities in America, and only a one-hour drive from the Golden Isles. Local tour guides will squire you via horse and buggy past the smartly designed town squares and the crowning architectural gems that face them; guides also get a kick out of pointing out popular settings from the best-selling novel and film, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

You might prefer to venture into the 400,000 acres of sanctuary making up the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge. The one-hour drive to Okefenokee is rewarded by a chance to visit bear and deer observatories, as well as lily-pad prairies.

However you choose to entertain yourself, Jekyll Island and the Golden Isles are so diverse, one vacation to the area will not likely be enough. Locals are fond of saying "Once your feet touch the sands of Jekyll, you'll always come back." As I dream of my next visit to its shores, I know it to be true. -Libby Boren McMillan