Discover the timeless charm of Jekyll Island, Georgia. Travel writer Kathleen Walls share the island’s Gilded Age history, wildlife encounters, seasonal events, and why this coastal state park is perfect for both day trips and relaxing getaways. Enjoy the podcast above and her Winter in Jekyll Island Article below.
WINTER IN JEKYLL ISLAND
There are many reasons to visit Jekyll Island in the winter. It offers pleasant mild weather with lows in the 40s or 50s and highs in the 60s, fewer crowds, and unique seasonal activities. Unlike back in the Gilded Age when you had to be a millionaire member or their guest, today you can visit Jekyll Island State Park for just a $10 toll.
WHERE TO STAY
I suggest staying at the Jekyll Island Club Resort for its historic ambiance and the numerous events it hosts. At the turn of the 20th century, the entire island was one of the most exclusive clubs in the world, owned by millionaires like Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and members who represented one-sixth of the world’s wealth. It began as a winter hunting retreat for the elite, later evolving into a golf destination. The Federal Reserve Bank began in this clubhouse on November 22, 1910, with a secret meeting of Senator Nelson Aldrich, chairman of the National Monetary Commission, and six other influential millionaires.
Members soon wanted more space, so. J. P. Morgan and a few friends built Sans Souci, one of America’s first condos. Other members built their own mansions, dubbed cottages like Crane Cottage or Cherokee. When you visit the resort, you can stay at any of these. The heated pools are for more than swimming; you can toast s’mores at the pool’s fire pit.
Don’t miss “The Falcon,” a 1940 Black Buick Special 8, parked in front of the Club. It was driven by Humphrey Bogart in the movie “The Maltese Falcon.”
SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE RESORT
If you’re staying at the resort, there are some events you’ll want to enjoy.
Every Friday and Saturday at sunset, there is a Champagne sabering on the veranda. It involves a sommelier uncorking a bottle of Champagne with a saber. The custom goes back to Napoleon’s cavalry.
In December, the resort has Holiday High Tea in the Grand Dining Room and other high teas throughout the year. The Grand Dining Room was where the club members were expected to dine for all their meals. A few of the cottages have kitchens despite their size. Rockefeller’s Indian Mound Cottage has 25 rooms, including 9 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, and 7 servant rooms.
Wildlife Memory Safari Cards are a way to learn about island wildlife. You can find the cards at the resort desk, shops, or restaurants. Collect some cards and play Wildlife Memory Safari Match Game held daily at 9:00 am at Jekyll Wheels. All the cards are laid face down, and players flip two cards face up on each turn. The object of the game is to turn over pairs of matching cards.
TOUR THE HISTORIC DISTRICT
A great way to see the more than 30 cottages is to take the Landmark Trolley Tour. Holly Jolly Jekyll runs from late November through December so you can see the about-two-million holiday lights. History and ghost trolley tours run the rest of the year. The trolley tours take you inside one cottage.
Later, take the Historic Exploration Tour around the Historic Landmark District, including the Mosaic Museum and historic cottages. One building you don’t want to miss is Faith Chapel. It has one of just a few signed Tiffany windows.
Mosaic, the Island’s museum, is a good place to learn Jekyll’s history from Native Timucuans to modern history. One historical event it shows is the first transcontinental telephone call on January 25, 1915. The call was between President Wilson in Washington, DC, Alexander Graham Bell in New York, Thomas Watson in San Francisco, Henry Higginson in Boston, and AT&T President Theodore Newton Vail at the Jekyll Island Clubhouse.
OUTDOOR FUN
Because of the mild winters, there are lots of outdoor adventures you can enjoy. Some are seasonal, others all year round. If you are feeling brave, you can start winter early with a Cold-Stunned Plunge into the chilly Atlantic Ocean on November 29 at 10:00 am.
The fees from the plunge helps supports the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Part of the fee gets you a behind-the-scenes tour of the rehab facility, including the hospital, food preparation areas, and meeting some patients not in the public spaces. Even if you aren’t up for plunging into icy water, do tour the center. It’s a great place to learn about the turtle population along the eastern coast.
Another watery spot you want to visit, and I leave it up to you if you want to take a dip or just browse, beautiful Driftwood Beach, consistently voted one of America’s “Ten Most Romantic Beaches.” Driftwood Beach is most famous, but Jekyll Island has seven beaches. Glory Beach, at the island’s south end, is where they filmed portions of “Glory.” St. Andrews Beach, on the marsh side, is where you find the Wanderer Memory Trail.
The Wanderer Memory Trail tells the story of the last illegal slave ship, The Wanderer, that landed here with 409 enslaved West Africans. The trail tells the story of these people through exhibits and audio stations. At the end, there’s an observation tower where you may see water birds or dolphins. The entire island is a perfect spot for wildlife watching. You’re pretty sure to see deer and wading birds anytime, and there are migratory birds, including bald eagles, and even North Atlantic right whales in winter.
For golfers, you can play on Georgia’s largest public golf resort with four courses: Great Dunes, Indian Mound, Oleander, and Pine Lakes courses.
Follow clues around the historic district to discover Island Treasures on a scavenger hunt where you search for glass floats or plastic globes that you can exchange for handcrafted glass orbs. The scavenger hunt is held in January and February.
Its source dates to the early 1900s when coastal fishermen used hollow glass balls, or floats, to mark their nets. Sometimes the floats broke loose and washed ashore, where beachcombers found and collected them.
Today, Jekyll Island chooses artists to create unique glass floats for this treasure hunt. Each day, volunteers called Beach Buddies hide small plastic globes around the island. If you find one, you redeem it for one of the artists’ glass floats. Approximately 200 clear plastic globes are hidden throughout the hunt. If you find one of the plastic globes, take it to the Jekyll Island Guest Information Center and exchange it for your one-of-a-kind glass float.
Biking or hiking is another way to explore over 24 miles of trails through maritime forests, marshes, and beaches. Jekyll Wheels, right behind the Clubhouse, has bikes for rent.
If you’re into hiking, Ranger Walks may be your thing. Jekyll Island has over a thousand acres of maritime forest, 10 miles of shoreline, and marshes. The park ranger takes you through some unique eco-experiences.
If you’re a snowbird escaping northern winters, you can pitch your tent or park your RV and stay among the Spanish moss-draped oaks at one of the 179 campsites, 167 of which are full hook-up sites and 12 are primitive.
Plan Your Visit: https://www.jekyllisland.com/
Kathleen Walls is publisher/writer for American Roads and Global Highways at https://www.americanroads.net/
A member of the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association, her articles and photographs have appeared in numerous magazines and online publications. She is also an author of numerous travel books, online travel guides, and fiction novels. Learn more about her books at https://katywalls.com/
