Crossing
the 8 miles of the Jekyll Island Causeway takes only a few minutes. The
bridge spans the low country marshes and then crosses over the muddy waters of
Fancy Bluff Creek before touching down on the terra firma of Jekyll Island. But
while the drive takes only a splinter of time, the experience of arriving on
the island, once you take in the scene, feels more like stepping out of a time
machine into the late 1800s.
Mammoth oak
trees, some several hundred years old, line the lane that leads into the
fabled Jekyll Island Club Resort. Spanish moss hangs from every branch and the
sun illuminates the tangled masses like an old men's beards. Horse-drawn
carriages clip-clop past antique cottages. Vanguards of Pelicans fly in
formation overhead and occasionally small deer saunter by like domesticated
pets. Welcome to the unspoiled tranquility of Jekyll Island.
Before you stands the historic Clubhouse with its perfectly manicured croquet course (complimentary equipment available if you would like to whack a mallet or just watch the pros from the Jekyll Island Croquet Club in all whites). The main building, a century-old castle-like brick structure with a Rapunzel-Esque tower punctuating the architecture has welcomed guests since 1886 and now it welcomes you.
The
Club originated as a social retreat for society's uber-elite during the gilded
age at the end of the 1800s. In those days, the Northern aristocratic ilk would
venture down during the winters for hunting, beachside motor-buggy races,
oceanfront golfing, grass tennis, and opulent dinners in the Grand Dining Room.
The Club shut down during WWII once German U-Boats were discovered trolling the
coast, and the State of Georgia purchased the island and Club after the War in
1947. State law decrees that no more than one-third of the island may be
developed and thus the vast majority of the island has remained wild.
But the new
renovations and additions to the facilities bring it even a further step
forward (or backward you might say) to the luxe visions of its Industrial Age
founders. Rockefellers, Pulitzers and Morgan's hunted and vacationed
here, and now, after $25 million in renovations, you can stay on property and
feel like royalty as well. Choices of accommodations include the
157-room Historic Hotels of America Clubhouse and its AAA
Four-Diamond Grand Dining Room. In the next room, you can sip
on martinis in the resort's elegant Bar, a classic libation den
that was featured in the movie, The Legend of Bagger Vance.
Surrounding the Clubhouse are the resort's historic Jekyll Island
Cottages named Sans Souci, Crane Cottage, and Cherokee. More like
small mansions with suites for multiple guests, these were originally designed
as residences for some of the early elite members. A short walk brings
you to the all-new riverside overwater restaurant called The Wharf, a
casual seafood spot with westward views (and thereby spectacular sunsets). The
only over-water restaurant for more than 65 miles by car, it features live
music, hyper-fresh seafood, and a late-night menu.
Across the island on the Atlantic Side, the all-new Jekyll Island Ocean Club has opened, a boutique property with 40 oversized King and Double Queen Suites, each with a full living room and private patio or balcony replete with ocean views. The resort also features a new wood-fired oceanfront restaurant concept, Eighty Ocean Kitchen & Bar which features a raw bar, fresh fish grill, and wood-fired hearth oven, specializing in fresh-caught seafood and local fish. Guests of the Clubhouse have access to the Ocean Club and its beach as well.
Hop on a bike from Jekyll Wheels and the continuous bike paths around the 5,000 acres of the island are all yours. Ride out to the surreal Driftwood Beach, a phantasmagoric setting of sands littered with gorgeously mangled ancient trees--a must for Instagrammers. Or check out The Georgia Sea Turtle Center which acts as a rehabilitation center and hospital for fledgling turtle populations. For some historical perspective, visit the pint-sized Mosaic, the Jekyll Island Museum which offers a wonderful visual journey of the island's past, resent and future. Nearby take in the Faith Chapel, a Gothic Revival style church constructed in 1904 that boasts a rare Tiffany & Co. stained glass window. And on top of all that there are 63 holes of golf including three 18-hole courses - Oleander, Indian Mound, and Pine Lakes - as well as the historic 9-hole Great Dunes course originally put into play in 1910.
Typically,
a vacation destination will check a box, maybe 2 if you are lucky, on the list
of travel desires. Luxury accommodations? Historical interests? Golf? Great
food? Outdoor activities? Low country adventure? Unspoiled natural vistas? With
Jekyll Island, one of the "Golden Isles" off the coast of Georgia,
you really don't need to choose. A visit to Jekyll checks all those boxes.
