Jekyll Island
Exploring a Southern Coastal Georgia Island
We finally had the opportunity to stay on Jekyll Island. Matt needed to visit clients in the area, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity for a little fun and remote working. We were able to find a spot at Jekyll Island Campground to use as our home base for our latest adventure.
We had heard so many great things about Jekyll Island, so our expectations were high. I guess this is true of anywhere we go because “WHY WOULD WE VISIT PLACES THAT PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE?” Jekyll is a typical southern Georgia coastal island. It is a small Hilton Head without all the glitz and commercialization. There are no huge beachfront mansions and the homes on the island are small “ish” 1970’s and 1980’s builds. There is a ton of history, water activities, beaches, tours, and fun. We explored every inch of the island and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere.
The Campground
Jekyll Island Campground is popular for good reason. Besides for its location on Jekyll Island, this is a beautiful campground with large trees and hanging Spanish moss. The campsites are good sized, easy to enter, and have full hook-ups. They have all the amenities that you will need during your stay; laundry, bathhouses, and a large general store. They even rent bikes at the campground. This is great since you can bike anywhere on the island right from the campground. The staff are friendly and helpful. It is well taken care of and quiet after hours. The cell service on the island was good, spectacular with a signal booster. The campground had internet, but I found it easier to rely on the cell signal. This is a commercial campground and the sites are close together with zero privacy between the sites. Although fire rings were available, at our site it was awkwardly close to our neighbor’s truck and camper. We are typically state park campers, so this was a little different for us. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would absolutely stay here again.
Exploring the Island
The island has much to offer that fits perfectly with activities we enjoy. We did not bring or rent bikes for this trip, but we will next time. You can bike anywhere on the island from the campground. The island is so pretty that riding your bikes around allows you to see every inch of it. You can also rent golf carts or drive, so plenty of ways to see everything you want to see. If you are a photography lover, you are sure to snap some great photos in this area.
Driftwood and Shark Tooth Beach were our favorite adventures of the trip, neither of which are traditional “beach day” beaches. Everyone talks and posts pictures about Driftwood Beach and yet it was still a surprise on our first visit. It was gloomy and foggy while we were there, which I think made it even better and more surreal. It was a giant forest of driftwood trees right on the beach. We went back multiple times to enjoy this enchanted driftwood forest. Shark Tooth Beach was very different from Driftwood. Although we did not find sharks teeth, we also did not look very hard. This is a great place to stop by for shell and shark tooth hunting. This beach is on the west side of the island and must be in just the right place for shells to pile up on the beaches. It is accessible by kayak or by foot. The walk is almost a mile, but easy and we saw a couple of families with kids and a wagon in case the kiddos got tired. We also saw some families having a picnic. The only thing I wish I had known was that there are no restrooms anywhere near so be aware of that fact as you start your journey.
The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located right within the Historic District, so it is perfect to plan a visit to both in the same day. We started the morning at the Sea Turtle Center and were lucky enough to watch the veterinarians work with an injured turtle. The center is not huge, but there is a great interactive learning center and the turtle hospital area. I would put this on your list because it was interesting, educational, inexpensive, and does not take a long time to tour the facility. After we finished with the turtle center, we walked over to the historic center where they have shopping, food, historic cottages, tours, trams, a museum, and a lovely walk on the water. The entire island has interesting historic sites, so be sure to visit as you tour the island. The Horton House is really close to the campground and was an easy place to visit to learn a little history of the island.
And of course, everywhere we go, we find THE FOOD. My favorite place to eat was Driftwood Bistro and Matt’s favorite was Tortuga Jacks. Driftwood Bistro is a local dinner spot with delicious comfort food at a great price and great atmosphere. Tortuga Jacks is Mexican Baja with good margaritas, good food, and a little bit of fun right on the beach. We also went into downtown Brunswick to check out Arte Pizza and Pam Pam Cupcakes. Besides from the food, our favorite part of all of these places was the excellent service.
Visiting Again
We have put Jekyll Island back on the list to visit again! When we go back, I hope to take advantage of biking and kayaking. I also hope we will be able to spend more time exploring the surrounding areas like St Simons Island. It was very chilly and gloomy while we were on the island, so it will be fun to experience the island with warmth and sunshine. Some good things about the gloomy weather: great photo opportunities, no bugs, and no southern humidity. There are always positives to every time of the year. I hope that you enjoy the island as much as we did during our visit.
