Walking under sprawling oaks. Kayaking through tidal marsh. Visiting uncrowded beaches. Watching pelicans silhouetted against the sunset on the downtown fishing pier. Exploring the lighthouse and World War II Homefront museums. Enjoying the relaxed pace of island living.
Those are among the reasons we love visiting Georgia’s island community of St. Simons. Located in the deep southeast corner of the state where the low country meets the Atlantic, we consider St. Simons one of Georgia’s underappreciated treasures. It’s amazing that many who trek to the self-contained enclaves of Sea Island or drive south on I-95 seeking Florida beaches simply bypass this authentic island gem. And though national attention focused on St. Simons in September 2019 when a car-carrying freighter, Golden Ray, overturned in the sound between St. Simons and Jekyll Islands, the media attention created only short-term blips of abnormal and distracted visitor traffic to the island. (Subsequently, the salvage operation — with the phenomenal machinery and photos of smashed cars — has brought another temporary uptick by the curious.)
That’s perfectly OK with us, though, because we love the slower pace and true community feel of St. Simons compared to the hustle and bustle of other East Coast condo, golf and tourist islands like Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head.
We enjoyed a week of peaceful relaxation on St. Simons thanks to a housesitting gig for a traveling friend. When we weren’t enjoying relaxation, beaches and bike trails, our five favorite forays around the island included these:
Lighthouse and Downtown Pier
Usually, you won’t find a more postcard-perfect or iconic setting than the island’s small-town heart, anchored by the fishing pier and historic lighthouse. Until the wreck of the Golden Ray is cleared, visitors unfortunately won’t enjoy all of the pier’s charm, though sunrises continue attracting families and fishermen alike. Visiting the 104-foot-tall lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling offers panoramic views of the surrounding area and deep insights to the island’s military and community history. The first St. Simons lighthouse was commissioned in 1807, and the current-and-second lighthouse will celebrate 150 years in 2022. The lighthouse is operated by the visionary Coastal Georgia Historical Society, founded by local residents in 1965 to preserve the island’s history. For a great afternoon, find a village parking spot and visit the lighthouse first. Then stroll the downtown area, dropping in at local art stores and the funky JC Strother Hardware Store for some local crafts and color. Finally, catch the late-afternoon sites at the pier before enjoying an early dinner at one of nearly 20 restaurants within easy and pleasant walking distance.
WWII Home Front Museum
Another project of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, the vintage 1950 Coast Guard station houses an outstanding museum that documents all the community activities undertaken in support of the World War II effort. Filled with immersive galleries and interactive exhibits, visitors of all ages can pilot a blimp, spot airplanes and learn about the 99 “Liberty Ships” built at the shipyards in neighboring Brunswick. We were fascinated by the Coast Guard station’s role in the crew rescue of two ships sunk offshore by a German submarine, including one which originated its journey in our home state of Louisiana and was crewed by sailors with lots of my own hometown-familiar French-Cajun surnames.
Cannon’s Point Preserve
Home to pristine maritime forest, salt marsh and tidal creeks, Cannon’s Point features well-marked walking trails, a canopy viewing platform and historic discovery. Ancient oaks hide authentic tabby-concrete buildings constructed of local oyster shells. Well-marked hiking trails and available maps reveal the location’s secrets but check the operating hours since the preserve is open only three days each week. For any visit, we recommend long pants, long sleeves, closed-toe shoes, lots of bug spray and bottled water so you can enjoy the natural splendor in relative comfort and safety. Another example of local resident engagement, Cannon’s Point is owned by the St. Simons Land Trust, a community and corporate partnership which has helped to preserve more than 1,000 acres on the island and holds conservation easements on 300 additional acres.
Southern Soul Barbeque
Best. Ribs. EVER! We could stop there, but even those superlatives don’t fully describe how much we enjoyed this local joint, operating out of a former gas station. During our pre-COVID visit, we ate lunch at Southern Soul twice (arriving early to beat the crowds!) and ordered extra ribs to-go plus purchased take-home seasonings. We were skeptical when Southern Living magazine listed this as the best barbeque restaurant in the South in 2018, but we are now believers. True to their slow-cooking rib smoking process and quality control, they offer reserved time slots for rib take-out orders. Ribs are great, but don’t miss the pulled pork and baked beans, all of which can be enjoyed on outdoor picnic tables.
Barbara Jean’s
If we convened a local group to debate authentic island eateries, Barbara Jean’s might not get the top nod, but it would undoubtedly be recognized in the top two for real Southern specialties. This family-owned downtown fixture offers a full range of traditional comfort foods, and is best known for their legendary crab cakes, she-crab soup, and daily-baked pumpkin bread, sweet rolls and jalapeno corn bread. Adults can also enjoy a refreshing and relaxing Barbara Jean’s Sweet Tea, made with Firefly Tea Vodka, Peach Schnapps, and other ingredients. If you want other reassurances before visiting, this is a consensus choice by Southern Living, Georgia Trends and Coastal Living and other publications.
A Little “Lagniappe”
For those not familiar with Cajun French or our Louisiana upbringing, lagniappe is a little something extra, like a baker’s dozen. Beyond our five favorite forays, we also enjoyed these stops and activities while on St. Simons:
- Kayaking. The tidal marshes and backwaters offer fantastic kayaking opportunities for novices and experts. But friends, we always recommend the use of single kayaks rather than doubles, which we believe may be a major cause of divorce among vacationers.
- Beaches. There’s plenty of public beach access on the island. Massengale Park and East Beach offer easy parking, restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off the salt. You’ll also find beach access along the side streets off Ocean Road but be careful not to park on private property. Nearer downtown and the pier, low-tide beaches also appear until the incoming tide hides them away again.
- Bike Trails. Bring your bicycles or easily rent for hours, a day or a week at low rates. The 10.3-mile, paved Hampton Spur Trail keeps bikes and pedestrians off the major thoroughfares for safe riding along the length of the island. Historical markers along the way point out interesting island features, including a side-route to Fort Frederica National Monument. While we recommend avoiding the heavily-trafficked and no-shoulder-available Sea Island Road raceway between the causeway and the cloistered resort’s entrance, safe biking can be practiced on the side-streets around downtown and on Ocean Boulevard.
- King and Prince Hotel and Resort. This St. Simons landmark began its history as a seaside dinner club, and still offers the only sea-side dining on the island. We’ve ended many busy days sharing relaxing beverages with good friends here.
More Planning Resources
In addition to the links we’ve included throughout, you may find these general resources helpful for planning an extended visit:
- StSimonsIsland.Com. Your prototypical visitor center resource, this page features the usual listing of island accommodations, dining and activities, with additional links to useful information like tidal charts and beach guides.
- GoldenIsles.com. If you feel the need or desire to broaden your activity horizon beyond the island itself – though we rarely do — this site provides more detailed links to Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons, Sea Island and the port city of Brunswick.
- VisitSavannah.com. If you won’t be back in this region anytime soon, we’d recommend Savannah as two-day (minimum) stop while on the Georgia coast. Its full of antebellum treasures, historic squares, walkable sites, haunted graveyards, excellent dining, and that famous Forest Gump bench.
- Georgia World War II Heritage Trail. For those interested in more about Georgia’s role in World War II, the World War II Museum is now part of a Georgia World War II Heritage Trail (one of five such heritage trails in the country) with 10 museums across the state.
Your Favorite St. Simons Spots
We’d love to hear about your favorite forays and wonderful experiences at St. Simons or other nearby locations. Leave a comment for us and others to learn about more great ideas.
