Island Rewind
Now that you’re here, we’ll give you some basic info to help you navigate the island and understand the locals.
At Queens Court Inn, you’re located on the south end of the island, in The Village (signs also refer to it as Pier Village). This is the main hub of the island, a popular shopping, dining, and recreation area near the main fishing pier, known to locals simply as The Pier. We’re a pet-friendly place, so don’t be surprised to see watering stations outside the shops or have a pup dining at a patio table nearby. The Village is also where you’ll find our iconic lighthouse and the Casino Building that houses our public library and a theatre (but has nothing whatsoever to do with gambling). While there are stairs to access the beach in the Village, this is not considered our main beach area as the sandy shoreline disappears and the water reaches to the Johnson rocks at high tide. You’ll want to head north up the island to East Beach for all day play in the sand and surf.
Another great place to visit is the Golden Isles CVB Welcome Center located at 529 Beachview Drive. They have information about local attractions, activities, accommodations, transportation, and the latest issue of Elegant Island Living! On the walls of the bright and airy space and in their Live Oak Store, you’ll see a wide variety of works by local artists. They also have spiffy Golden Isles gear, RSM Classic branded attire, books, toys, and gift items.
Elegant Island Living/Annaliese Kondo
Golden Isles CVB Welcome Center
The Village is also where you’ll find Neptune Park, a site for community events, playground, picnic area under the oaks, and home to the Fun Zone pools and mini-golf. Despite its view overlooking the ocean, Neptune Park was not named to honor the god of the sea, but to memorialize a man important in the island’s history. Neptune Small was born into slavery on Retreat Plantation in 1831. He served Thomas Butler King and accompanied his sons into battle during the Civil War. When Henry Lord Page King was killed in battle in 1862, Small located and retrieved his body from the battlefield and accompanied him to Savannah, where a temporary burial location was secured until the area was once again safe after the war. Although he had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Small returned to the front to serve the youngest King son until the surrender of the Confederate troops in 1865. Small then returned to Savannah to accompany Lord King’s body back to his final resting place at Christ Church Cemetery on St. Simons Island. In gratitude, the Kings granted Neptune a parcel of property on their land where he lived as a free man until his death in 1907. Today, the park rests on what used to be part of that property.
Redfern Village is our mid-island hotspot for shopping and dining. We do not call that “The Village,” it’s simply “Redfern.” Although people mistakenly use “Red Fern,” perhaps thinking the name is botanical in nature, it actually honors a young pilot. Paul Redfern departed Sea Island in his monoplane, Port of Brunswick, on August 25, 1927 in an attempt to make a solo non-stop flight to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that would break Charles Lindbergh’s distance record. He tragically never made it to his destination, with his plane last spotted 200 miles off the coast of South America. Feel free to impress the locals with that bit of history, many don’t know it!
You can get most places on the island by way of Demere (running east-west) and Frederica (running north-south) Roads. Demere is pronounced dem’-ree, not deh-mare as the French might say it. The street is named for Captain Raymond Demere who arrived on the island in 1736 and played a key role in pre-plantation history. Frederica has four syllables: fred-er-ee’-kah. This was the name bestowed on the colonial fort and town established on the north end of the island to honor Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, on September 26, 1735.
When you drove onto the island, you arrived via the causeway. Causeways and bridges are not the same and we mean different things when we refer to them. The F.J. Torras Causeway is the road that connects the mainland of Brunswick to St. Simons Island. There are two bridges on this causeway, the Back River Bridge and the Mackay River bridge, but when we talk about “the bridge,” we’re referring to the Sidney Lanier Bridge. This large cable-stayed bridge that spans the Brunswick River was named after poet Sidney Lanier who penned the poem “Marshes of Glynn.” When you hear “There’s a wreck on the causeway,” it’s likely the Torras Causeway they’re talking about, although there’s also the Sea Island causeway on the island and Jekyll Island has a causeway to the mainland as well. Unfortunately, accidents on the Torras Causeway are not uncommon and create traffic headaches and frustrating delays both on and off the island. To help prevent that, please watch your speed, don’t drive distracted by texting or otherwise, and make sure all loads and trailers are secure. Many visitors say their cares and worries slip away as they cross the causeway onto the island, we want that to be your experience too.
Rev It Up - Getting Around in the Golden Isles
Imagine a map with a YOU ARE HERE marker. That dot rests on your current location of Queens Court Inn, located at 437 Kings Way, our starting point. Let’s take a closer look. Nestled among swaying palms and live oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss, the Queens Court Inn is a hidden gem on the south end of St. Simons Island. Sean Hargraves, co-owner of this iconic vintage motel, is a hospitality veteran with 22 years of experience in the industry. After graduating from Johnson and Wales University, Sean returned home to St Simons Island where he started his business and his passion for hospitality grew. Over the past year, Sean and his team have completely restored this historic property, creating a beautiful vacation getaway with a retro flare. Rooms range from standard king and queen to two bed suites with kitchenettes and short and long term rentals are available. Amenities include an outdoor pool and covered grilling area. The location is within walking and biking distance of the pier, historic sites, shopping and dining, so you can park your car and leave it. The staff at Queens Court Inn is committed to investing in your island experience and dedicated to providing outstanding customer service and building authentic, long-term relationships with visiting guests. For more information or to book rooms, call 912.268.4966 or visit queenscourtinn.com.
Now, let’s head out and explore! From Kings Way, you’ll find yourself just west of Mallery Street, the “Main Street” of the Village, which will take you directly south to the pier. Numerous shops and restaurants line the street and Ocean Boulevard. Two Brothers Bike Shop at 227 Mallery offers bike rentals if you’d rather ride than walk. There are also electric bike rental services on the island. Walking and pedaling allow you to take in the beauty and serenity of your surroundings while exploring historic sites, quaint neighborhoods, welcoming beaches, verdant maritime forest and marshes. There are miles of scenic trails, paved bike paths, and hard-packed beaches on St. Simons and Jekyll Island that provide easy and safe access to popular sites without the use of a car. Bikes are permitted on the beaches and East Beach is an excellent spot to ride during low tide. The paved St. Simons Island biking trail system provides connections to various points of interest across the island that offer activities, such as St. Simons Land Trust properties like Cannon’s Point Preserve, where you can view wildlife and take tours, or historic sites like Harrington School and Fort Frederica. There are similar options available on Jekyll Island if you’d like to expand your exploration. Biking trail maps can be found online at goldenisles.com/things-to-do/activities/biking.
If cycling isn’t your thing or you require transportation for the whole family, there are also golf cart rental locations nearby. To capture the ultimate retro beach vibe, rent a MOKE like the one featured in this month's fashion photos. While most locals will tell you that we prefer that golf carts stay on our fabulous golf courses, if you do choose to rent a golf cart, we offer a couple notes about golf cart rules and safety: Glynn County ordinances state that golf carts can only be driven by licensed drivers (For persons with license restrictions regarding passengers, all restrictions apply to these vehicles.) on streets where the posted speed is 35mph or less. They are not permitted on sidewalks or on beaches. Only one passenger is permitted per seat and child restraints and child safety seats are required. If three or more vehicles are immediately following the golf cart, the operator shall pull off the road at the first safe opportunity to do so to let them pass.
While St. Simons Island does not have a public transportation system, Uber and Lyft service are available. For large group or airport transportation, including rides to/from Jacksonville and Savannah, there are car services like Edward Transportation. If you need to ride in style for a special occasion, Martin’s Vintage Rides can hook you up with a cool coupe. If you’d like to sit back and enjoy some sightseeing, multiple trolleys offer daily tours that highlight island history and main attractions.
If you’re the one doing the driving and you aren’t familiar with St. Simons Island, you might want to brush up on rules for navigating roundabouts because we have several. Some call them rotaries, others refer to them as traffic circles of death. Roundabouts and traffic circles are actually different. A roundabout is a series of “crossing intersections” where the entering traffic is controlled by yield signs. A traffic circle is a series of “T intersections” with a circle road. Each “T” intersection may be controlled differently. Before entering the island’s roundabouts, motorists will see signs that give them lane options. Enter the roundabout when it’s clear to do so, and follow your allowed course of direction for your lane without changing lanes. If you follow those simple guidelines, the clearly marked arrows and the signs posted, our roundabouts shouldn’t be intimidating.
Rules of the Roundabout:
Choose your lane before entering the roundabout.
Do not change lanes once inside the roundabout.
Do not stop in the roundabout.
Be aware of pedestrians.
Yield to all traffic in the roundabout. Vehicles already in the roundabout have the right of way.
Drive counterclockwise ONLY in the roundabout.
Do not enter the roundabout when emergency vehicles are in the vicinity; pull to the right, outside lane.
You’ll find a handy brochure with examples of signage and referencing each of our roundabouts HERE.
Your exploration of the isles shouldn’t be limited to land though; our marshes and waterways offer some of the best views and a wonderful world of wildlife to observe. As they say at Southeast Adventure Outfitters, "Coastal Georgia has a huge trail system — it's just all wet!" and they’ve been getting people out there since 1994. But they certainly aren’t the only ones! From scenic kayak and paddleboard tours with Southeast Adventure Outfitters or Turtle Tides Outfitters to dolphin cruises with Cap Fendig’s Dolphin & Fishing Tours and numerous in-shore and off-shore fishing charters, there’s a wide array of offerings to get you out on the water. Not only will you be treated to a more up close and personal look at playful dolphins, grinning gators, scavenging shorebirds, and maybe the occasional otter, sea turtle, mink, or manatee, you can search for shark teeth on remote beaches and see private islands full of wildlife that are otherwise inaccessible. Make sure to bring a camera! A favorite for families is an excursion on the Lady Jane shrimp boat, a retired trawler that provides demonstrations on how the catch is hauled in and sorted. During our winter and spring months, you can even enjoy an educational sailing experience on the Tall Ship Lynx, a privateer inspired by a historic tall ship from the War of 1812.
