Vacation Destination: St. Simons Island, GA, with Video Tours

St. Simons Island is located just off the Georgia coast from Brunswick. It’s in the Atlantic and is one of the “Golden Isles.” It’s a trendy vacation spot for all ages, especially for the “well heeled.” It’s where quiet sophistication and laid-back beach atmosphere combine into one truly unique experience.The island is covered with huge oaks laced with moss, marshes, palmetto thickets, flowering shrubs, and wide expanses of sandy beach. The tourist area, which includes most of the island, is home to resorts, hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, beachfront condominiums, retreats, spas, salons, shops, and restaurants.

The isle has a special charm, due partly to its rich history. The first inhabitants were Native Americans, who had a favorite campground at Gascoigne Bluff. Spanish explorers visited the island in the 1500s and named it San Simone. In 1562, French Huguenots began colonizing the Southeast coast. Spain was not happy about this, of course, so she sent seamen and missionaries to the area to strengthen her claims on the land. By the end of the sixteenth century, St. Simons had three missions.

In 1670, the English founded Charleston. Spain already had a strong hold in northern Florida, but the land in between was seen as kind of a “no man’s land,” and James Oglethorpe brought a group of Salzburgers and Scottish Highlanders to live on the island in 1736, with John and Charles Wesley among them. The debate over St. Simons had erupted between the two nations years earlier, and the continual conflict lasted for about 75 years. Finally, in 1742, the English defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Bloody Marsh – so called because the marsh was said to have run red with the blood of Spanish soldiers.

After the Revolutionary War, plantation owners from Charleston began scouting for new lands that could be turned into farms, and they made their way to St. Simons. By the end of the 1700s, several large cotton plantations were thriving on the island’s fertile soil. Also, in 1794, live oak from the island was used to build the U.S.S. Constitution, better known as “Old Ironsides.”

The Civil War brought an end to the cotton plantations, and for several years, the once-cultivated fields were overrun with weeds and briars as they endeavored to return to their natural states. In 1874, however, northern merchants made the island the center of their lumber operations. In fact, in that same year, lumber was cut from the island to build the Brooklyn Bridge. Numerous sawmills were built, and the St. Simons wharf became a busy place where ships carried lumber to points all across the globe.

It didn’t take the lumber industry long to run out of trees on the island. After nearby Jekyll Island was purchased in 1886 by several of America’s wealthiest families to use as their vacation playground, the resort and tourist industry gradually replaced the lumber industry on St. Simons Island. Summer cottages sprang up near the pier, along with a resort hotel. With the construction of the Causeway in 1924, and with the growth of the automobile, tourists began flocking to the island.

Visitors to St. Simons today can visit many historical sites. One of the most fascinating is Christ Church, built in 1884. Long before its construction, however, the Wesley brothers preached on this site. Visitors can tour the church and its legendary cemetery, which is purported by many to be haunted. Another interesting place to visit is Oglethorpe’s settlement, Fort Fredericka, where you can view the tabby ruins of the houses and buildings. From the dungeon, you can see the Bloody Marsh.

Visitors to St. Simons Island can also tour the lighthouse that was completed in 1872. Adjacent to the brick and tabby structure is a museum. The lighthouse stands watch over the beach and is a favorite spot for tourists.

If history isn’t “your thing,” you’ll still find plenty to do on the island. Shopping is a favorite pastime, with numerous boutiques, galleries, and shops with unique items.

Of course, with all the pristine coast, sunning, swimming fishing, shelling, canoeing, kayaking, and boating are also popular, and the island boasts 81 manicured holes of golf and numerous tennis courts. There are also miles of trails that provide intimate encounters with nature, and eco tours in kayaks. Dolphin tours and fishing charters are available, too.

Dining on St. Simons is a fine art. You’ll be amazed at all the wonderful restaurants. The dining room at the King and Prince Resort is often touted as the state’s most beautiful, and their Sunday brunch is legendary. Another unforgettable culinary experience can be enjoyed at Bennie’s Red Barn. The Fredericka House has excellent seafood dishes, and if you’re looking for a laid-back oceanfront eatery, try one near the pier.

Accommodations on the island include ritzy resorts, bed-and-breakfast inns, beachfront cottages, oceanfront condos, vacation homes, cabins, townhomes, and luxurious villas. Many vacation rentals are right on the beach, and there’s a wide range of prices.

St. Simons Island is easy to get to – just a few miles off Interstate 95. And once you arrive, you’ll have no trouble learning your way around. If you don’t feel like driving, you can board the trolley for a tour, or enjoy a sightseeing tour on a boat. Depending on where you’re staying, you might be able to walk or cycle to wherever you need to go on St. Simons Island!