Jekyll Island

Mountains or Beach?  These are the two classic vacation destinations, and most Americans live within close proximity to both.  I am no exception.  I live within 5 hours of the nearest beach, and can be in the Appalachian foothills in about 2 hours.  Both have their appeal and attractions. I tend to gravitate to the mountains when seeking to get away, and would almost always choose such a destination over a beach.  I just think that mountains are much more intimate and always hold more to explore.  A beach can be quite scenic and serene, but also rather monotone.  And as someone who loves a good hike, the mountains just have much more to offer in that regard.  But occasionally it is nice to take in a good beach trip.  

I have lived in Georgia for 20+ years now, and I had never seen the state's most well known coastal attraction: the Golden Isles.  The area became the focus of international attention in 2004 when it hosted the G8 summit.  After that event, I had become interested in the location and knew I should make plans to check it out.  After all, if it's good enough for the world leaders, it should be worth my time to visit.  I was seeking a destination for the Labor Day weekend (I HATE spending holidays at home).   So I decided rather abruptly to visit Jekyll Island over the Labor Day weekend.

The History 

The Club Hotel as seen from Indian Mound Portico

Jekyll Island has a long and very interesting history, much of which I did not know until preparing for this trip.   In 1886 a group of elite partners, representing some of the nations most recognized businesses, purchased the island as a winter retreat.  They were known as The Jeykll Island Club. By some estimates, they represented as much as 1/5 of the world's wealth.  It included names such as Henry Hyde, Marshall Field, John Pierpont Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, and William H. Vanderbilt.  The Federal Reserve Act was drafted here in 1910, and the first transcontinental telephone call was initiated here in 1915 by the president of AT&T.   By 1942 the club had disbanded, impacted largely by World War II.  Most of the mansions were abandoned then.  But thanks to the preservation efforts of dedicated groups and individuals, the spectacular clubhouse and most of the cottages still stand today.  We took the history tour, during which we toured 2 of the cottages.  It was very enlightening, and I highly recommend it to other visitors.  I thought the term "cottage" was ironic though, since they are mansions to everyone else.  

The Moss Cottage

I had previously toured many of the classic summer "cottages" in Newport, RI, and by comparison these are humble.  But I was reminded again of an almost unimaginable fact of U.S. history:  There was no federal income tax during this time.  This is just hard to comprehend, but it makes it easier to understand how this island utopia was built.  Two thoughts came to my mind as I pondered it.  This was extravagance and opulence on display.  They did not hesitate to flaunt their wealth.  This was something that would frowned upon in today's society.  On the other hand, it may not even be possible in today's business climate.  On the other hand... a tax free society... wow!  These men were able to keep most of their earnings.  They amassed huge personal fortunes, but they also were able to use their fortunes to rapidly grow their businesses.   And these businesses became the foundation of the industrial revolution, and are now household names today.  I just thought it was a fascinating exercise to contemplate life in the different eras.

The Island
Well, I'm a history enthusiast so that was the highlight of the trip for me.  Now for the island itself... there are not many resorts on it, which makes it sparsely populated, even during the busy holiday weekend.  The beach was surprisingly soft. The Atlantic water was very warm, calm, and free of undesirable sea life.  Overall, a great beach! 

Walking trail through the moss covered oaks

There are a handful of restaurants, but not a great variety of choices.   We ate at an informal pizza place as we arrived on the island on the first night.  The next night we had to go to the main dining attraction on the island: the Club Hotel Grand Dining Room.  It lived up to its hype.  I had the signature dish: Shrimp and Grits, and I enjoyed every bite!   There are plenty of great picnic spots as well, where we had a few great lunches which we had prepared ourselves.

The island is also great for bicyclists.  There are many miles of scenic trails just for bikers, and the bikes can be rented at many different spots around the island.  

My goal for the weekend was just to chillax, and it proved to be a great location to do just that!  I met several "regulars" as well -- those that like it so much that they come back year after year.  It says a lot about a place when there are repeat visitors, some from as far as New Jersey.  Personally, I am not much of a "repeater".  I like to explore new places.  But I do appreciate those destinations that develop a loyal following.

St. Simons Island

A great spot for a picnic near the Lighthouse

On our drive home, we thought that the largest of the Golden Isles merited a visit as well.  So we took a brief excursion to St. Simons Island, where we took a brief driving tour.  There are many more resorts, homes, and shops here, which also means more people.  We stopped for a visit at the lighthouse. The Lighthouse is very well preserved. Of course, I had to climb to the top.  Where there are stairs, I will ascend.... and like my cats, I always like to climb to the highest point in the area.  There was a great view from the top, and the ascent was worth it.  We then enjoyed a picnic lunch at the base of the lighthouse, where we enjoyed watching several sailboats pass by. I also visited the Mariner's Museum, which was one of the original coast guard stations in the area.  It was interesting as well, and worth a visit.  After completing the driving tour, we exited the island and headed home, eager to plan our next adventure...

When there is no flat surface to place your cup,
you just have to improvise...

St. Simons Lighthouse