Lizzie & Jeff
Things To Do
Let's EAT!
JEKYLL MARKET has full groceries, bakery, coffeeshop, deli, plenty of ready-to-eat options, gift stuff, and much more -- all in one spot. Most convenient, well rounded place to GET WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE WEEKEND. GRAB & GO FOOD: * Party Central Condo (C160 & C161) will always have sandwich fixins & fruit for all. Stop by! * Gift shop at the condos has snacks & some sandwiches. * Jekyll Market * DQ and the gas station mini-mart. For lunch, we either do grab-n-go picnics, or go to places with good vibe, value, and turnaround time (restaurants can be slow on Jekyll). OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: Tortuga Jack's - close to Villas, good food, outdoor seating & bar on dunes. The Pantry - on the back of the Jekyll Island Hotel. Fine sandwich shop. Zachry's Riverhouse - Seafood sandwiches, burgers, amazing fried oysters. Small, out of the way place. We haven't been to many other Jekyll restaurants. I'm sure many are good!
* Relax Together *
You may wonder, with all our condos spread out, how do we find each other to -- you know -- just hang out? Solution: Party Central! We've got 2 adjacent oceanside condos where everyone can stop by, visit, relax, and connect. The kitchens will be stocked with food, snacks, and refreshments, and the lawn chairs will be aplenty. This is where we'll usually be parked to get to visit with y'all, so come by, meet friends and family, and celebrate!!! There's a big lawn out back, and playground + picnic tables kinda out front. Horseshoes, bocce ball, and cornhole to be played. Our dear friends Tony, Michelle, Scott, Gary, Lois and Ted are staying in these condos, and all the fellas happen to be musicians!
Favorite Beaches
South Dunes Beach, where we will get married and have Sunday's picnic, is certainly a favorite. Also, we have 2 other favorites: GLORY BEACH Enter the Soccer Complex, just north of the Camp Jekyll 4-H center. Drive straight back, and you'll see the boardwalk to Glory Beach. Wide, beautiful beach. No other public access points south of there, so it gets quieter and quieter as you go! * DRIVE OR LONG BIKE RIDE FROM VILLAS * EASY BOARDWALK ACCESS * QUIET, SPACIOUS BEACH * ST. ANDREWS BEACH On the southwest corner of the island, near to where the beach meets the marsh. People catch shrimp and fish with seine nets here, and dolphins often come to partake! Beautiful place for a sunset on the beach! Picnic area under live oaks, viewing tower, and a remembrance trail that tells the story of the last ship that brought enslaved Africans to the U.S., which landed at Jekyll Island. * DRIVE OR LONG BIKE RIDE FROM VILLAS * EASY WALK ONTO BEACH * BEACH & SHADE COMBO * GREAT SUNSET SPOT *
Driftwood Beach
Just north of Villas By the Sea. This is one of Jekyll's beloved scenic spots. What you see is barrier island evolution in action. These islands are basically shifting sand bars, and they change shape and move with time. The north end of the island is returning to the sea, while the south end is growing. The "driftwood" is actually the exquisitely sculpted live oak trees whose land has been reclaimed by the ocean. *5-10 MIN WALK FROM VILLAS * BEACH/SAND WALKING * EXPLORE 15 MIN TO 1 HOUR OR MORE * GOOD FOR BEACH PICNICS OR MOONLIGHT WALKS TOO *
Driftwood Beach Marsh-Side Trail (Clam Creek)
On the back side of Driftwood Beach is a gorgeous marsh, Clam Creek. There's a trail that takes you through this serene wonderscape. Great place for nature and birdwatching, daydreaming while ambling, sunset stroll (take bug spray). It starts just north of the entrance trail onto Driftwood Beach. If you go all the way to the end, you can do a loop and come back along Driftwood Beach. Just check the tides first! Where the creek meets the ocean, there's also a bridge across to the Clam Creek Picnic Area and Fishing Pier. The shop there has ice cream and cold drinks. *10 MINUTE WALK FROM VILLAS, * EASY LEVEL FOOTING * EXPLORE FOR 20 MIN TO HOURS * SUNSET VIEWS *
Horton Pond
This gem is often overlooked by the Jekyll crowds! The road in is right across from the main entrance to the Villas. The pond is an old quarry, and it has a platform in the middle for sunning alligators and turtles. There's a viewing deck nestled into the bushes, a trail around the pond, and a dreamy, easy 3/4 mile trail through the adjacent forest. Birds, reptiles, and all manner of life abound and await you! * FEW MIN WALK FROM VILLAS * EASY LEVEL PATHS * 20 MIN TO 1 HOUR OR MORE * GREAT NATURE, GATOR, WILDLIFE AND BIRD VIEWING * From Horton Pond entrance, you can also keep going west along an old road through the woods. You'll cross Clam Creek where it emerges from the forest, go through a stunning live oak forest (Lizzie's main field site), across to the west side of the Island, where you'll pop out at an enchanting historic house and cemetery, Horton House. *LESS THAN A MILE / 15 MINUTES FROM HORTON POND TO HORTON HOUSE * EASY FOOTING * BEAUTIFUL FOREST * CARRY WATER! *
Magic Forest Trail
That's what we call this enchanted little part of Jekyll. It's our FAVORITE forest place! It's a wild, incredibly diverse little tour of Holocene forest, established on dunes. If you park at the north end of the Camp Jekyll 4-H camp (or along the road), you'll see an info sign and a boardwalk leading into the forest on the west side of the road, opposite the parking lot. Along the boardwalk, look for a little gate in the right (north) side of the railing, that leads onto a trail that winds up down and all around. Explore!!! * DRIVE OR LONG BIKE RIDE FROM VILLAS * 20 MIN TO AN HOUR OR SO TO EXPLORE * UP-AND-DOWN TWISTY TRAILS THROUGH FOREST * PHOTOGRAPHER'S PARADISE * SO MUCH FUN! *
Historic Jekyll Island Club Resort
Originally a playground for the barons and tycoons of the early 20th century, the grounds of the historic hotel are well worth strolling or pedaling around. Wander through the main building, or retire to the patios on the backside, where there's a really good little sandwich shop (The Pantry)! There are magnificent GIANT trees, ICE CREAM stands, lots of big old houses to gawk at (the baron families each built their own "cottage"). Some are art, gift, and pottery shops, where local and national artisans display and sell their wares. Fortunately there are signs with maps so you can figure out where you're wandering. It may look formal but the vibe as you explore is friendly, relaxed, and welcoming. The Sea Turtle Center and Mosaic Museum are there, too. * BIKE OR DRIVE FROM VILLAS * VERY EASY STROLLING * AIR CONDITIONED SHOPS * GIANT TREES * LUNCH/SNACKS * 5 MINUTE PASS-THRU TO HOURS OF PUTTERING AROUND *