The Golden Isles of Georgia are part of what’s commonly called the Sea Islands, a stretch of more than 100 islands between South Carolina and Florida. The Golden Isles of Georgia are a collection of four islands of the Sea Islands along the 100-mile coast of Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean. The four islands include:
* St. Simons Island
* Sea Island
* Jekyll Island
* Little St. Simons Island
Average highs for the four islands peak in July at 95 degrees and drop in the winter months into the mid-sixties. These moderate temperatures make it a prime vacation destination for folks along the north-eastern coast of the United States.
The islands were originally a vacation destination for the elite and wealthy. While they’re still an expensive place to live with homes ranging in price from just over $200,000 to $12 million, they do have permanent year-round residents and they can be a reasonably affordable place to vacation. Let’s take a look at each of the four islands in detail.
St. Simons Island
St. Simons is the largest of the Golden Isles and has a total area of 17.9 square miles. As of the US 2000 census, it had just over 13,000 year-round residents. St. Simons has a rich cultural history that begins in 2000 years BC and spans to include notable accomplishments in many of the country’s major wars. St. Simons also supports an airport for easy travel onto the island, though roads run directly from the mainland of Georgia to the island.
Sea Island
Sea Island is considered to be an affluent resort island and though it is secluded and considered prime real estate for those who can afford it, few people actually live there. In 2004, however, it did host a G8 summit – mainly because access to the island can be strictly controlled.
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is perhaps the most common island to vacation on due to the number of activities available to tourists. Beautiful beaches, hiking and biking trails, and a bike park all draw vacationers. It’s also a wonderful place to go to explore nature with access to the area’s marshes and abundant wildlife.
Little St. Simons
Little St. Simons is the most remote and secluded island of the four. It’s heavily forested and only 10,000 acres have been available to the public since the mid-1970s. Visitors and overnight guests are welcome; however, there’s a maximum occupancy of 30 people so reservations are required.
If you’re close to the Georgia coast or you’re looking for a unique vacation getaway, the Golden Isles of Georgia may be exactly what you’ve been looking for. You can stay on the mainland and travel to the islands for a day’s visit, or you can reserve a stay on the island of your choice.