Eliot VanOtteren
Nearby, and easily accessible from the bike path along Lawrence Road, Guale Preserve is a wilderness oasis in the heart of the island. The preserve offers almost two miles of trails for passive recreation. These hiking trails guide you through maritime forest, old dune ridges with scrub live oaks, and stands of pond pine, a unique pine tree only found on older parts of barrier islands. There are interpretive signs throughout the property that provide information about the various habitats inside the Preserve, share quotes from early naturalist William Bartram, and display incredible artwork by Philip Juras. For more information about St. Simons Land Trust and its protected properties, visit sslt.org.
Biking trails
Green is for green sea turtles too! They’re one of the five species of sea turtles found along the Georgia coast. While loggerheads are the only species that nest regularly on our barrier islands, green and leatherback sea turtles both occasionally nest here. You can learn fascinating facts – like the green sea turtle’s name comes not from the color of its shell, but from the layer of fat underneath it – about all of these species at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) on Jekyll Island. Georgia’s only sea turtle education and rehabilitation facility, GSTC offers the public a chance to learn about sea turtles and see rehabilitation in action with a host of interactive exhibits and experiences. Year-round indoor and outdoor programs are also available for guests of all ages. Their summer beach programs include Ride with Dawn Patrol, Ride with Night Patrol, Evening Turtle Walks, and Sunrise Turtle Walks. These experiences are educational for the whole family. By visiting GSTC, you support their mission to protect and preserve the turtles. For more information about admission to GSTC and their programs, visit jekyllisland.com and access their page via the Activities section.
Operated by the 4-H, Tidelands Nature Center on Jekyll Island also offers up-close viewing of live marine animals and reptiles native to the Georgia cost with a live coastal species exhibit gallery. The saltwater exhibit area includes aquariums with live aquatic animals including fish, crabs, stingrays, sea turtles and more, as well interpretive displays about seashells, the salt marsh, and shrimp trawling. The reptile area features many species of reptiles including gopher tortoises, snakes, alligators, and turtles. See fish in the 1,300-gallon aquarium located in the annex. They also offer hands-on coastal ecology programs, guided kayak tours, canoe rentals, and have a birding area (often visited by painted buntings) and a wildlife viewing platform. For information about programs, hours and admission, visit tidelands4h.org.
One last note about sea turtles: nesting season on our beaches is May-October. Please help provide the turtles with safe paths by filling in holes and knocking down sandcastles before you leave. Do not touch or disturb nesting turtles, hatchlings, or nests. At night, keep the beach as dark as possible and, if using flashlights, use certified turtle-friendly red LED lights.
Now let’s hit the greens. The breathtaking natural beauty of our surroundings and mild weather year-round make golfing a popular pastime here. The Golden Isles is home to well-known PGA Tour players, including 2017 World Golf Hall of Fame and 2019 PGA of America Hall of Fame member Davis Love III and current Team USA Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson, as well as some of the country’s most spectacular and widely acclaimed courses. The area offers nearly 200 holes of golf in classic 18-hole, 9-hole, and links courses for your recreational pleasure and many opportunities for viewing a tournament. Fantastic courses plus top-notch practice facilities and world-renowned instructors have drawn countless well-known professional and amateur golfers from around the world to play, compete, learn, and live here.
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In October 2009, the inaugural McGladrey Classic PGA TOUR event, hosted by Davis Love III brought professional golfers from around the nation to compete on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club. Now renamed The RSM Classic (for title sponsor RSM US LLP), this Official PGA TOUR FedExCup Event takes place on Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside and Plantation Courses on St. Simons Island each fall. The tournament, hosted by the Davis Love Foundation, is an eagerly anticipated occasion on the island with family friendly events like a Wiffle Ball Challenge, free Community Day, and Charity Putting Challenge, scheduled during the week leading up to the tournament. The scenery makes it a fun course to walk and the play has been competitive. There are ample volunteer opportunities and many people from out of the area come to the Golden Isles to work the tournament and see some of the world’s top golfers in a laid-back setting that offers the finest Southern hospitality. The tournament returns this November. Learn more at rsmclassic.com. It’s a great time to plan a trip here!
You can also head over to the TopGolf Swing Suite at The Inn at Sea Island to perfect your swing or enjoy a little fun with simulated play on some of the world’s best courses. For miniature golf enjoyment, there’s the Neptune Park Fun Zone miniature golf course on St. Simons Island or Jekyll Island mini golf’s two 18-hole courses.
