Jekyll Island

Jekyll Islandis a large barrier island, which is part of the Golden Isles, in Coastal Georgia. With over 5 miles (8 km) of beaches and an unlimited number of outdoor activities, one of Georgia's most popular vacation destinations.

Understand

Jekyll Island's reputation as a vacation destination was prefaced by a time of status and prestige. For over four decades in the late 1800s, the island belonged exclusively to the renowned Jekyll Island Club – the winter retreat for some of the most elite families in America. The Morgans, Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Pulitzers and several other families, reputed to hold over one-sixth of the world's wealth, established the Jekyll Island Club and built a group of large cottages along Jekyll Creek. Jekyll Island was sold to the state in 1947, five years after the club was closed.

It is now one of the largest ongoing restoration projects in the southeastern United States.

Get in

By car

The only route on or off of Jekyll Island by automobile is by the Downing Musgrove Causeway (GA State Route 520). The Causeway can be accessed from Brunswick via US Highway 17 South and from I-95 by Exit 29 and travelling north on US Highway 17. A $6 daily fee($28 for a week) is charged for each entry to Jekyll Island, and annual passes are available (Jan 2019).

By plane

By boat

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.  goes through the Jekyll Creek, although the conditions are not the greatest due to lack of maintenance by the Army Corps of Engineers and the fact that the creek is quite sediment-heavy due to being at the confluence of many rivers. There are 2 marinas on the Jekyll Creek (west) side of the island which can be used by transient boaters, although it's best to contact before docking.

Get around

By car

If you are on the island, you most likely already have a car to travel in, but in the rare case you don't, 🌍 Red Bug Motors, 500 Riverview Dr (at the Jekyll Island Airport), ☏ +1 912-635-9330. Daily 9AM-4PM. offers golf carts and electric vehicles for use on the island. Starts from $105 for a single day rental for a 2 person vehicle. (updated Oct 2021)

By bike

There are more than 25 miles of well-paved and well-maintained bike paths crisscrossing the island. Via these paths, you can easily access all of the major points of interest as well as experience the natural beauty of Jekyll Island. These paths are evenly wide and wide enough for multiple cyclists to comfortably pass each other, and the geography of the island ensures that the paths are very flat and easy to bike across. Free maps can be found at the 🌍 Jekyll Island Guest Information Center, 901 Jekyll Island Causeway (on the approach to Jekyll Island on the Causeway), ☏ +1 912-635-3636. Daily 9AM-5PM. It also has more helpful information and coupons for the island (updated Oct 2021), or the Bike Barn (see listing below). You can rent a bike from many hotels, or a dedicated agency.

By foot

The island is quite pedestrian-friendly, and you can use both the extensive network of bike paths and nicely-paved sidewalks at your own leisure. Jekyll Island is not very big, and you can expect to take 3-4 hours to walk from the southern to northern tips of the island (depending on your pace), since the paths are quite flat.

See
  • 🌍 Driftwood Beach, ☏ +1 912-638-9014. The most popular beach on Jekyll Island. People usually go here for the otherworldly gnarled driftwood and the unique picture-taking opportunities that this landscape presents. It will be quite crowded with tourists taking pictures from noon to just after sunset, so plan accordingly if you don't want to deal with noisy groups stopping every ten feet to take a picture. A large portion of the beach is occupied by stone erosion barriers, so don't go expecting a wide, pristine sandy beach. Free. (updated Sep 2021)
  • 🌍 Georgia Sea Turtle Center, 214 Stable Rd, ☏ +1 912-635-4444. Daily 9AM-5PM. Georgia's only facility for sea turtle education and rehabilitation. Offers visitors a striking glimpse of the challenges facing sea turtle conservation as well as getting to see turtles being rehabilitated. $10.60 for adults 13-61, $8.48 for children 4-12, children under 4 free, $9.54 for seniors 62+, donations appreciated. (updated Oct 2021)
  • 🌍 Jekyll Island Club Resort, 371 Riverview Dr, ☏ +1 912-319-4349. A storied and sprawling resort listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, this has hosted such people as the Vanderbilts, Rockerfellers, and Morgans, and was the site where the Federal Reserve was concieved. Interior decor hearkens to the heyday of the 1920s, and the architecture is an elegant example of the Queen Anne Revival prominent in the 1880s. Free to go through the property, see Sleep for staying. (updated Sep 2021)
  • 🌍 Jekyll Island Historic District (Turn left on North Riverview Drive from the causeway bridge, and stay on North Riverview Drive. The entrance to the historic district is 1 kilometer from the causeway.). The Historic District large site on the west side of the island with over 30 historical structures. Free. (updated Nov 2023)
  • 🌍 Mosaic, Jekyll Island Museum, 100 Stable Rd, ☏ +1 912-635-4036. Daily 9AM-5PM. An immersive museum with many interactive exhibits telling the rich history of Jekyll Island. A perennial highlight is the showcasing of artwork from local artists. $9 for people 13+, $7 for kids 4-12, free for kids 3 and under. (updated Oct 2021)
  • 🌍 Great Dunes Park. Free. (updated Sep 2021)
  • 🌍 St. Andrews Beach, 100 St Andrews Dr. Picturesque beach at the southern end of Jekyll Island. Great for bird-watching and the occasional dolphin sighting. Free. (updated Dec 2022)

Do
  • Beach-going. Probably what most tourists are here for. The beaches are mostly pristine, with far smaller crowds than Saint Simon Island's or Amelia Island's (except for the ever popular Driftwood Beach). Don't expect the water to have the waves or clarity found in other beaches, since Jekyll Island is at the mouth of multiple sediment-filled rivers. (updated Sep 2021)
  • Golf. The island offers many different courses with many different challenges for players of all abilities. 
  • Fishing. Jekyll Island has ample fishing activities available to guests, from freshwater lake fishing, surf fishing off of the beach, or charter offshore trips. Crabbing and shrimping are also popular among visitors to the island. 
  • Biking. Picturesque and well-maintained bike trails abound on the island. Local hotels offer bike rentals to guests for reasonable rates. 
  • 🌍 Summer Waves Water Park, 210 S Riverview Dr, ☏ +1 912-635-2074. A waterpark on the island that features slides and attractions. (updated Dec 2020)
  • Stargazing. Due to the strict zoning laws on the island requiring dim red lights at night outside to reduce light pollution, one can easily see the Milky Way on clear nights. (updated Sep 2021)
  • Birding. Jekyll Island is on Georgia's Colonial Coast birding trail, and as a wildlife refuge, it holds host to many birds and provides for many wonderful birdwatching opportunities due to the high biodiversity of its marshes. (updated Oct 2021)

Eat
  • 🌍 Driftwood Bistro, 1175 N Beachview Dr, ☏ +1 912-635-3588. American food, seafood. (updated Feb 2018)
  • 🌍 Tortuga Jack's, 201 N. Beachview Dr, toll-free: +1 912-342-2600. Large Tex-Mex restaurant with large outdoor covered area. (updated May 2021)
  • 🌍 Zachry's Riverhouse, 1 Harbor Rd, ☏ +1 912-319-2174. Th Su M noon-8:30PM, F Sa noon-9:30PM. Regional seafood in a relaxed atmosphere next to the tranquil Jekyll River. Well-stocked bar. (updated Oct 2021)
  • 🌍 Eighty Ocean Kitchen and Bar, 80 Ocean Way, ☏ +1 912-635-5238. Breakfast 7:30AM-10:30AM, lunch 11:30AM-3:30PM, dinner 5-9:30PM. Upscale restaurant and bar. Mediterranean dishes with a modern American twist. Reservations recommended. (updated Oct 2021)
  • 🌍 The Reserve Steak House, 110 Ocean Way (at the Westin), ☏ +1 912-319-2880. M-F breakfast 6:30AM-11AM, dinner 5-10PM; Sa Su breakfast 6:30AM-11AM, lunch 11:30AM-2PM, dinner 5-10PM. Steakhouse food and drinks with a great view of the beach and ocean. (updated Oct 2021)

Drink

Many restaurants on the island (see Eat) offer bars with various levels of sophistication and selection of drink. Glynn County is not a dry county, but Jekyll Island does not allow any alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the beach nor at parking lots, roads, bicycle paths, sidewalks, or alleyways. Level of enforcement may vary, but don't risk it!

🌍 Wee Pub Beach, 20 Main St Unit 100, ☏ +1 912-574-2337. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Su 11AM-midnight. Friendly Irish pub with an American twist. Live music on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7PM, discounts on certain days for military members, residents of Jekyll Island, and service workers. (updated Oct 2021)

Sleep

The main economic driver of the island is tourism, and there is no shortage of accommodation on the island, ranging from cheap rooms to full luxury.

Stay safe

As it is a small town, Jekyll Island has quite a low crime rate. As always, use common sense and don't leave your valuables alone while enjoying the beach. At night, be careful of cars when traversing the roads due to the lighting regulations, and have reflectors of some kind if you are riding your bike at night. Also, like with many other beaches along the Atlantic Coast, there is the possibility of rip currents, so always check weather advisories and be sure to not walk too far into the water.

Stay healthy

Make sure to bring water if you plan to be outside during the day, as the relative humidity ranges from an average of 60% in February to a muggy 80% in August. Sand flies are active on parts of the beach in the early morning, so cover skin and wear bug spray to avoid the painful bites they can cause.

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