Minutes off-shore from the historic city of Brunswick, Georgia’s Golden Isles are famous for isolated stretches of unspoiled marshlands, pristine sandy beaches and exclusive five-star resorts packed with Southern hospitality.
Free from the crowds, Georgia’s four Golden Isles and the National Seashores of Cumberland Island and Tybee Island, provide visitors with access to unspoiled luxury. Popular beach resorts offer visitors access to world class dining, sought-after accommodation, and a huge range of outdoor activities in a uniquely Southern atmosphere with unmatched natural beauty.
Georgia’s Golden Isles:
Sea Island: An internationally acclaimed resort, life on Sea Island is nothing less than five star. For the ninth consecutive year, Sea Island has been awarded four Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star ratings for its luxurious properties; The Cloister at Sea Island, The Lodge at Sea Island, The Georgian Room restaurant and The Spa at Sea Island. Known as the only U.S. resort to host a G-8 Summit, Sea Island’s exceptional facilities include five miles of private beach, tennis and squash centres, a Yacht Club, and three championship golf courses, including Seaside and Plantation, home of the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic, as well as the nation’s finest Golf Performance Centre to entice visitors to its golden shores.
St Simons Island: The largest of Georgia’s Golden Isles; nestled amongst the famous Marshes of Glynn, St Simons Island has a uniquely colonial feel. From its countless historic sites including Fort Frederica National Monument, ancient church of Christ Church and Bloody Mary Battle Site, to its large offering of outdoor activities including 99 holes of golf and tennis facilities; St Simons Island has something for everyone.
Little St Simons Island: Perfect for nature lovers; Little St Simons Island is an all-inclusive privately owned ecological sanctuary that offers visitors complete solitude with access to seven miles of undeveloped beachfront and 11,000 acres of untouched island reserve. As one of the island’s 32 exclusive guests, visitors can explore ancient maritime forests and marshland easily accessible from sought-after holiday cottages. With a coastline that is perfect for swimming, shelling and surf fishing; visitors can explore Little St Simons by land or by sea.
Jekyll Island: The ultimate retreat; once famous for attracting America’s rich and famous to the exclusive Jekyll Island Club, Georgia’s southern-most barrier isle is home to the iconic Driftwood Beach, which boasts a distinctive natural attraction. A favourite for beach-lovers and photographers alike, its weathered shoreline caused by unique erosion patterns have resulted in the creation of stunning vistas of downed trees along the coast. Jekyll Island’s resorts offer visitors some of the freshest seafood in-state and the island boasts a wide range of family-friendly recreational activities from a 63-hole golf course to kayak and bike rental. Visitors can also take to the water and get up-close-and-personal with local pods of Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin. The island is also home to the Georgia Sea Turtle Centre, where visitors can learn about Georgia’s native sea turtles and see rehabilitation efforts in action.
Georgia’s National Seashore:
Cumberland Island: Cumberland Island provides visitors with unique animal encounters; from the wild horses which roam miles of undeveloped beachfront, pods of Atlantic Bottlenose dolphin, manatee and the endangered Loggerhead sea turtle, that nest along its coastline. Cumberland Island boasts a number of hiking trails which wind through the island’s forests and marshes to historic ruins and stunning ocean vistas. The island is accessible by ferry twice-daily from St Mary’s.
Tybee Island: Located just 18 miles from the city of Savannah on Georgia’s northern coast, Tybee Island, with its famous fort, stunning lighthouse, rolling dunes and five miles of sandy beaches, is a popular destination for locals to get back to nature. Locally known as Savannah’s Beach, of its five miles of public beaches, Mid Beach is family-friendly and offers a quintessentially Southern coastal experience.
For more information on Georgia visit: www.exploregeorgia.org
For more information on Georgia’s Golden Isles visit: www.goldenisles.com