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JEKYLL ISLAND GEORGIA

Journey to Jekyll Island
By Caitlin Moore

If you have Georgia on your mind, or in particular, a historic
and scenic slice of Georgia with enough activities to keep
you and your family busy for the duration of a satisfying
holiday, then consider a trip down to Jekyll Island. Located
in the southwest corner along the Atlantic coast, this jewel of
a place holds its own along with the rest of the charming and
ideal vacation locations in this area.

Known specifically for a colorful history that includes mention
of Native Americans, English colonization, French ownership,
and a group of wealthy landowners know as the Jekyll
Island Club, it is now largely designated as a historical
landmark district, and can be toured and explored in order to
uncover all the influences and hidden personality quirks that
make it so rich today.

The district can be investigated on one’s own, or guided
tours are available to fill you in on all the details. If affluence
and high society interest you, the gilded era, which found
the island inhabited by the country’s elite during the winters,
can be revisited by means of museums and shuttles that
navigate through what is known as “Millionaire Village.”
Restored cottages will allow you see how the lucky ones
lived, and the well-educated tour guides will tell you all about
the customs and habits of this fascinatingly out-of-the-
ordinary group of people.

If you’re here for the beaches, you’ll have ten miles of shell-
filled, peaceful coastline at your disposal. Lounging in the
sun and swimming away the afternoon are the perfect
pursuits for a Jekyll Island vacation, so be sure to properly
appreciate the gifts of this barrier island. It is also
designated an “Important Birding Area” by the Georgia
Audubon Societies, so keep your eyes open for any number
of exotic and migrating species that may be sitting in the
trees or searching the surf for their next meal.

To get up close and personal to the salt marshes and
estuaries, take a plunge and rent a kayak or a canoe.
Guided tours will point out all the sights of this interesting
ecosystem, but don’t be afraid to head out on your own for a
peaceful adventure filled with unfamiliar yet inviting glimpses
of a whole new world. The Tidelands Nature Center will allow
you to further acquaint yourself with the marine life,
particularly the shy creatures like alligators, snakes, sea
turtles, and hermit crabs.

Wandering the dunes, chartering a sail boat, and heading
out on horse back are a few more ways to see the
untrammeled beauty of this protected island. You won’t
necessarily feel like you’re out in the wilderness every
second of the day, however, being that there are plenty of
golf courses, tennis courts, and shopping opportunities to
keep you busy in a different way. Expansive greens, clay
surfaces, and antique and specialty stores distinguish Jekyll
Island from so many other tourist traps, a feature you’ll come
to appreciate more and more as your stay goes on.

Twenty miles of paved bicycle paths make for another fun
and healthy way to spend your day. They can be rented or
brought from home, either way making for a fresh-air filled
and family-oriented means of transporting yourselves from
one end of the island to another, perhaps stopping for a
picnic at your halfway point. A water park will further please
the kiddies (and the young at heart) and if you’re up for day
trips, consider traipsing over to one of the other vacation
hotspots. St. Simons Island, Darien, St. Mary’s, Cumberland,
and others would all be worth a look, so if the wandering
spirit overtakes you, go for it, and still be home in time for
supper.

A number of special events will further entice you to get out
and enjoy the view from Jekyll Island, so hopefully your stay
here will correspond with a fun celebration or gathering. The
annual Beach Music Festival is a big one, and organized
turtle and hatchling walks are frequent occurrences that
illustrate the lives of the island’s precious wildlife while
educating the public as well. It’s a vacation all year round
here, so you’ll surely feel like making merry no matter what
the season.

Finally, to top it all off, consider renting a vacation property
for your Jekyll Island holiday. The amenities and
conveniences of a beach home or poolside condo are
unrivaled, and we all know that things just go better when
everyone has enough space. Set yourself up for success
and earn the praise of your fellow travelers by going online
to reserve a Jekyll Island Vacation Rental that will complete
your Georgia getaway.

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rentals located all over the world.