This was such an interesting historical site to explore. It's easily accessible -- right along the…read moreside of the road. We parked and walked over to the house. There are explanatory plaques about the tabby-built house along with a sign about tabby (the building material formed from a mix of sand, lime, oyster shells, and water). The house is one of the oldest of its kind in Georgia and is on the National Register of Historic places. Horton was in charge of the British troops stationed on island. He built this house as his residence and lived here from 1736 until 1748. (He died in Savannah in 1748 or 1749 -- I've read two different dates.) One other interesting note about Horton was that he had the first beer brewery in the state. What you see when you come here is the shell of the house. Open aired without a roof or paned windows. You can walk around the outside and inside. It's a good photo op for various views through the open windows. Later on, the house was occupied by the French du Bignons (who owned the island until they sold it to the American millionaires in 1886) from 1790 to the mid 1800's. Their cemetery is located across the street from the House, and you can easily walk to see this, as well, which we did.

One of the oldest surviving buildings in Georgia, the structure is very well preserved. It is,…read morehowever, just a shell. No interior or roof. It dates back to the British colonization after much of their colonies were taken the Spanish. Across the street is the du Bignon cemetery that has five well-preserved graves. The walls are made from a unique product - "tabby" is made from burning oyster shells to create lime and then mixed with sand and water to make a cement. There is parking nearby. You do have to pay to enter the island. [Review 19258 overall - 571 in Georgia - 228 of 2023.]

This marker stands on the north end of Jekyll Island and points out some of the earliest settlement…read morehistory that dates back to before the English colonies arrived. The marker is in good condition considering that it's under the trees. It reads, "Within sight and sound of St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island was ideal for entertaining Spanish visitors to the settlement at Frederica. Major William Horton, resident of the island, received the guests while Oglethorpe on St. Simons, with cannon booming and his few soldiers appearing and reappearing on the south beach, professed a strength he did not have. "In 1736, Spanish Commissioners Don Pedro Lamberto and Don Manuel d'Arcy, sent by Governor Sanchez of St. Augustine to discuss rival claims to the Georgia coast, were feted on Jekyll. On board the Sloop Hawk in Jekyll Sound, kilted Highlanders from Darien with clanging broadswords, Tomo-Chi-Chi and Hyllispilli with about 30 of their "chiefest" Indians in war paint and regalia loudly denounced the Spanish and helped Oglethorpe impress the visitors with strength and good will of the colonists. Agreeing to leave all questions to the courts of Spain and England, the emissaries returned to St. Augustine pleased with their mission. Angered by the decision, Spain recalled and executed Governor Sanchez. "After the Battle of Bloody Marsh, the Spaniards burned the buildings on Jekyll Island." It was erected in 1959 by the Georgia Historical Commission. [Review 19338 overall - 577 in Georgia - 308 of 2023.]

This is a definite 'must-visit' historic district when visiting Jekyll Island, Georgia. The…read moreatmosphere is amazing and it has an awesome collection of historic cottages as well as uniquely curated shops in addition to a few cool restaurants and eateries. We took the Landmark Trolley Tour to begin our visit and this gave us a great foundation of where to go and what to do. After the Trolley tour, we walked back beginning with Wake up coffee and ending with Faith Chapel. Such an amazing atmosphere and historical significance from the Georgia Gilded Age. A self-guided tour is free and the Landmark Trolley Tour is $20 per person.

Walking or biking around the historic district is just perfection, no other way to describe it…read more While it's a good distance to walk, it's manageable. I'd suggest buying a ticket to the Mosaic Museum and trolley tour (buy the trolley ticket and you get in the museum and chapel free) and tour the district first. After the tour you can stroll at your leisure along the homes and decide which ones you want to visit with some knowledge in your pocket. The trolley tour also gains admission into the Rockefeller home, Indian Mound that is just amazing.

I've seen this bridge dozens of times as I drive I-95 but it isn't the I-95 bridge. The Sidney…read moreLanier Bridge carries four lanes of US-17 over the Brunswick River. It is a cable-stayed bridge that is the longest spanning bridge in Georgia and is 480 feet tall. It is named for poet Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) who was hailed in the South as "the poet of the Confederacy." The bridge was completed in 2003 and features a span of 1250 feet that has 185 feet of clearance over the water. It has four lanes of traffic. The original Sidney Lanier Bridge was opened June 22, 1956, and was built by Sverdrup & Parcel, the same firm that designed the I-35W Mississippi River bridge which collapsed in 2007. On November 7, 1972 the ship African Neptune struck the bridge, causing parts of the bridge to collapse and causing several cars to fall into the water. Ten deaths were caused by the accident. On May 3, 1987 the bridge was again struck by a ship, this time by the Polish freighter Ziemia Bialostocka. If you squint your eyes, you could see this bridge being compared to Charleston's Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge https://www.yelp.com/biz/arthur-ravenel-jr-bridge-mount-pleasant-2?hrid=adycp2YtNWJNWD6GJRhgFA though this one has straight pilings where the Charleston bridge is diamond shaped. [Review 15746 overall - 428 in Georgia - 1250 of 2021.]

Spectacular views of the coastal Georgia area from the bridge. From his bridge you can see Jekyll…read moreand Saint Simons Island and downtown Brunswick Georgia. I won't add to or reiterate what other reviewer's have done here so well. All I'll say here is this: see the photo below. This is what a view from the bridge looks like during a hunters moon. It's a view few will ever see unless they live in the areA. A trip to this bridge is worth it with you stop at Saint Simons, Jekyll, or Brunswick or not. It's about 8 miles off of I 95

Steeped in centuries of history, the Lover's Oak in Brunswick, Georgia stands as a testament to…read moretimeless affection and enduring strength. Legend speaks of this magnificent 900-year-old Southern live oak as a rendezvous spot for Native American lovers, whispering their vows beneath its sprawling branches. Located in the heart of the Brunswick Old Town Historic District, this living monument has witnessed countless stories of love and devotion. This tree is easy to find in the Historic District in downtown Brunswick. You'll see signs with directions to the tree throughout the area.

Lovers Oak is a very old Live Oak tree (dated to the 12th C), in the Historic District of…read moreBrunswick. It's in a residential neighborhood, at the corner of Albany and Prince Streets. There is kind of a median strip in the middle of the street, where the tree lives. It has a plaque and a small sign. The lore is that Native American lovers "met under the tree." Hmmm... and then what? Ate pizza? Anyway, it's a beautiful old majestic tree, with a trunk diameter of 13 feet!!!! Worth a look-see, and a photo. It's a lot more public now than it once was, but you could probably eat some pizza under it with your sweetheart.

Great selection of top quality art in a large variety of media. One artist was available to speak…read moreto about her art that she was showing. Another cashier was also available to talk to. They also had books from local authors. The prices were very reasonable for smaller pieces of art. (Doesn't carry art supplies.)

Jekyll Island Arts Association is housed in historic Goodyear Cottage in the Historic District on…read moreJekyll Island. The JIAA hosts art festivals and other events throughout the year, in addition to offering classes in a variety of art mediums. They have a pottery guild on the basement level, a store on the first floor, and classes upstairs. JIAA's store offers art created by its members, and they completely empty and restock the gallery every few months. There are dozens of artists' work on display; paintings, sculpture, fiber arts, pottery, even origami. It is so inspiring to walk through and look at everything. Prices range from as little as $5 or $10 for a crafty item, all the way up to the thousands for large paintings. Most of the art pays homage to the Golden Isles region, which makes it a special place to find a one-of-a-kind souvenir. I bought pottery pieces at the JIAA spring festival 2023, and a painting in Jan 2024. I smile every time I see these pieces in my home. JIAA members run the store, and often there is a member at a demonstration table working on their art during store hours, which is a very cool touch. Many members are retirees who live on the island and bring artistic experiences from all over the world, so for an arts center, this place draws from a diverse pool of talent, and a caucus of expertise. In other words, this place is beautifully appointed and well run!

It was messy. Half the bathrooms were out of service…read more Dirty floors in men's restroom.

There are lots of reasons to exit the interstate right in the middle of nowhere, but on this day…read moreleading up to the Memorial Day Weekend it seems most were pulling over for the same reason, some dashing, some hobbling but all were making their way to the facilities located quite aways from the parking area depending on where you were able to find an open space. From the condition of the restrooms it's apparent they did get their share of use this fine Friday afternoon, whew this is not a place to linger or touch anything - this is why wet wipes were invented. Well at least there weren't any long lines with one exception. There was this one gentleman that a small crowd had gathered around in the parking lot parallel to the building housing the restrooms as he so proudly proclaimed to have some of the best if not the best Georgia grown peaches and today he was willing to part with them for $5.00 a bucket, it's actually a small carton but no use in splitting hairs with this old guy, this side show pickup truck business was thriving as people stood in line with their fist filled with dollar bills to get their hands on some of these juicy ripened fruits at what seemed to be a bargain price. Well I can't say I was impressed with the cleanliness of the facilities but them peaches were pretty tasty although a little pricey in my opinion, but this review is based on the rest area itself since the unlicensed vendors only shows up occasionally for a short while I'm sure as do the attendances who get paid to clean this place...

The Jekyll Island Authority is the Ranger office. Jekyll is GA state owned, and it's a hybrid of a…read morestate park, and government-regulated tourist area. The Island Authority is the ranger station authorized to patrol and protect the island, and its wildlife. The best way to get to know the island wildlife is to take a Ranger Walk. There are other programs throughout the year, but from Dec-March, the bald eagles hatch their young, and can be observed in their nests. Jekyll Island is home to a variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals, as well as some very cool plant activity. Ranger Erin headed my walk, and it was extremely fun. Our group was about 10 people, and my toddler was able to join free of charge. We did plant and animal spotting, and the information Erin pointed out was so fascinating to me. We saw and learned about salt marsh succulents (that can provide fresh water if needed), sweet gum trees, Resurrection ferns, Yaupon hollies, muscadine vines, tasted pickle wort (a delicacy in London), and we crushed up wild bay leaves to smell their beautiful scent (which I wish someone would bottle into perfume!). We learned that Spanish moss is an epiphyte, and its closest relative is pineapple. We saw black needle rush that really is like sharp needles, and learned that Timucuan tribes used it to sew clothing. We saw a number of birds (I'm sorry I cannot remember them all), and learned that egrets almost went extinct for the use of their feathers in ladies' hats. Erin brought a telescope on the walk, and let us all have a few turns looking at the eagles' nest. She explained they were lucky to have an eglette a couple years in a row, and gave a lot of info on bald eagles. She estimated their nest was the size of a VW Beetle, which was amazing because we were so far away, it seemed a lot smaller. But eagles are fiercely protective of their young, and she said they must sense the telescope gazing from their tours, because the parents had built up the wall on that side of the nest for further privacy. We saw a female gator named JC, who was pregnant. She was lounging in a freshwater stream, but our ranger showed us a nearby salt marsh, where gators spend an equal amount of time. She said health benefits abound for gators to cross-inhabit these micro-ecosystems, such as using salt water to clean freshwater bacteria from their mouths. Erin said the gators had never hurt anyone, and their department is much more concerned about human injuries to gators (like from speedboats, and one had been shot). She named several of the resident gators of Jekyll, and noted where they usually could be found. The largest, Sauron, is 11.5' long, and likes to hang on the main golf course. Erin was so informative, and added many on-the-job experiences to her stories, such as how she has to hold gator mouths shut when they track them to collect data. She said they don't have many muscles to open their jaws, so holding them shut is not as hard as holding them open. When you hold their mouth open, they're really powerful to resist because of their muscles needed to chomp on prey. That made me feel better about our safety, but I was still a little nervous. I cannot say enough about the ranger team on Jekyll. I felt so safe in their hands on the island. Their programming quality goes above and beyond to entertain and educate visitors.

Hoping the JIA reads this…read more It's with much sadness and overwhelming disgust that I see Maxwells missing from the list of merchants to occupy the new village. We built a home on Jekyll in 1962, still have it, and spend lots of time there since retirement. Over the years we have learned to depend upon Maxwells for anything we needed to do repairs and upgrades and recently signed a petition to keep the store going on the island, obviously to no avail From the list I see of the future merchants, money does the talking. What a crying shame that Mr. Hooks and his crew are bowing to mercenary influences.