Georgia’s Golden Isles are made up of St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and mainland Brunswick. I spent a long weekend exploring St. Simons, Jekyll, and Brunswick and thoroughly enjoyed it! I would also note that this area is incredibly dog-friendly.
I stayed at this Airbnb in Brunswick that was central to everywhere I wanted to go—10 minutes to St Simons, 15 minutes to Jekyll, and 5 minutes to downtown Brunswick. This stay really exceeded my expectations! It is super affordable, dog-friendly, spacious, and full of thoughtful touches.
St Simons Island
SSI is a cute and casual little island that I found to be full of welcoming people with a relaxed atmosphere.
St Simons Recommendations:
The Half Shell: A fantastic spot in the heart of downtown—so great in fact that I went twice during my time on the island! Their oysters are delicious, the patio is ideal, and everything was reasonably priced and delicious. Would highly recommend their Bloody Mary if you’re visiting during brunch.
Dulce Dough Donuts & Bakery: Tasty spot for donuts and biscuits! Expect a line, but I was impressed and felt it was worth the wait.
Be sure to visit the St Simons Island Pier for sunset! The views are fantastic.
Hit the beach—obviously! There are several to choose from, keeping in mind they do all connect since it is one island beach:
East Beach: Currently going through a renovation but central on the island with bathrooms and lots of parking.
Gould’s Inlet: On the end of the island is this little inlet with smaller waves for swimming. The parking lot is quite small as a heads up.
Massengale Park: Spacious parking lot and bathrooms are present—what more do you need?
Barrier Island Brewing: A solid brewery with a tasty food menu and a nice patio. Would definitely recommend!
Downtown Market: There is often a market downtown with a ton of local vendors, be sure to meander through it to find some goodies!
Mullet Bay Restaurant: A fun spot for patio vibes with cheap drinks during Happy Hour!
Bubba Garcia's Mexican Cantina: A tasty spot for Mexican eats. They have a nice upper patio as well!
Sandy Bottom Bagels: I did not make it to this spot because they’re closed on Sundays, but it looks legit so I wanted to make sure to include it for your convenience!
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is just a few miles away from St Simons but home to a different vibe completely. Here the primary modes of transportation are bikes and golf carts, and much of the island is untouched nature.
I found Jekyll to be the perfect spot for a day trip because I like to bounce around to restaurants and breweries/bars when traveling, but if you’re looking to disconnect and either stay at a resort or have quiet nights in, this would be a great spot for a longer stay.
Heads up to enter the island there is a $10 daily parking fee you can pay ahead of time online or at the gate upon entrance.
Jekyll Island Recommendations:
Wander Driftwood Beach: This is such a unique stretch of beach with (shocker here) DRIFTWOOD! It is really quite neat to explore. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles as well!
Tortuga Jack’s: A nice spot for Mexican eats and drinks! Essentially a Tiki Bar, so don’t set your bar too high for food but the views are nice, the prices are low, and the vibes are great.
Oceanview Beach Park: Another great beach option for actually beaching, versus walking on Driftwood. They have a ton of parking here and bathrooms.
The Pantry: This little cafe is located inside the Island Club Resort and is a good spot to grab breakfast, lunch or coffee!
Brunswick:
Brunswick is not necessarily somewhere I’d highly recommend visiting, but if you’re in the area you might as well pop by to explore! Downtown is a bit rundown but still has some nice spots.
Brunswick Recommendations:
Silver Bluff Brewing Company: The vibes here exceed the beer quality, but keep in mind I am a bit of a snob. They have a lovely outdoor space and frequent food trucks.
Skip—Driftwood Wine & Cocktails: I was thoroughly unimpressed unfortunately.
Newcastle Wine Merchant: A cute little wine shop for onsite pours or to-go bottles.
Indigo Coastal Shanty: A super chill restaurant with tasty eats and a nice patio space. They are also incredibly dog-friendly!
Head to Mary Ross Waterfront Park for sunset!
