Written and Photographed by Randy and Caly Behymer
The trifecta of Brunswick, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island was once home to “the richest, the most exclusive, most inaccessible club in the world.” It boasts abundant outdoor activities, museums, small-town charm and history. These three locations offer so many things to see, do and experience that deciding how much time to spend in this triangle of Georgia fun will be challenging.
Be sure to download your free PDF copy of Top 10 Things to do in the Golden Isles by clicking here. Join in on the fun as Randy and Caly talk about the Golden Isles on the RVD Podcast by clicking here!
10. Beat The Heat With Pinball—The Pinball Palace has two rooms lined edge to edge with more than 95 pinball machines in various themes. Not a fan of pinball? While practically impossible not to like pinball, the Palace has you covered with over 40 classic arcade games and three bounce houses for the little ones who love to bounce off the walls. Voted the second-best pinball location in the United States, the Pinball Palace is sure to entertain kids and adults of all ages.
9. Drink Some Award-Winning Rum—Richland Rum started in 1999 on a farm full of sugar cane. From field to glass, they grow the sugar cane, turn it into pure sugar cane syrup, ferment it, and then distill it into their award-winning rum. And there’s only one purpose for the sugarcane grown on these lands; the making of rum. This makes Richland America’s only single-state provider of rum. Richland Rum offers tours of their estate farm and tasting rooms at the Estate Farm in Richland and historic Brunswick.
8. Historic Plantations—Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation from the early 1800s, now owned by the state of Georgia, can be toured, both the grounds and the family home still on the land. Four miles of trails cover the land, making it a great place to spend an afternoon walking through nature, enjoying a picnic lunch and visiting the visitor center and museum. Just four miles away along another stretch of the Altamaha River lies Butler Island Plantation, which started in 1790, has historical significance and was involved in what was called “The Weeping Time.” What remains of the plantation today is the home, which is closed to the public but can be viewed from the outside.
7. Visit Historic Forts—Fort King George State Historic Site in Darien is surrounded by a moat and holds buildings that once supported the life of the British troops assigned to this camp. It was here, from 1721 to 1736, that this English fort stood as the southernmost settlement of the British Empire. Visitors can tour the buildings, which have been painstakingly rebuilt based on the fort’s original plans. Fort Frederica was built in 1736 to defend the new territory of Georgia from foreign invasion. By 1749, the regiment was abandoned, and today visitors can visit its remains. The Fort Frederica National Monument has a museum, visitor center, bookstore, walking paths, self-guided tours and dinghy dock where you can fish or launch a kayak. Bloody Marsh is where a bloody battle between the British and Spanish ensued on the grounds in July of 1742, just outside of Fort Frederica.
6. Get Close to Sea Life—Book a boat tour through the waters off Jekyll Island. Pass by an eagle’s nest or a rookery home to snowy and great egrets, spoonbills and many more bird species. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and manatees that frequent the waters. The waters are home to the world’s most extensive breeding grounds for sharks, and while that may sound scary to most, the risk of attack is extremely low, as these predators are on the hunt for a mate, not food.
5. Jekyll Island State Park—The island is a state park home to more than just the Jekyll Island Club Resort. History entrenches Jekyll Island, and you can find and tour former homesteads. The Horton House is a windowless, roofless shell of a home that pays homage to the English pioneer that once lived within its walls. Across the street lies the Poulain Du Bignon and Du Bignon Burying Ground and what is believed4.5 by some as the former outline of the first Georgia brewery, which Horton ran.
4. St. Simons Island—St. Simons Island is the most significant barrier island of the Golden Isles, covering more than 17 square miles. St. Simons Island is home to a historic lighthouse from 1810, battlegrounds where the Spanish threat of takeover ended, ancient middens dating to 2,500 BC, a church holding continuous services since 1736, and a fort built to protect Georgia from the Spanish ambush. Pier Village Market offers boutique shopping and some delicious eateries along Mallery Street, where you can spend a leisurely afternoon perusing the sights and storefronts.
3. Driftwood Beach—Here you can find the skeletons of large trees cast about the sandy shores. This is a photographer’s dream come true, and you can spend hours capturing surreal and other-worldly images. Sunrise photos are stunning and captivating, but nighttime photography on this beach brings a calm and eerie essence (check out our Issue 3+ cover photo). Try some creative photography while visiting Driftwood, as these are images you’ll want to enlarge and hang on your walls.
2. Take a Day Trip—Brunswick is central within easy driving distance of many other great locations like Savannah, Hilton Head, Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach. Take a day and visit the historic colonial town of St. Augustine and be sure to stop in at the Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Spend a day walking the cobblestone streets of the River Walk in Savannah before grabbing a delicious dinner at The Pirate’s House. Or go to Jacksonville and spend a day at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
1. Jekyll Island Club—In 1888, the doors of the Jekyll Island Club opened, becoming a winter retreat for the wealthiest families in the world. The families that called the club their winter retreat represented one-sixth of the world’s wealth. Be sure to see the Jekyll Island Club Resort; Faith Chapel; and Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum. Visitors can enter the club and tour the rooms where the Federal Reserve began, and the first transcontinental call occurred. The Faith Chapel, built in 1904, holds a beautiful Tiffany-stained glass window depicting Kind David and referring to Exodus 15:1. Stop by the museum to book a trolley tour of the grounds. The tour includes admission to the museum, Faith Chapel, and a tour of the grounds and Rockefeller’s former home, Indian Mound.
Whether exploring historical sites, shopping in quaint shops, dining with the locals or enjoying the outdoors, Ouray has much to offer.
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