A Guide to Visiting the Golden Isles of Georgia
Adulting… what a racket, am I right? A year and a half ago, my family embarked on the adventure of buying a house. As a millenial, and a traveler, I was PISSED! I had buyer’s remorse for months afterward. Nothing personal against my house, but the increased mortgage really hacked away at my travel budget. On top of buying the house, we had to buy new living room furniture, as hubby refused to move old furniture, and all major appliances. Long story short (too late) we were broke, or “house rich,” I guess I should say.
I believe many Americans find themselves in this situation, but I was loosing my shit. I had a daily panic attack about where we were going to travel with so little budget. The answer came to me in the form of the Golden Isles of Georgia, my home away from home. Sometimes those of us who live in Atlanta, forget that paradise is only 5 short hours by car away. We’ll be covering the following Islands.
- St. Simons Island
- Jekyll Island
- Cumberland Island
St. Simons Island
Of all the golden isles of Georgia, St. Simons Island is my favorite. I happen to be biased because I have family that live there and I get to visit several times a year. My family and I spent a week based in St. Simons, where we found a very affordable 4 bedroom Airbnb for $1300 for the week. St. Simons is a charming, picturesque island, with lots of great trails for walking and bike riding.
One of my favorite things to do on St. Simons Island is to look for the “tree spirits.” Tree spirits are carvings that are made into some of the trees all around the island and in Brunswick. They are beautiful and completely free to find. Obviously, there are also beaches, but they get more crowded every year. However, this means that there are plenty of things to do on St. Simons, from great dining to water sports.
Jekyll Island
When it comes to Georgia beaches, Jekyll Island definitely is my favorite. It cost $6 to get onto the island, and it’s completely worth it as the beaches are much less crowded. We spent the perfect day on Jekyll with huge tent set up, with coolers full of drinks and a picnic, to spend the whole day enjoying the beach. Another must see on Jekyll Island is Driftwood Beach, especially at sunrise. Driftwood Beach is an area on the north end of the island where petrified wood and trees makes one of the most beautiful settings in the world.
There is also a water park called Summer Waves on Jekyll Island for anyone who is a little more thrill-seeking. Further, there is the Sea Turtle Rescue Center, where you can see how they rescue and treat ill sea turtles. The Sea Turtle Rescue center also hosts several wildlife excursions and walks to help protect all the sea turtles that nest on Jekyll Island. There are several beaches on both Jekyll and St. Simons islands that are dog friendly, so your pups can enjoy the beaches too.
Cumberland Island
Though a bit on the expensive side, Cumberland Island National Seashore is a must see when visiting the Golden Isles of Georgia. Why? Because you can see wild horses descended from the horses left behind by the Carnegie’s, who used to own the island. The Dungeness Ruins, the remains what was once a 35,000 square foot Carnegie mansion, gives a scenic backdrop for the wild horses grazing.
To visit Cumberland Island, you must book the ferry that leaves from St. Mary’s, which costs $28 per adult and $18 per child. You must also purchase National Park permits which are $10 for anyone 16 or older. This means for our family of 4, the cost of a day on Cumberland was almost $100! Cumberland is also HUGE, if you want to see it all, you have to rent bikes for an additional $16 a person. Not to mention that you have to bring a picnic and bottled water, as there are no resources on the island. It seems like a lot, I know, but it is all completely worth it for visiting this magical place. The beaches are some of the prettiest and most pristine in Georgia.
Travel tip: Book the Cumberland Island Ferry at least a month in advance, there are only 2 ferries from the island and the tickets sell out quickly!
Even More
There is so much to do and see in Georgia, one of the many reasons I love my home state. If I was to add to this itinerary, both Sapelo Island and Little St. Simons Island have a lot to offer, especially for those who like bird watching. The Okefenokee Swamp would also make for a great day, especially for children who like reptiles!
So, for those of you out there having buyers remorse over a recent big purchase, fear not, affordable travel can be found in the amazing Golden Isles of Georgia.
Have you visited the Golden Isles of Georgia? If so, which is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
