Jekyll Island . . . It's All Good

If I told you all about our visit on Jekyll Island this post would never end.  I’m just going to attempt telling you about a lot of things in a short space.  If you decide to visit Jekyll (which you really should) this will give you a starting point. 

So . . . where do I start?  I suppose with the facts . . .

Facts: 

· A very low key, non touristy island. 

· 7 miles long and 1.5 miles wide

· It’s actually a state park.

· There are only 7 hotels on the entire island. 

· It’s a part of the Golden Isles which also includes St. Simon’s Island and Sea Island.  

STAY:
· Beachview Club.  This hotel is right on the ocean and built in such a way that the trees and design make it feel very cozy. 

· Jekyll Island Club Hotel.  If you are okay with not staying on the ocean then this should be your choice.  The oldest hotel on the island rich with history. 

Eat: 

· Latitude 31 was our favorite restaurant on the island.  What to order?  Oysters Rockefeller for an appetizer and fried or blackened shrimp for the entrée.

· Blackwater Grill which is located on St. Simon’s Island.  For you Food network fans Guy Fieri featured this restaurant on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

· Georgia Sea Grill also on St. Simon’s Island had amazing scallops!  Reservations are encouraged.

Do:
· Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island is literally a portion of the beach covered in old trees that have uprooted, turned over, and now are driftwood.  Kase loved climbing on the trees and they made beautiful pictures.  It’s deserted so you won’t see many others exploring.

· Red Bug Rentals are more fun version of a golf cart.  They can be rented and driven anywhere around the island.

· Golf. Jekyll Island was first started for hunting but quickly developed golf courses as another form of entertainment.  There are four courses to choose from on the island. 

· Bike Rentals.  Since the island is only 7 miles long you can ride from one end to the other.  Brandon and I enjoyed biking to Driftwood Beach and exploring different parts of the island on bikes.

· Look for local events.  We watched the papers for free events.  We found an arts and crafts festival on St. Simon’s Island (only 20 minutes away). 

· Lady Jane Shrimp Boat in Brunswick takes guests on a shrimping adventure.  It is a little costly per person but was well worth it.  The tour was two hours which included fresh caught shrimp cooked on the boat.  The crew drug the nets three different times, emptying the contents on a table for all to see.  They explained many of the species pulled up and even passed many around for us to hold.  There is a limited number of space so all the guests were able to interact and "feel" a part of the adventure.  Make sure to call ahead of time and reserve your spot. 
(Before you watch the video go to the bottom of the page and press pause on the playlist.)

· Sand dollars.  We easily found over 100 sand dollars during our beach time.  No, we did not keep them all because Brandon made us feel so bad for “killing” them.  However, we did keep enough for souvenirs.  Mom and I became addicted to finding them.  We had never been to a beach where there were so many.  We would get on our knees and start digging our hand into the sand until we found one.  It was endless the number we would pull up.  It became somewhat of a contest to see who could find the most.  At some point we lost track but Dad is convinced he found the most.  Brooke wouldn’t participate because she was scared to dig her hands in the sand.  Kase even joined in the action by throwing them back for us after we found them. 

· Relax on the beach.  We love the new adventures but we also love perfecting the art of beach bums. 

I couldn't resist including these random pictures.  I bought some treats for the boys when they got to the beach which you can see Brandon and Kase had fun with some of them. 

Also, Brandon, brought his kettle bell (he takes that thing everywhere) and Knox decided he needed a workout.